Main cause of stress
I suppose the most stressful thing is trying to be all things to all people. You have 18 things on at the same time, 15 phone calls to make, 20 messages to return, six meetings to go to and you should have been at a meeting half-an-hour ago.
I'm president of the Institute of Directors, director of Irish Life & Permanent and Grafton PLC, non-executive chairman of Budget Travel and I work with Granada Media. That adds up to a lot of meetings.
Having said that, I find work extremely satisfying and I believe you need a certain level of stress to function well.
Coping with stress
I've got much better at controlling stress. I ask myself if it's worth worrying about. In a year's time, will that issue still be as important? Will it have a material effect on you or your family? More than often, the answer is no. I find that the more serious issues aren't as stress-inducing because something takes over and you just seem to handle them. It's the small things that stress you.
When things are particularly busy, I like to get out for a walk for 20 minutes. It helps clear your head and reduces stress.
Travelling and stress
I used to travel an awful lot. There was one period when I took one or two trips a week but it's less so nowadays. I find travel surprisingly tiring. You are just hanging around waiting for a flight and you get tired for no good reason.
I don't think the travel industry is more stressful than other jobs. I would imagine that politics is one of the most stressful careers because your private life is never your own. There isn't a private corner that you can retreat into.
In conversation with Alison Healy