Something for the Busy Brain — honest conversations to help you manage the overwhelm and make the most of your potential.

Busy Brain & ADHD Coach @ goodtothinkdifferently.com
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  • MENTAL HEALTH

A supportive podcast for people whose minds rarely switch off: the thinkers, feelers, creators, over-loaders, people-pleasers, idea-machines and quiet battlers of the modern world. Hosted by ADHD and mental health coach Ben Cook, this is an honest space exploring the highs, lows and intensity of a busy brain - from overwhelm and burnout to creativity, sensitivity and untapped potential. Through raw conversations, personal stories and practical tools, Ben and his guests unpack what it really means to live with constant inner noise, and how to build a calmer, more intentional life around it, so you can feel more in control of yourself. This isn’t a podcast about diagnosis or labels. It’s a podcast about humans, emotions, lived experience, identity - and the power unlocked when we understand our minds. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, burned out, stuck, misunderstood or full of unexpressed potential… you are NOT alone. Welcome to a space where you learn to work with your busy brain, not against it — and gently regain a sense of control, one conversation at a time.

Episodes

  1. 1D AGO

    Stop Borrowing Energy From Tomorrow: My Truth About ADHD Burnout

    Send me a message, from episode feedback to theme requests. Yesterday I tried to record this episode and I couldn’t get one word in front of the next. But because my brain was completely and utterly fried. This episode is about that place. Wired but tired. I’ve been building something that matters deeply to me these last few weeks. Up at 6am. Laptop by 6:05. Every waking moment has been consumed by this. Caring is expensive. This isn’t about laziness. It’s not about discipline. It’s about complete nervous system dysregulation. Key takeaways: What “wired but tired” actually feels like (and why it’s not the same as being sleepy) Why ADHD burnout often looks like talking more, not less The hidden cost of hyperfocus and caring deeply “We don’t lack capability — we lack containment” How to spot your personal burnout warning signs Why external scaffolding is regulation, not weakness How body doubling and accountability can stabilise your nervous system The concept of “borrowing energy from tomorrow” A simple way to start your own energy audit today The reframe: energy management = nervous system management Hit follow/subscribe, and if this lands, send it to someone in your world who needs a push to press go. About the host: I am a mental health and wellbeing coach who supports adults with busy brains — including ADHD — to find calm, clarity, and self-trust. Support beyond the podcast: I offer a free, no-obligation 30-minute call. You’ll find my contact details below: https://www.goodtothinkdifferently.com/coaching ben@goodtothinkdifferently.com

    17 min
  2. Why Am I Getting A Puppy When My Life Is Already Busy?

    FEB 20

    Why Am I Getting A Puppy When My Life Is Already Busy?

    Send me a message, from episode feedback to theme requests. Why would someone already 100 miles an hour like me choose to get a puppy?  Because it’s not about being less busy - it’s about adding the right kind of energy.  This episode explores playfulness, grief, connection and designing a life that actually fits who you are.  Key takeaways: 1️⃣ Busy Isn’t the Question - Alignment Is  It’s not about how full your life is.  It’s about whether what fills it aligns with who you are. 2️⃣ Know What You Need - Then Build Around It  Clarity about self makes decision-making simpler.  Not easy, but simpler. 3️⃣ One Word Can Be a Compass My word is: Playful. Playfulness isn’t trivial. It’s a regulation tool. It’s a processing tool. It’s a survival tool. 4️⃣ Playfulness Is a Doorway to Hard Emotions  - Not an Escape From Them  Humour and play can create safety around pain, without diminishing it. 5️⃣ Design Your Life Around What Works for You  Instead of asking “Does this fit my current life?”  Ask “Can I design my life to support who I want to be?” 6️⃣ Focus on What It Says Hello To - Not Goodbye To Expansion requires choosing where you place your attention. 7️⃣ Structure Isn’t Confining - It’s Containing Sometimes the thing that feels like “another commitment” is actually regulation disguised as responsibility. 8️⃣ Connection Is a Non-Negotiable Human Need The puppy becomes symbolic of leaning toward: CompanionshipLovePresence9️⃣ Choosing Growth Despite Nerves If you’re both nervous and excited, you’re probably expanding. Hit follow/subscribe, and if this lands, send it to someone in your world who needs a push to press go. About the host: I am a mental health and wellbeing coach who supports adults with busy brains — including ADHD — to find calm, clarity, and self-trust. Support beyond the podcast: I offer a free, no-obligation 30-minute call. You’ll find my contact details below: https://www.goodtothinkdifferently.com/coaching ben@goodtothinkdifferently.com

    9 min

  3. FEB 11

    You don’t silence the inner critic. You build courage around it.

    Send me a message, from episode feedback to theme requests. Ever had a burning idea or project you keep coming back to? The potential is staggering. You can feel what it could become. All you’ve got to do is put it out into the world — and everyone (including you) will finally see what you’re capable of. But then… the inner critic shows up. Every. Single. Time. I’m on the edge of launching something big — and I’m absolutely sh*tting myself. Recorded at my dining room table (with the cats loudly having their tea), this episode is a pep talk for me and for you about what happens when your creativity is massive… and your confidence decides to wobble at the exact moment you need it most. In this episode: The difference between “just another exciting idea” and the one that burns until you actWhy your tribe matters (the people who let you run wild — then help you make it real)The naysayers, the cynics, the “you’re doing it for the money” noise — and how to stay steady anywayThe truth about bravery: sometimes it’s just doing the thing with a loud mindOne of my favourite lines: going against the grain will always give you splinters — so let’s learn how to keep going with splintersIf you’ve got something in your heart that you know could help people… but you’ve stalled right at the starting line — this one’s for you. Hit follow/subscribe, and if this lands, send it to someone in your world who needs a push to press go. About the host: I am a mental health and wellbeing coach who supports adults with busy brains — including ADHD — to find calm, clarity, and self-trust. Support beyond the podcast: I offer a free, no-obligation 30-minute call. You’ll find my contact details below: https://www.goodtothinkdifferently.com/coaching ben@goodtothinkdifferently.com

    11 min

  4. FEB 3

    It's NOT selfish to prioritise yourself in a relationship - My kiss and tell story of why

    Send me a message, from episode feedback to theme requests. Getting vulnerable with yourself might be the most attractive thing you ever do. This kiss-and-tell episode unpacks why my relationship ended, and what I learnt. I’ve just kissed goodbye to someone I dated three years ago. She couldn’t really remember why we split… but I can. The truth is simple, but uncomfortable: it wasn’t her. It was me. In an honest, very vulnerable reflection, I talk about the gap between looking confident and feeling confident, how neediness can show up when you’re not meeting your own needs, and why people-pleasing + over-giving can quietly wreck your emotional availability. The core takeaway: you’ll only get what you want from a relationship when you prioritise self-care and protected time out. Not as a luxury—as a prerequisite. If you’re navigating dating, ADHD overwhelm, emotional burnout, or you want healthier relationships with better boundaries, maybe this episode's for you!? About the host: I am a mental health and wellbeing coach who supports adults with busy brains — including ADHD — to find calm, clarity, and self-trust. Support beyond the podcast: I offer a free, no-obligation 30-minute call. You’ll find my contact details below: https://www.goodtothinkdifferently.com/coaching ben@goodtothinkdifferently.com

    8 min

  5. JAN 27

    Episode 8 - Getting Out Of Your Own Way! (an in-car ramble on the way to work)

    Send me a message, from episode feedback to theme requests. Jump in the car with me (literally) for my first truly rambly recording on the way to work. I had no idea where this one was going! I kick off with two years of stress headaches and end up covering:  - My experience from not drinking - What podcasting has brought me - How my limited company was holding me back - Finally unmasking at the age of 50 - Authenticity, owning your personal brand and getting out your own way. - A beautifully morbid but powerful question I ask of you too - Finding the right coach for yourself It's a messy, honest, but passionate episode and I really enjoyed recording it. If you like heartfelt bollocks with a side-serving of “Shit, that’s me,” you’re in the right episode. About the host: I am a mental health and wellbeing coach who supports adults with busy brains — including ADHD — to find calm, clarity, and self-trust. Support beyond the podcast: I offer a free, no-obligation 30-minute call. You’ll find my contact details below: https://www.goodtothinkdifferently.com/coaching ben@goodtothinkdifferently.com

    22 min

  6. JAN 21

    Get Comfortable Asking For Help

    Send me a message, from episode feedback to theme requests. Episode 7: Get Comfortable Asking for Help If you’re the one people come to, it’s hard for you to ask for help or admit you need some. It doesn’t come naturally to the people-pleasers among us. In this episode of Something for the Busy Brain, I am talking about why asking for help can feel so hard, especially when you’ve got ADHD or a brain that never switches off. Not because you’re unwilling. Not because you’re difficult. But because you’ve learned, over time, that coping alone is what makes you “good enough.” And I want to gently challenge that. Because so many people with busy brains are walking around with invisible weight: overwhelm, decision fatigue, emotional overload, self-doubt, shame, the constant feeling of being behind… and a private fear that if you stop holding it all together, everything will fall apart. This episode is a reminder that support isn’t weakness - it’s scaffolding. It’s the thing that helps you breathe again. Sleep again. Think again. Feel like yourself again. I talk about what real support looks like (not being “fixed” - being supported), why the right people make all the difference, and a few simple ways to start asking without needing a full meltdown first. And I’ll leave you with a small challenge: in the next 24 hours, to ask for one small piece of support - specific, simple, doable. Just one. Because you were never meant to do all of this on your own. You just got used to it. About the host: I am a mental health and wellbeing coach who supports adults with busy brains — including ADHD — to find calm, clarity, and self-trust. Support beyond the podcast: I offer a free, no-obligation 30-minute call. You’ll find my contact details below: https://www.goodtothinkdifferently.com/coaching ben@goodtothinkdifferently.com

    19 min

  7. JAN 14

    Be MORE Human

    Send me a message, from episode feedback to theme requests. Episode 6: Be More Human Feel like tech is dominating your world? In this episode, I unpack how digital overload and cognitive offloading (outsourcing your thinking) can leave you anxious, distracted, and disconnected — even when you’re “connected” all day. You’ll hear why the algorithm isn’t built for your peace — it’s built for your attention. And why attention is your steering wheel. Then I give you a simple, practical reset: ✅ a 7-day Think For Yourself Challenge ✅ boundaries that actually stick ✅ more calm, more space, more self-control ✅ more real connection — because humans need humans About the host: I am a mental health and wellbeing coach who supports adults with busy brains — including ADHD — to find calm, clarity, and self-trust. Support beyond the podcast: I offer a free, no-obligation 30-minute call. You’ll find my contact details below: https://www.goodtothinkdifferently.com/coaching  ben@goodtothinkdifferently.com

    18 min

  8. JAN 7

    One Word, Instead of a Resolution

    Send me a message, from episode feedback to theme requests. One Word Instead of a Resolution Calling B******t on New Year's Resolutions... January often begins with exhaustion rather than motivation — especially for people with busy brains. In this short, reflective episode of Something for the Busy Brain, Ben Cook gently challenges the idea of New Year’s resolutions and offers a calmer, more achievable alternative: focusing on how you want to feel, rather than what you think you should achieve. If you feel overstimulated, peopled-out, or overwhelmed as routines return, this episode is a grounding pause — a simple anchor to help you start the year with more compassion and less pressure. About the host: Ben Cook is a mental health and wellbeing coach who supports adults with busy brains — including ADHD — to find calm, clarity, and self-trust. Support beyond the podcast: Ben offers a free, no-obligation 30-minute call. You’ll find his contact details below: https://www.goodtothinkdifferently.com/coaching  ben@goodtothinkdifferently.com

    6 min

  9. 12/31/2025

    Building Your 'Toolbox of Calm' For When You Need It Most

    Send me a message, from episode feedback to theme requests. This is a highly practical, actionable episode from Ben, with advice, guidance and hacks to help busy-brained individuals like him develop their own 'Toolbox of Calm'. Through personal anecdotes and practical advice, Ben encourages listeners to explore various approaches to calm, including writing, sensory experiences, and playful activities. The episode concludes with a call to action for listeners to start building their own toolbox of calm today. Ben refers to a headache/stress cap available on Amazon below:  https://amzn.eu/d/eSsqaDb Takeaways Calm is learnableFinding personal strategies is essential for relaxation.It's important to adapt techniques to fit your unique brain wiring.Writing can help regulate emotions and clarify thoughts.Sensory experiences can enhance relaxation and calmness.Building a toolbox of options can support resilience.Exploring different environments can help find calm.Engaging in activities with others can enhance the experience of calm.Starting small can lead to significant changes in well-being.Sound Bites "Calm is learnable.""You need to set the terms.""Find what works for you."Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Building Calm 05:54 Finding Personal Calm Strategies 10:14 Practical Tools for Decompression 16:57 Exploring Sensory Experiences 20:59 Building Your Toolbox of Calm 26:49 Conclusion and Call to Action

    27 min
  10. Alcohol: Do You Want to Say No? (Busy Brains, Booze & Taking Back Control)

    12/24/2025

    Alcohol: Do You Want to Say No? (Busy Brains, Booze & Taking Back Control)

    Send me a message, from episode feedback to theme requests. Ben welcomes his first guest James Hansen, addictions counsellor, ADHD life coach and founder of the Escape the Chaos programme:  https://www.escape-the-chaos.co.uk/ In a powerfully honest and raw episode, Ben and James discuss the complexities of alcohol consumption, from the role it plays, to societal expectations, the damage to our mental health, and the importance of connection.  James shares his personal journey with alcohol, the impact of his family background, and how he navigates social situations without drinking.  They emphasise the need for self-awareness, planning, and support in making healthier choices regarding alcohol. The episode provides practical advice and support in navigating our lives with or without alcohol. busybrain, somethingforthebusybrain, goodtothinkdifferently, boundaries, mentalhealth, selfawareness, alcohol, sobriety, connection, adhd, adhdcoach, lifecoach, bencook, addiction, support, ADHD, recovery Takeaways Connection with others is crucial for mental health. Alcohol can serve as a depressant, impacting mood. Planning ahead can help manage alcohol consumption. It's important to set healthy boundaries around drinking. Self-awareness plays a key role in making choices about alcohol. The societal expectation to drink can create pressure. Support from friends can help in social situations. Understanding personal triggers is essential for managing alcohol use. Creating a life worth living involves developing healthy habits. The opposite of addiction is connection, not sobriety. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction 04:54 James Hansen's Journey with Alcohol 10:02 The Impact of Family and Environment on Alcohol Use 15:01 Understanding Alcohol's Role in Mental Health 19:49 Navigating Social Situations and Alcohol Consumption 25:03 Strategies for Healthy Boundaries and Support 29:58 The Importance of Connection Over Alcohol 34:56 Planning Ahead for Alcohol-Free Experiences 40:00 Final Thoughts and Encouragement for Listeners

    53 min

  11. 12/18/2025

    Getting to Know Yourself: How Self-Awareness Helps When You Feel Lost or Stuck

    Send me a message, from episode feedback to theme requests. Ben discusses the importance of self-reflection and understanding yourself, especially during reflective times like Christmas. He emphasises the need to invest in yourself, connect with the REAL you, and utilise tools available for self-discovery. This episode highlights that knowing your needs and emotions is crucial for a fulfilling life. Self-discovery resources recommended in this episode are: 16personalities.com, viacharacter.org, high5test.com, thevaluesbridge.com, scottjeffrey.com and the Clifton Strengths Assessment on gallup.com. #busybrain #somethingforthebusybrain #goodtothinkdifferently #selfreflection #personalgrowth #mentalhealth #selfawareness #happiness #investinginyourself #emotionalwellbeing #connection #adhd #adhdcoach #lifecoach #switchingoff #bencook

    12 min

  12. 12/01/2025

    Pilot: A warm welcome & what this podcast is about

    Send me a message, from episode feedback to theme requests. Ben shares the story behind Something for the Busy Brain — why his mind has always been loud, how burnout shaped his path, and why understanding your busy brain is the key to unlocking your potential.   **Tags:**   Mental Health, ADHD, Emotional Wellbeing, Overwhelm, Personal Development, Podcast, Self-Help, Resilience, Busy Brain, Coaching.

    9 min
  • 12 Episodes

About

A supportive podcast for people whose minds rarely switch off: the thinkers, feelers, creators, over-loaders, people-pleasers, idea-machines and quiet battlers of the modern world. Hosted by ADHD and mental health coach Ben Cook, this is an honest space exploring the highs, lows and intensity of a busy brain - from overwhelm and burnout to creativity, sensitivity and untapped potential. Through raw conversations, personal stories and practical tools, Ben and his guests unpack what it really means to live with constant inner noise, and how to build a calmer, more intentional life around it, so you can feel more in control of yourself. This isn’t a podcast about diagnosis or labels. It’s a podcast about humans, emotions, lived experience, identity - and the power unlocked when we understand our minds. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, burned out, stuck, misunderstood or full of unexpressed potential… you are NOT alone. Welcome to a space where you learn to work with your busy brain, not against it — and gently regain a sense of control, one conversation at a time.

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