What if the path to a more equal home life didn’t require a huge conversation… but just one small experiment?
In this After the Interview episode of Equal-ish, Kate and Rachel reflect on their conversation with Hayley Swenson from New America and put some of the Better Life Lab behavioural experiments to the test in their own families.
The idea behind the experiments is simple: instead of trying to redesign your entire relationship or household system, start with small habit changes that gently shift behaviour over time.
Rachel explores how simple boundary-setting tools can help protect work-life balance and reduce the pressure to always be “on”. Kate shares how “sharing the magic” can sometimes reveal that the things we spend hours creating aren’t even the things our kids care most about.
We also touch on fascinating new research from Miranda Dotson exploring division of labour in relationships where one partner is trans or non-binary. Her work introduces the concept of “gender heritage” — the idea that the way we are socialised as children may influence how we divide household labour more than our current gender identity.
It’s a reminder that the patterns couples struggle with today often begin long before relationships even start.
If equality at home feels overwhelming, this episode offers a different approach: start small, experiment, and see what shifts.
Subscribe to Equal-ish on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to be the first to hear the coaching edit from our interview.
Find out more about your hosts Kate Mangino and Rachel Childs.
Read the Miranda Dodson article
This episode is proudly supported by the Relationscapes Podcast