Understanding Emotional Labor

Emotional Labor Event Replay ft Rose Hackman

Asking a partner to do something around the house isn't just asking to do something. It's full of emotional labor.

You have to monitor the emotions of yourself and others, consider factors like stress, the emotional capacity of the other, how past communication has ended, your own feelings, and then delicately and intentionally decide how to approach it.

If the emotional blowback will be big, you may just do the task yourself.

If we want to have equitable, resilient, intimate relationships, it's essential that we each do our own fair share of emotional labor.

Rose Hackman, author of Emotional Labor, defines it as, "the editing work of emotions you will do on yourself in order to have an effect on the emotions of someone else.”

Emotional labor is necessary and important work, and it's present in every interaction we have. In our closest relationships, it can create uncomfortable power dynamics.

We've had the absolute pleasure of working closely with Rose, hosting in-person and virtual workshops. You can see one of them here:

Watch the event + download the guide: Includes a 70-minute recording, event guide, and worksheet to help name it, frame it, and shift the weight.