19/06/2025
I recently spoke to world leading neuroscientist Dr Lisa Feldman Barrett, who explained her research on "body budgets" — the brain's system for managing our metabolic resources.
When we experience chronic sleep disruption, we create what she calls a "body budget deficit," where energy withdrawals consistently exceed deposits. This deficit doesn't just leave us tired - it fundamentally alters how the brain processes information, regulates emotions, and makes decisions. All critical functions for any founder, leader or CEO.
In these photos, my body budget is clearly bankrupt. My cameraman has hundreds of shots, across a decade of me asleep in airports, taxis, trains, offices, floors and vans all over the world. I refuse to normalise or accept this - it's not an admirable way to live, it's not impressive and ultimately it will catch up with me.
After years of conversations on The Diary Of A CEO, it's clear that sleep underpins almost everything we care about - health, performance, mood, and decision-making.
The most important newer changes I've made have been setting rules based on my own chronobiology: no early flights where possible, and no meetings or calls before 11am unless absolutely necessary.
Honestly, the only real long-term fix is to do less and travel less. The brain thrives on rhythm, not chaos - and building something meaningful shouldn't come at the cost of living in a permanent state of health debt.
