Intelligence Squared: "How To Take the Pressure Off and Live Well, with Claudia Hammond (Part Two)"

Date: January 23, 2026
Host: Intelligence Squared
Featured Guest: Claudia Hammond (psychologist, broadcaster, author of Overwhelmed)
In Conversation With: Dr. Radha Modgill
Location: Live at the Kiln Theatre, London

Episode Overview

Part Two of Intelligence Squared's event with Claudia Hammond delves into practical strategies for reducing the pressures of modern life and living well. Drawing deeply from Hammond’s latest book, Overwhelmed, this episode explores the impact of work culture, perfectionism, boundaries, and technology on our wellbeing, while offering actionable tips to handle stress, overwhelm, and burnout. The discussion is engaging, relatable, and peppered with research, audience questions, and personal insights.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Modern World of Work and Blurred Boundaries

Timestamps: 02:10–04:46

• Remote and hybrid work have made it harder to separate professional and personal time, leading to more frequent feelings of overwhelm.
• Always-on culture: The expectation to be reachable, respond to emails at all hours, and lack an obvious "stop" to the workday has replaced older, clearer boundaries (like a commute).
• Technological solutions and pitfalls: Tricks like scheduling delayed email sends work only if the system is managed correctly.
• Managing stress: Avoid checking emails late at night, since unsettling messages can disrupt sleep, even when action isn't possible until morning.
• Quote:

  "Not checking your email last thing at night because you could get an email that really annoys you for half the night and there's nothing you can do about it until the morning and it'll probably all get sorted out in half an hour anyway."
  — Claudia Hammond (03:52)

2. Perfectionism: On the Rise and Its Impact

Timestamps: 04:46–09:38

• Perfectionism's increase: Research (Thomas Curran, LSE) shows significant rise among younger generations since the 1990s.
• Types of perfectionism:
  • Self-oriented: High standards for oneself in all areas—career, friendships, fitness, home life.
  • Socially prescribed: The perception that others expect perfection, leading to constant self-judgment.
• Survivorship bias and the myth of ‘having it all’: Media amplifies rare stories of winners, making realistic goals seem like failures.
• Quote:

  "There is this idea that you can have it all and if you want it enough, you will get this thing. ...But maybe something more realistic would make us happier."
  — Claudia Hammond (08:02)

3. Comparing and the Illusion of Failure

Timestamps: 07:27–09:38

• Social media as a comparison trap: The world to compare yourself with is infinitely larger and more manipulated than ever before.
• Technology amplifies the perfectionism and fear of failure cycle.
• Memorable moment:

  "Whoever's just won Wimbledon will be interviewed and they will say they always wanted this. ...I imagined when I was little winning Wimbledon, Unfortunately, I did too, actually. Exactly. Who doesn't want to win Wimbledon?"
  — Dr. Radha Modgill & Claudia Hammond (09:01)

4. Personal Reflections: Writing the Book and Reframing Stress

Timestamps: 09:38–12:21

• Writing ‘Overwhelmed’ changed Hammond’s approach to stress: She applied her own advice under deadline pressure and found reframing stress—recognizing it signals something that matters—helpful.
• Rest as essential: Hammond emphasizes micro-breaks and rest as crucial mental health strategies.
• Quote:

  "Sometimes the reason you feel stressed is that something really matters to you."
  — Claudia Hammond (10:38)

5. Busyness as an Identity and Status Signal

Timestamps: 12:21–13:55

• The badge of busyness: Discusses how people use the word "busy" as a status claim, but cautions over identifying too strongly with being stressed or overworked.
• Quote:

  "There can be a sort of claim to, to busyness as a form of status... it feels like that. But that is also a bit of a claim to status saying, you know, oh, look how, look how much I've got on, look how important I am, look how wanted I am."
  — Claudia Hammond (12:53)

6. Top Takeaway: Self-Compassion Over Self-Criticism

Timestamps: 13:55–16:35

• Practical advice: Treat yourself like a friend—would you tell a friend they're a failure, or would you reassure them?
• Easy exercise: Place one hand on your heart, one on your belly, and ask, "How can I be a friend to myself in this moment?"—Just 20 seconds a day reduces stress.
• Quote:

  "We are much meaner to ourselves. We say much meaner things to ourselves than we would ever dream of saying to a friend."
  — Claudia Hammond (14:33)

7. Audience Q&A

Timestamps: 17:13–37:47

a. The 'Four Foot Square' Risk: Does Overwhelm Lead to Inaction?

• Question: Is there a risk that people become so overwhelmed that they only focus on their immediate control, leading to collective paralysis?
• Answer: Hammond stresses acceptance and agency at whatever scale possible—not total retreat but locally meaningful action and acceptance of uncertainty.
• Quote:

  "It's not a question of retreating. ...It's a question of not retreating, but having a level of acceptance, but also accepting that there's uncertainty and working out what you can do about it, if you can do something about it."
  — Claudia Hammond (18:25)

b. Technology and Overwhelm

• Question: To what extent does technology cause overwhelm?
• Answer: It depends on how we use screens. Not all screen time is bad; it's about interruptions, task-switching, and the nature of the content (admin vs. passive scrolling).
  • Anecdote: Claudia’s accidental phone-free spell proves people can adapt quickly to less technology reliance.
• Quote:

  "It's really important to look at exactly what it is that people are doing at different times to see which of those bits might be problematic for them."
  — Claudia Hammond (21:04)

c. Breaking the Overwhelm Cycle (Acute Overload)

• Practical tactics:
  • Allow micro-breaks even during deadlines.
  • Recall how you've handled similar situations before.
  • Verbalize feelings in the third person for psychological distance ("Sarah is feeling overwhelmed").
  • Set a "worry time" for 10 minutes to process anxieties, freeing up the rest of the day.
• Quote:

  "There is evidence that saying what you're feeling in the third person can help. ...Deliberately decide to have the worry time as well as trying this psychological distancing."
  — Claudia Hammond (31:30)

d. Healing from Burnout

• Advice:
  • Analyze causes; be kind and avoid self-blame.
  • Let go of perfectionism—ask, what kind of "good enough" is acceptable for you?
  • Seek restorative activities and supportive relationships.
  • Use "awe walks"—spending brief time in local surroundings, focusing on things that provoke awe or wonder, which enhances wellbeing.
  • Regenerative experiences (gardens, children, pets, music) help counteract the grayness of burnout.
• Quote:

  "What would be good enough, rather than doing everything perfectly, because we can't do everything perfectly anyway?"
  — Claudia Hammond (33:10) "The park is full of birds and beetles and all sorts of things that don't care about our problems that we've got. ...We can get a perspective by looking at that bigger world as well."
  — Claudia Hammond (36:25)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Would I say this to a friend?" — A recurring tip for self-kindness and reframing negative self-talk (14:33)
• "You can actually do loads of those in an hour if you get on with it. And it's very, very satisfying because then I can tick them all off on my app. And that's really nice." — On tackling life-admin overwhelm (13:39)
• "We are much meaner to ourselves than we would ever dream of being to a friend." (14:33)
• "After like a day and a half I stopped twitching anymore. ...Humans are so adaptable that you kind of adapt back." — On re-adjusting to less technology (22:40)

Actionable Strategies Summarized

• Set boundaries on communication; avoid email after work hours.
• Reframe stress as a sign something matters to you.
• Treat yourself with the compassion you'd extend to a friend.
• Take breaks (even micro-breaks) seriously and without guilt.
• Seek perspective through awe and reconnect with restorative activities.
• Identify and challenge perfectionism—the ‘republic of good enough’.
• Manage overwhelm by controlling the controllable, allowing for uncertainty, and actively processing worries.
• For burnout, focus on regeneration and small joys rather than forcing grand self-improvement projects.

Closing Reflections

The event wraps up with heartfelt thanks to Claudia Hammond and a room check—many audience members, reflecting on the discussion’s insights, raise their hands to show they're feeling less overwhelmed. Hammond’s message is hopeful: with small changes, some self-compassion, and realism about what matters, it’s possible to take the pressure off and live well, even in a relentless world.