Effort Density — The Hidden Weight of Modern Work

Or: What the Pebble Parable Gets Wrong About Mental Load

Not all the weight we carry is visible.

Some of it hides in short emails. In tasks we call “easy.” In things we tell ourselves will only take a minute. But when you finally sit down to push the rock, you realize: it’s heavier than it looks.

Picture this: You wake in a quiet house. A free morning, a full mug of coffee, and a to-do list that looks surprisin…