Welcome to the Modern Husbands podcast, where any combination of Dr. Bruce Ross, Christian Sherrill, and Brian Page host national experts who share winning ideas to manage money and the home as a team.

I’m Brian Page, founder of Modern Husbands. Sometimes our listeners want more support than a podcast can give, individual or couple support, which I now provide. Details can be found at modernhusbands.com.

For today’s episode we welcome Dr. Julie Wayne, a Professor of Management at the Wake Forest University School of Business, specializing in work-family scholarship. Her research focuses on how work and personal lives intersect, examining work-family enrichment, the meaning and measurement of work-life balance, and the "invisible family load". Wayne has been recognized with the 2024 Kanter Award for Excellence in Work-Family Research for her significant contributions to the field.

In this episode, Dr. Wayne breaks down the concepts of mental and emotional load—and why they so often go unseen in relationships. She explains how these hidden responsibilities impact men and women differently, and shares practical strategies for couples to notice, share, and reduce the invisible load at home. Whether you're managing careers, kids, or both, this conversation offers actionable insights to strengthen your partnership. Enjoy the show.

Questions

00:00 Introduction
02:05 Where does your passion for your work originate?
03:32 What exactly is the “mental load,” and why do people call it invisible?
06:02 What does the mental load have to do with the intersection of work and home?
13:02 How does it generally show up differently for men and women?
18:17 How does the emotional load differ from the mental load, and why is it particularly challenging?
22:37 What are some practical ways husbands and partners can notice, share, or reduce the emotional labor at home?
31:17 Beyond the household, how can workplaces, policies, or broader societal expectations help men and women balance mental and emotional responsibilities more equitably?
35:49 What is one piece of simple and actionable advice you want to share with our listeners?

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Welcome to the Modern Husbands podcast, where any combination of Dr. Bruce Ross, Christian Sherrill, and Brian Page host national experts who share winning ideas to manage money and the home as a team.

I’m Brian Page, founder of Modern Husbands. Sometimes our listeners want more support than a podcast can give, individual or couple support, which I now provide. Details can be found at modernhusbands.com or you can email me at brian@modernhusbands.com.

For today’s podcast we welcome Dr. Jenny Olson, an Assistant Professor of Marketing at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business. Dr. Olson just released research examining how people predict happiness from buying something, what actually happens, and whether how poor or rich you are impacts how we feel about it. Enjoy the show.

Show Notes

00:00 Introduction
01:00 Fast overview of her previous groundbreaking research on joint bank accounts
03:45 Judging people in poverty who spend money
07:45 The findings from her research
09:50 What her research has to do with our basic needs
13:00 How to interpret the research and suggestions
14:32 How do common misconceptions about income levels affect people’s expectations from happiness from their experiences
17:05 What can dual career couples do to enhance their own happiness
19:46 The line between spending and compulsive spending for happiness
21:05 Examples of consumption experiences that she found drive happiness
22:03 Self care: people prioritize the self care of others before themselves
25:27 How has your research influenced your own views
29:09 One piece of practical advice people can use now in their lives based on your research

Subscribe or follow Modern Husbands on social media!

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Welcome to the Modern Husbands podcast, where any combination of Dr. Bruce Ross, Christian Sherrill, and Brian Page host national experts who share winning ideas to manage money and the home as a team.

I’m Brian Page, founder of Modern Husbands. Sometimes our listeners want more support than a podcast can give, individual or couple support, which I now provide. Details can be found at modernhusbands.com.

For today’s podcast we welcome Dr. Gary Barker and Dr. Taveeshi Gupta of Equimundo.

Dr. Gary Barker is the CEO and co-founder of Equimundo and a globally recognized leader in engaging men and boys to advance gender equality, with over 30 years of experience across more than 50 countries.

Dr. Taveeshi Gupta is the Senior Director of Research at Equimundo and a global expert on masculinities and gender with over 15 years of experience leading research on structural inequalities and their impact on youth and development.

The research at Equimundo was the origin of the evidence used by the Congressional Dads Caucus for proposed legislation.

Our conversation will center around Equimundo’s State of American Men 2025, a groundbreaking new study that offers an unflinching, data-driven look at the emotional, economic, and cultural pressures facing American men.

At a time when narratives around masculinity are increasingly divisive and distorted, their annual study cuts through the noise with a clear, compassionate message: Men are not in crisis because of who they are — they’re in crisis because of what they lack.

Perhaps that is a driver behind their finding, an absolutely terrifying statistic that 57% of men, and 52% of women, believe that the US would be a better place with a strong leader in charge who doesn’t bother with elections. The stakes of what is occurring in our country right now couldn’t be any higher.

Link to research: https://www.equimundo.org/resources/state-of-american-men-2025/

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