by Catherine Saxelby

Everything in our lives is fast – fast cars, fast trains, fast lanes, fast money, fast broadband and of course fast food. There’s lunch on the run, dinner in under 30 minutes, 2-minutes noodles, take-away to grab and run. Life is rushed and stressful.

When we finally have time to eat, we bolt it down as quickly as we can. Often we multi-task whilst eating – we munch a sandwich at our desk, catch up with the news over dinner or read the paper over coffee and a muffin.

Now there’s a new health concept to re-train yourself to eat slow.  Like the Slow Food movement that’s supporting a return to traditional cuisine, it’s part of the philosophy that food is special and should be enjoyed at leisure to bring out its full satisfaction and flavour.  If you eat at a leisurely pace, you’ll enjoy your food more, have less problems with your digestion and force yourself to slow down. Your health and attitude to life will lift noticeably!

Eating slowly is also one of the most successful techniques to help people lose weight. A recent US study of 30 women showed that eating slowly helped them to reduce food intake by around 275 kilojoules (66 cals) at each meal without any suffering and maximized their food satisfaction scores.

Research shows it takes 15 or 20 minutes for your stomach to signal your brain that it’s FULL, so this technique prevents you overeating without realizing it.  It’s simple. Here’s how to practice it (it helps to do it by yourself the first time):

1.  Sit down to eat and focus on the food in front of you – your goal is to savour each mouthful aiming to ‘extract’ the maximum flavour and satisfaction.

2.  Eat with a fork and knife, not your fingers.

3.  Put the fork and knife down between each bite. Have a pause halfway through the meal and ask yourself:  “How full am I now or do I need to eat more?”.

4.  Take small bites and chew well. Aim to chew each mouthful at least 5 times before you swallow.

5. While you’re retraining yourself, don’t eat in front of TV or while you read. It becomes ‘mindless eating’ and you don’t remember what you’ve eaten.

6.  Don’t eat while you walk or shop.

7.  If you have to eat at your desk at work, clear aside a small spot and have your food there, keeping a distance from your computer or paperwork.

Slow eating is one way you can take a stand against life in the fast lane. It will make you feel less stressed, more relaxed and more in tune with your body.  So make your next meal a slow meal and begin to enjoy life again.

Catherine Saxelby is a nutritionist and author of Nutrition for Life. Get more healthy eating tips at www.foodwatch.com.au

By Morris Kaplan

As we all know (or should), it takes a disciplined mind and a methodical person, to force oneself to undergo a thorough annual medical check-up. Particularly when you’re feeling absolutely fine. But with debt, the situation can be akin to the hidden cancer. Sinking into debt begins slowly, but it quickly can in serious consequences. The problem usually starts when a person falls behind in monthly payments, or when he or she manages to make the minimum payment due on a credit card but isn’t able to pay anything toward the principal on the loan or bill. Little by little, the debtor begins to drown in unpaid bills. He or she gets dunning notices and phone calls from creditors.

The consequences of bad debt begin to take their toll – anxiety, worry and intimidation; the debt spiral begins; black marks appear on the debtor’s credit record, and potentially the worst outcome – failing to have unused credit lines for emergencies.

You may walk away, but it has been my experience that you can’t hide from creditors. In fact, “walking away” is probably your worst option for handling a debt problem.  Even employment prospects can be affected by poor behaviour around debt. Many employers check credit reports before making hiring or promotion decisions. A negative mark on your credit report, issued by your creditor for nonpayment, will raise questions and concerns that may result in you being a less-attractive employee.

Even before a default notice is issued, late payments on for example credit cards can result in after shocks. Many credit card issuers have a penalty interest rate of 25 percent to 30 percent, once late penalty fees are added and interest remains unpaid. If you were reluctant to open your credit card statement before your statement will start to look even more unappealing. Your credit score will potentially drop, and a lower credit score means new loans and credit will cost you more.

Be sure also that those outstanding debts will be pursued. Today with advances in technology, debt collection has become far more sophisticated than yesteryear. Even the unpaid $50 mobile phone account form an earlier service provider may end up being turned over to collectors, lawyers or be sold to professional debt buyers. Interest will accrue and fees will be charged. Your phone will begin to ring more often and you will never want to talk with the person on the other end of the phone. Although the ACCC and ASIC protects you from abusive collectors, it does not prevent legitimate collection procedures, which, even within the law, can ruin an otherwise nice day.

If you can answer yes to any of the following questions, you could be facing a credit health emergency.

Have you:
1. Argued with your spouse or partner over bills?
2. Increased the percentage of your income being used to pay off debts?
3. Approached or reached your credit limits?
4. Paid only the minimum on revolving accounts?
5. Been chronically late in paying bills?
6. Borrowed to pay for items you used to pay for with cash?
7. Put off medical or dental visits for financial reasons?
8. Reached a point where losing your job would place you in immediate financial difficulty?
9. Been threatened with repossession of your car or credit cards or with other legal action?
10. Avoided calculating your total debt and are afraid to add it up?

A better idea than walking away from your obligation would be to get some help working out things with your creditors. If communications are breaking down, contacting a reputable credit counseling agency may help you come to terms with your creditors and determine the best course of action given your specific financial situation. If all else fails, you may want to get some legal advice to deal with your problem. Walking away will not solve your problems, quite simply because your creditors won’t let you.

Morris Kaplan is an Author and Business Journalist. He is the author of ‘Five Years to Financial Freedom’ and ‘Financial Freedom for your Business’.

Andrew May interviews Carl Honore, author of In Praise of Slowness - how a world wide movement is challenging the cult of speed and founder of www.slowplanet.com.

Listen to the interview

MP3 File

What is the Slow Movement?

It is a cultural revolution against the notion that faster is always better. The Slow philosophy is not about doing everything at a snail’s pace. It’s about seeking to do everything at the right speed. Savoring the hours and minutes rather than just counting them. Doing everything as well as possible, instead of as fast as possible. It’s about quality over quantity in everything from work to food to parenting.

When was this Slow idea born?

People have been defending the value of slowness for at least 200 years - think of the Romantics, or the Transcendentalists or even the hippies. But the idea of a “Slow Movement” which seeks to blend fast and slow to help people work, live and play better in the modern world is more recent. Born in Italy in the early 1990s the ****Slow Food movement helped recapture the word ‘slow’ as something positive. But they concentrate on food. More recently “Slow” has become a universal label to explain the benefits of doing everything at the right speed: sex, work, education, exercise, etc.

Why do we need a Slow Movement now?

It seems to me that we are moving towards an historical turning point. For at least 150 years everything has been getting faster – and for the most part speed was doing us more good than harm in that time. But in recent years we’ve entered the phase of diminishing returns. Today we are addicted to speed, to cramming more and more into every minute. Every moment of the day feels like a race against the clock, a dash to a finish line that we never seem to reach. This roadrunner culture is taking a toll on everything from our health, diet and work to our communities, relationships and the environment. That is why the Slow Movement is taking off.

Have we reached the point of trying to accelerate the unacceleratable?

Definitely. You can even do courses in Speed Yoga or Speed Meditation these days. All this technology connects us in ways that can be wonderful but it also tempts us into trying to hurry up relationships too. So on Facebook or MySpace you find people claiming to have 4,356 friends! The very idea of friendship is devalued. And maybe we’re also losing the ability to make friends: in Britain, a major survey found that between 1986 and 2006 the number of teenagers who say they have no best friend in whom to confide rose from under one in eight to nearly one in five. Or consider the phenomenon of Speed Dating, where singles gather at events where they get three minutes (sometimes less) each with 30 members of the opposite sex and have to choose who might be a suitable romantic partner. Actually, I read recently that in the latest version of Speed Dating the participants no longer even meet face to face (that’s too slow, you see). Instead, they get three minutes to appraise each other via email or instant messaging. A magazine in Britain even published an article recently on how to bring about an orgasm in 30 seconds! So even in the bedroom it’s “On your marks, get set, go!” Our speedaholism is out of control, and we all know it.

What are the tell-tale symptoms of living too fast?

When you feel tired all the time and like you’re just going through the motions, getting through the many things on your To-Do list but not engaging with them deeply or enjoying them very much. You don’t remember things as vividly when you rush through them. You feel like you’re racing through your life instead of actually living it. Illnesses are often the body’s way of saying “Enough already, slow down!”

by Justin Hooper

Over the past few years, South Africa has been going through many other challenges besides the stock market. One of these is that power (i.e. electricity) has become limited, something that we in Australia may find hard to comprehend. In simple terms, there is just not enough power to go around and a system of power sharing has resulted. Suburbs are cut off at periodic intervals resulting in “blackouts”.

Many of the people are unhappy about this inconvenience and frequently complain about the “incompetence” and lack of planning of the government.

There have however been some interesting and positive repercussions. First, families now enjoy each other’s company more when TV is just not available. Second, neighbours have learned to help and share with each other. Third, there are far more candle lit dinners (and that has its benefits!).

Besides these more personal benefits, new industries, new companies, and innovations have benefited the economy. Suddenly a whole sector producing generators has emerged. People have to some extent become more self sufficient and those that have been open to it, have actually appreciated the “power outages”.

Life is so much about your focus becoming reality.

So what could possibly be the positive benefits that may occur from this current economic crisis?

The list below is not exhaustive, but over a quick cup of coffee at Sentinel, here’s what we have came up with:

•    People will become more aware of their spending and eliminate some of the wastage
•    There will be a greater appreciation for real value in work performed
•    A move back to “old school” principles
•    Young people will appreciate having a job (maybe that will create greater understanding between generations)
•    Ridiculous executive remunerations will be eliminated
•    A move away from “short-termism”
•    The financial service industry will be “cleaned up”
•    Quality financial advisers will emerge as clients will be able to differentiate
•    People will revaluate what’s really important to them
•    We may take the election of our leaders more seriously
•    Money will have more “value”
•    Real investment opportunities will emerge
•    Potential reduction in global emissions

We would love to expand the list so please send us any thoughts you may have.

Justin Hooper,CEO, Sentinel Wealth Management, www.sentinelwealth.com.au

By Andrew May

Goal-setting is a positive, powerful practice when it ignites enthusiasm and provides you with clear direction. So, how do you avoid the New Year’s curse and move from writing goals on the back of a VB coaster in the early hours of New Year’s Day to actually making them happen in a logical, structured process?

Follow the 7 tips to ensure you succeed.

1. ask yourself the right questions

* Give some thought to what you really want and why you want to achieve it.

* How much does achieving this goal really mean to you?

* What are the benefits of achieving this goal? List them.

* Who else would achieving this goal affect or impact?

* Are you really prepared to do what it takes to achieve this goal?

2. involve significant others

Don’t keep your goals to yourself. Enlist the support of your partner, significant others, family, friends, colleagues etc. This keeps you accountable and also sets up your own little support group to keep you on track.

3. get anchored

Write your goals down on a sheet of paper, simplify them into point format and then put them in a place you will regularly see them. This might be in your diary, in the office, in the car, maybe even in the bathroom.

4. small bytes

George Miller, a leading psychologist, proposed that we can only deal with seven bits of information at any one time. Any more information and our minds start to wander.

So to be effective, you need to group things into memorable, manageable chunks. When you create your New Year’s Master Plan, keep your goals down to a manageable number and group similar areas.

5. set an annual goal-setting plan

After you have written down your specific goals, the next step is to work out a specific plan. Identify the key steps you need to take towards accomplishing each goal and assign specific dates for this.

Daily: Think about your major goals and what you can do today to help you move towards them.

Weekly: Invest valuable time at the start of every week mapping out how you are going to spend your time and where you are going to focus effort and energy in order to achieve your goals.

Monthly and quarterly: Make a list of all the major goals you want to complete every month or quarter. Divide this into different parts of your business and life. Then break these down into smaller components and work out what you need to do each week to get the job done.

Yearly planning: Conduct a review of your business and your life before New Year’s. I find December is often a good time to do this.

First of all, make a list of all of the great things you have accomplished the previous year in all aspects of your life. Next, make a list of the areas you’d like to improve or the goals that you didn’t achieve in the different areas of your life. Why do you think you didn’t hit these targets? What do you need to do differently moving forward to make this happen?

The yearly plan should be the umbrella for the quarterly plan, which will then feed the monthly, weekly and daily action items.

6. project the future – RAS

Review your goals at least every seven days, preferably most days. Don’t leave it for another 365 days. This helps activate the Reticular Activating System (RAS). The RAS is an inbuilt goal-setting device that tracks us towards our targets and filters the types of information we let into our internal system.

Regularly visualise what it is going to be like once you have successfully achieved your goals. How are you going to feel? We really do become what we visualise, so make sure you forward-project the right thoughts and paint a successful storyboard.

7. be realistic and reward yourself along the way

It is important to reward yourself along the way as you tick off your action plan. Give yourself a pat on the back for sticking to the process.

Human beings make mistakes so don’t beat yourself up if you lose focus. Don’t be a perfectionist – don’t expect yourself to be super-human. This is one of the simplest ways we can sabotage ourselves. Expect high standards of yourself, but if you don’t achieve all that you want to, at least you’ll know that you’ve worked towards achieving your goals with determination and integrity.
Following this structured process you are much more likely to achieve your goals. And when you’ve done it…you’ve just set yourself up for a happy, healthy and productive year ahead.

Andrew May is is considered Australia’s leading expert on performance and productivity and is the author of the bestselling book, Flip the Switch. Andrew speaks at conferences across the globe, mentors CEO’s and senior managers. He is published throughout national and international media, with regular segments on 2UE radio, Mix 106.5 Body and Soul and Channel Nine’s TODAY show.

Has your holiday been everything you wanted it to be? Probably not in most cases – but it should. Making the most of your holiday experience effects personal satisfaction when you return home. Here’s how to make the most of it.

Recent research released by Tourism NT shows that within one week of returning home a staggering 80% of Australians feel like they’ve never had a holiday.

The results also show that the vast majority of Aussie travelers want a holiday to get away from it all and more than four in five are seeking a holiday destination that allows them to switch off and feel reconnected.

A Newspoll survey was commissioned by Tourism NT to further understand what Aussies want from their holidays and whether they keep their ‘holiday mojo’ once they return to the real world.

Kate James, life coach and director of Total Balance Group, describes ‘holiday mojo’ as the feeling of inner calm and vitality you experience when you return from a rewarding holiday.

“What’s interesting about the research is that most Australians don’t have a problem with forgetting the daily grind as soon as they head off on their holiday, but as soon as they walk through the door, or go back to work, almost half feel like they’ve never left and their ‘holiday mojo’ is gone,” says Kate.

“One reason for people losing their ‘holiday mojo’ so quickly is because they undertake a holiday which doesn’t fulfill them personally. People should consider destinations that offer interactive holiday experiences, such as being outdoors and in wide open spaces. This can assist in helping people feel revitalised and reconnected on return.

“Australians are on the right track to enjoying a lasting ‘holiday mojo’ if, during their holiday, they take some time for personal reflection, try to do something different from their day-to-day lives and don’t try to cram too much in.”

The Northern Territory’s minister for tourism, Kon Vatskalis says now more than ever Australian travellers are looking for an invigorating holiday experience that lasts longer and provides them with a break from the ordinary.

Minister Vatskalis believes that: “The Territory is an ideal destination to totally switch off, re-energise and feel reconnected. Our World Heritage-listed national parks, famous natural icons and ancient Aboriginal culture offer the perfect experience for Australians wanting to extend their ‘holiday mojo’.”

The research also looked at what helped Australians feel reconnected whilst they are on holidays. Three quarters say that being outdoors helps them to switch off and relax, while 70% enjoy the benefits of wide open spaces or a location where there are few people.

The research reveals 75% of Aussie travellers are seeking an experience that stimulates their mind, body and spirit. But rather than fulfilling this need, many Australians admit they cram too much into their holidays.

However, mature travellers are more likely to be looking for new experiences on their holidays than younger generations. 25% of 50-64 year olds say they were holidaying to explore new destinations, compared to 14% of 18-34 year olds.

While the younger generations are more inclined to cram activities into a holiday, the 50-64 age group say they are less likely to feel their last holiday was built up as something special, only to feel let down by what they actually experienced.

The poll also says Queenslanders are more likely than Australians living in other states to be disappointed with their last holiday. Quite a testimonial for Queensland as a holiday destination if the locals tend to be disappointed when they leave home!

Kate James’ top tips for keeping your Holiday Mojo

Before you leave

* Be realistic about the lead up to your holiday. Allow plenty of time to pack and be organised so that you’re not up until 2am the night before you leave trying to find your sarong/bathers/walking boots.
* Plan ahead – have enough food in the house so that when you get home you can at least whip up a bowl of pasta without having to rush off out to the supermarket. Better still – set up a home delivery of fresh food ahead of time.
* Plan to arrive home from your holiday at least a day before your return to work. This will allow you time to reflect on your holiday and the experiences you have had. It will give you a chance to get back into your normal routine (and give you time to get your washing done).

When you return

* Ease back into work gently – prioritise your time. Answer only urgent emails on your first day back and make sure you leave on time. Take the time to go for a walk or swim during the day or in the evening to remember how you felt while you were on holidays.
* Keep your holiday spirit alive by keeping a reminder of your holiday close to you. Create space in your diary to reflect on your experience in the weeks following your holiday.
* Keep your connection with the outdoors alive by having lunch in the park or organising a short weekend break or day trip so you can get out of the city.
* Have a television free night each week and slip into holiday mode instead – read a book, or just turn out the lights and eat by candlelight.

Everyday living

* Learn to relax every day. Enrol in a yoga, tai chi or meditation class so the practice of unwinding becomes a regular thing.
* Become a tourist in your home city or town.
* Plan your next holiday!

Where to find out more

See www.travelnt.com.au for destination details in the Northern Territory

For more information on career and personal development coaching in the areas of work/life balance, meditation and creativity, visit Kate James’ website at www.totalbalance.com.au

This is article is courtesy of Super Living. Live and invest with attitude

By Fiona Cosgrove

Goal-setting has been a buzz word in the corporate world for some years now.  Like all popular ideas, it can be enormously helpful but when overdone, produce the opposite result. Some people now cringe when the word “goal” is mentioned.  Goals have to be measurable (amongst other things), but in measuring we assume success or failure.  When we fail to reach goals, the end result is disappointment and undermined confidence.

So what is the purpose of setting goals?

Firstly, to use the well-worn expression – without a map we don’t know where we’re going and we certainly won’t know when we’ve got there.  Lily Tomlin once said “I always wanted to be someone, I just wish I’d been more precise” which is a strong argument in favour of describing accurately what it is you want.  There is a mass of literature expounding the benefits of goals and describing how they should be written.  Again, too much can overwhelm people and produce the opposite result.

If you feel you need more direction in your life, then setting a few goals, or creating an “action plan” will be useful but guidelines are a good idea.

The following tips may help:

Make your goals your goals, not someone elses.

Why? So you have ownership.  A common problem is that the majority of work goals have been set by someone else.  Ask yourself, “What do you really want?”  Don’t fall into the habit of judging your success or failure by either media driven expectations or someone elses agenda.  Come up with your own definition of success.

Make your goals meaningful and exciting

The only way you will get commitment to your goals is if they have meaning and importance to you.  Try and imagine what it would be like when you have achieved those goals.  If that doesn’t get you excited, try thinking what it would be like if the alternative continues.  Is that what you want?  What will not achieving the goal do to your life?  How will goal achievement affect other areas of your life?  Create a vision of the future.

A fun exercise to do is to write a list of 50 things to do before I die.  You may be surprised by what comes up.  Make sure the list is about enjoyment, not duty.

Make your goals specific and measurable

“Ours is a world where people don’t know what they want and are willing to go through hell to get it”.  Don Marquis, 1878-1937.

Getting fitter” or “being financially independent” are not specific goals.  How do you know when you have achieved them?  Describe what fitness means to you.  How will you know when you are fitter?  What will you be able to do?  What does financial independence mean?  How much do you need to allow this to happen?

Write your goal around what you will be doing, not just what you will get

Goals often suggest that our life will change when we achieve them.  This is possibly true.  An outcome goal describes an end result.  A process goal describes something that will continue to happen after the goal has been achieved. For example – losing 5kg is an outcome goal.  Eating breakfast and planning meals that are low in fat and nutritionally balanced is a way of living.  When you write your goals, make a process goal tie in with the outcome goal.  To go back to “financial independence” – an outcome goal.  “I will be living on the interest from my investments” – process goal.

Make your goals well-balanced

It is tempting to set goals in our professional lives and let our personal lives “evolve”.  We forget that to live life to the full we occasionally have to create change in our personal lives and place as much importance on it as our working hours.  Make sure that you have as many personal as professional goals.

Your goals need to be flexible

Life is full of changes.  Our priorities change and challenges arise.  You may move quicker than you thought in one direction or struggle with unforeseen obstacles.  Be prepared to amend your goals to fit in with changing circumstances.

Avoid life being a goal

Goals make us look towards the future.  Which is a good thing.   But never forget that the most important thing is what’s going on right now.  If we forget to notice or enjoy the present, we live our lives in constant anticipation of “when this happens, life will get better”.   Cultivate mindfulness of the present and let the future unfold, with a bit of help from you, but knowing that not everything is under our control.

Fiona Cosgrove has over 20 years experience in the wellness & fitness industry - owning and managing clubs in Australia and Asia, including No 1 Martin Place, NSW Fitness Centre of the Year, 2006. Fiona is the author of Coach Yourself to Wellness and she regularly runs corporate seminars and workshops in the areas of healthy lifestyle, motivation and wellness.

by Rosemary Marchese

There’s no doubt that today there is a huge focus on the health of the working mother. With so many more women returning to work it’s no wonder that women are finding it hard to cope. Did you know that between 1983 and 2002 the proportion of families with dependent children with two parents working rose from 39.7 to 56.9 per cent (ABS various years)? But now let’s focus on the dads for a while…compared to 20 years ago the proportion of men working longer hours is higher, and climbing! So what impact is this having on the health of the working dad?

Most studies and discussions are pointing towards adverse outcomes for dads, including:

-    increased risk of physical and mental health disorders

-    difficulty balancing work and family life

-    poor relationships with family members.

On top of all that children in families with dads working long hours are possibly more at risk of negative impacts on the emotional and intellectual development.

So are you one of these dads? Can you feel yourself getting more unfit, more stressed and more tired? Do you work long hours because you want to or because you ‘have to’? Today dads are often working longer hours for financial gain, fear of job loss and perhaps even just personal commitment to the job. In the long term working longer hours will have meant you have had less time for family, exercise, unwinding and sleep. All of these things can definitely negatively affect your life! Don’t get me wrong…there are definitely facts out there supporting long hours for some people. You may be working long hours for some positive reasons, such as:

-     love the job

-    avoiding rush hour home

-    achievement of personal and work goals.

However at some point you need to reassess and ask yourself whether you are finding the balance between work and play. This will be different for everyone! Of course there are times where exercise just wont make it into your schedule formally (like going to the gym) but here are some other ways to fit physical activity into your day:

-    walk to work or park the car further than usual and walk the rest of the way

-    get off the bus or train a stop earlier and walk

-    if you sit at a desk, get up regularly to grab a drink or have a stretch

-    take your scheduled breaks and get out of the office

-    do some exercise during your break (play soccer, go for a walk etc)

-    walk the dog or stay back some mornings to walk the kids to school

-    take the kids to sport and get involved in their training

-    kick a ball around with the kids in the backyard

-    if you stand all day (e.g. hairdresser) take regular walking and stretching breaks.

Whatever the hours you work, it’s time to reassess to make sure you are not burning the candle at both ends. If you ‘have to’ work the long hours you will have to be even more diligent with your schedule to make sure you fit in time for family, friends, rest and exercise!

Rosemary is a registered physiotherapist who has combined her expertise in health with fitness. She has over 15 years of experience teaching and consulting in the fitness industry. She is the co-author of the best-selling text book ‘The Essential Guide to Fitness: For the Fitness Instructor’, which was specifically written for those people wanting to start a career in the fitness industry. She is also Editor for Ultra Fit Magazine, which presents the fitness industry (experts and participants) up-to-the minute fitness industry research and workouts. For more information on Ultra Fit Magazine or Rosemary’s book, visit www.ultrafit.com.au.