By Andrew May

More and more people are finding holidays stressful. A recent survey by American Express revealed 40% of British holidaymakers find travel stress unbearable, with the same number claiming a visit to the dentist is less stressful than having a break. The Germans have coined a word for our inability to relax: Freizeitstresse, or “free time stress”.

Aren’t holidays meant to be a time out to recharge, refresh and rejuvenate? Stick to the following tips to ensure your upcoming break is more fun than a trip to the dentist.

1. Plan your break. So many people plan their working days to the last second but fail to give any thought to their time off. Pack early, ensure a good night╒s sleep before you leave and arrive at your destination feeling refreshed, not zapped.

2. Leave work in the office. Don‘t take reports or proposals to finish by the beach. Be disciplined and leave work in the office. Turn off technology and take time out.

3. Prune your schedule. Adrenaline junkies are notorious for getting back from holidays feeling tired and fatigued. Don‘t spend every waking moment scheduling activities, leave some margin to just chill and have time out. Try going slow for a while, you might just like it.

4. Learn to relax. Set up boundaries that force you to relax and try doing something else a little bit new in this day and age turn off your mobile phone for a while and ditch the watch!

By Andrew May

Sleep is as vital for the body as food and water, yet more than 60% of Australian adults are sleep deprived. Poor sleep impacts concentration and is detrimental to performance at work and has also been linked to increased risk of heart disease and obesity.

* Lost productivity due to sleep disorders costs Australia $2 billion a year, and America $35 billion (The Australasian Sleep Association)

* Fatigue was a contributing factor in 8% of accidents involving injury or death in NSW

* Over 1.2 million Australians experience sleep disorders

* New parents typically lose 450 to 700 hours of sleep in the first year

* The average person sleeps 1.5 hours less per night than we did 100 years ago

Causes of sleep deprivation include shift work, internet addiction and 24/7 digital connectivity, poor sleep hygiene, poor lifestyle choices and young children.

Tea with flowers after 3pm

Caffeine has a half-life of 5 to 6 hours and is a central nervous system stimulant so cut out caffeine from mid-afternoon.

Set Sleep Boundaries

Go to bed and get up at the same time each day. This will do wonders for re-setting your circadian rhythm (body clock).

Bed is for 2 things…

Use your bed for sleep and special cuddles. Avoid watching TV, using the laptop or processing work in your bed.

Recharge and Relax

Turn off the computer, mobile and TV one hour before you go to bed and consciously wind down before going to sleep.

By Andrew May

In last weeks column I spoke about the top 5 goal setting flops. This week we have a proven strategy to help you not only set, but also achieve your personal goals.

1. Ask the right questions

* What do you really want and why do you want to achieve it?

* How much does this really mean to you?

* What are the benefits of achieving this goal?

* Who else does this affect/impact?

* Are you really prepared to do what it takes?

2. Involve significant others

Enlist the support any buy-in from your partner, significant others, family, friends, colleagues etc.

3. Get Anchored

Write your goals down on a sheet of paper, simplify them into point format and then put in a place you will regularly see them. E.g. your diary, in the office, in the car, the bathroom, etc.

4. Small bytes

Leading psychologist George Miller believes we can only deal with 7 bits of information at any one time. Keep goals down to a manageable number and group similar areas.

5. Set a plan

After writing your goals down, work out a specific plan. Identify the key steps you need to take towards accomplishing your goal and assign specific dates.

6. Project the future

Review your goals at least every 7 days. Don’t leave it for another 365 days. Think what it is going to be like once you have successfully achieved your goals. How are you going to feel?

7. Reward yourself

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. If you find yourself relapsing sit down and go through the goal setting process again starting at step 1.

By Andrew May

12pm the fireworks crackle, hiss and bang. We grab the ones we love (or at least the closet people nearby), plant then with a New Years kiss and crack open another cold beverage. But then it happens. That little voice starts chirping in the back of our brains, setting new goals for the coming year.

Fast forward a few months and behaviour normally hasn’t changed. The stats tell us that:

* 25% of all new years goals are broken in the first 2 weeks

* Only 20% of people write their goals down

* Most people set the same goals, year in year out

So why do most people set goals that they don’t achieve? The Top 5 goal setting flops include:

1. Goals set to impress others

2. Goals that were forced upon you

3. Trying to do too much, too soon

4. Self sabotage due to fear of failure or low self esteem

5. Poor understanding of the goal setting process

Goal setting is a positive, powerful practice that ignites enthusiasm and provides clear direction. Next week we discuss how to set achievable goals.

by Andrew May

Now if you’re under the age of 10, Christmas is all about Santa, cool presents and endless playing during the holidays.

Yet for many adults modern-day Christmas is synonymous with holiday traffic, credit card debt, tension with family members and stuffing ourselves with food to the point where we explode.

But what is the true meaning of Christmas? For Christians of course it is steeped in tradition, remembering the birth of Jesus and celebrating the incarnation. While I am a Catholic (even though my mum wants me to go to church a whole lot more than I do), I believe Christmas is a lot more than just presents, or pigging out on food, or merely ticking the box by attending church.

In essence, it doesn’t matter whether you are Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu or Muslim - the true meaning is Christmas provides us with an opportunity to celebrate hope and the spirit of mankind. Be nice to other people, be generous (you can do this without buying expensive presents) and give to those less fortunate than you. More than 10 years ago when living in Hobart I remember buying a homeless man a roast chicken and giving it to him for Christmas lunch. The smile on his face and the warmth of his handshake stays with me to this day.

Let’s try and forget about all of the commercialism and stress that is often associated with Christmas and be thankful for what we have in this world.

“Peace on earth, good will toward man”. Merry Christmas!