14/03/2026
We’re conditioned to talk about “mum brain” as if it’s a form of early-onset cognitive decline.
A hazy soup of forgotten passwords, missing PE kits and school WhatsApp chats.
But what if we’ve misunderstood it completely?
Motherhood isn’t a detour from leadership.
It’s arguably the most savage, high-stakes leadership programme on the planet.
I’ve coached hundreds of mothers - about 70% of them in senior leadership roles.
They don’t usually book a session to talk about the guilt or the constant, frantic role-switching, but it always, always finds its way into the room.
The truth is, your brain feels crowded because it is.
There is more “stuff” in there now. More to-dos, more juggling, more invisible problem-solving.
But the brain doesn’t just clutter; it adapts. It hardens. The science is actually on our side for once.
The prefrontal cortex, the amygdala and the hippocampus all shift to help you read people better, prioritise at speed and make decisions while running on roughly four hours of sleep!
I see it every day in my sessions.
The leader chasing the promotion while balancing family with genuine confidence.
The single parent building a life that actually works for them.
The mother returning to work and stepping into a new role with a level of courage that would make the most hardened CEO weep.
The most effective mothers I coach have stopped trying to win at productivity and started protecting their energy instead.
They plan their careers in seasons, not sprints.
They switch off deliberately and they’ve learned to let go of the performative perfection that helps exactly no one.
They repeat the one thing we all need to hear:
“I am enough.”
To the incredible mothers I’ve coached, I see you. I learn from you every single time we speak.
I hope that one day I can pass on even a fraction of what you’ve taught me to my own Martha.
Happy Mothering Sunday 🤍
I’d genuinely love to hear this.
What leadership skills has parenting (accidentally) strengthened for you?
📸 my lovely mum