Guest article: Ann-Marie Goodbody, Goodbody Wellness Co
It’s not even 9am. You’re on your third coffee, your inbox is heaving, and your to-do list already feels out of control. Mentally, you’re switched on, solving problems, responding fast, making things happen. But physically, you’re already flagging.
Sound familiar?
You’ve probably heard of being ‘tired and wired’ – struggling to switch off at night even though you’re beyond exhausted. But this is something different. This is ‘wired but tired’ – high functioning on the outside but quietly running on empty underneath.
And for many in BD and marketing, that’s become the norm.
You’re not fully burnt out, but there’s a constant, low-level drain that chips away at your energy, your clarity, and your spark. You push through because you have to. There’s always more coming, more deadlines, more demands, more “can you justs” from partners who don’t see the full picture.
There’s no natural stop-start rhythm like there is for fee earners. Projects overlap, priorities shift hourly, and your role often spans sectors, time zones, and strong personalities – all with a smile, and without any billable-hour visibility to show just how much you’re carrying.
Everything is urgent because someone senior has said it is.
So you keep delivering. But it comes at a hidden cost.
You look like you’ve got it all handled. But inside, your nervous system is stuck in overdrive, fuelled by adrenaline, cortisol, and whatever caffeine and snacks you can grab between back-to-back meetings.
This isn’t just being tired. It’s the kind of fatigue that sleep doesn’t fix. The kind that messes with your hormones, your mood and your memory. Your body’s trying to tell you something, but you’re too busy to listen. Until one day it forces you to.
That was me. After years in legal BD, I kept pushing until I burnt out and that ultimately resulted in ME/CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome). Recovery wasn’t fast, but one of the biggest shifts came from learning how to stabilise my blood sugar.
It sounds simple, but it changed everything. Because when your blood sugar is balanced, your energy is steady, your brain is sharper, and you stop crashing through the day on stress hormones and sugar. Of course, sustainable energy is multifaceted, but blood sugar is one of the most immediate and powerful levers you can pull.
Here’s how to start:
— Eat every three to four hours and aim for a 12-hour overnight fast. Regular meals keep blood sugar steady; the overnight gap gives your body time to recover.
— Never skip breakfast, eat within an hour of waking. It sets your energy tone and helps avoid later crashes.
— Include protein with every meal or snack. It slows sugar release and keeps you fuller for longer.
— Choose slow carbs over quick fixes. Think oats, lentils, or sweet potato instead of white bread or pastries.
— Reduce snacking and snack smart when needed. Treat snacks like mini meals: pair fruit with nuts, or oatcakes with hummus.
Small changes create big ripples and that’s how you get your edge back.
This isn’t about chasing perfection or cramming wellness into your already full schedule. It’s about building simple, sustainable energy habits that actually work in your world, helping you stay steady, sharp and resilient, no matter what the day throws at you.
Because when your energy is consistent, everything improves. You think more clearly, lead with impact, and handle pressure with intention, not just (stressed-out) reaction. That’s when performance becomes sustainable. And that’s when you become unstoppable.
Ann-Marie Goodbody is a former M&A lawyer and BD leader. She is now a executive health and wellness coach for professionals. www.goodbodywellnessco.com