By Linda Anderson

Are you taking enough annual leave?

We all know the restorative benefits of scheduling holidays and taking time out from your business, not to mention the detrimental effect of never switching off. So here are some strategies to help you have the holidays that you need and deserve!

1. Plan ahead of time

I love the idea of spontaneous holidays but have never mastered the art of taking them. Therefore planning is essential to ensure holidays happen. When scheduling holidays, look at the next 12 months and block out periods of time to take off. This may correspond to school holidays, long weekends, seasons or an event you wish to attend.

I have a yearly planner on my wall for 2008 that has several sections blocked out in bright colours representing confirmed or tentative holiday plans.

2. Know your naturally quiet times

Does your business have periods which are naturally quieter than others? This is an ideal time for scheduling holidays without it disrupting the flow of business.

In my business, January is always a quiet month as clients are often taking a long holiday. Regular clients often take a break from coaching sessions and new clients often wait until February to make contact. All of this makes January a great month for me to take a holiday.

3. Put it in the budget

Many people resist taking any substantial time away due to the financial impact. If ‘time equals money’ for you, the solution is to budget for holidays ahead of time.

When I sit down each year to create financial targets I automatically deduct four to six weeks for holidays. This means I have to increase my earning in the other months to ensure I meet my financial goals.

Planning this ahead of time takes away the sense of financial pressure when I go on holidays.

4. Pre-book flights or accommodation

There is nothing like actually booking a part of your holiday to make it real. If you need the extra accountability to ensure you take that holiday, this strategy may work wonderfully for you. I have flights booked to go to Hamilton Island. No excuses now … I will be getting on that plane!

5. Create systems and structures that support your business in your absence

What systems, structures or support will you need for your business while you are away? Identify these in advance and take time to make the necessary arrangements. This is where a procedures manual can be a life saver.

Once you’ve written procedures that relate specifically to how to get your business ready for your absence, you can follow the same steps next time you go away.

In my business, I make arrangements like:

• Ensuring my clients have advance warning of my leave dates.
• Pre-writing weekly newsletters and programming them to send automatically.
• Having a VA available to respond to all enquiries received by phone, email or through my website.
• Ensuring all invoices are paid ahead of time.

You work hard in your business. You deserve to take great holidays every year! If scheduling holidays is something you have struggled with previously, commit to making 2008 the year you start taking holidays.

See you on Hamilton Island, perhaps?

By Gary Bertwistle

It’s one thing to recover, but the question is are you really recovering or just paying lip service to it? I recently went on holidays to Hayman Island. Its one of my favourite island resorts and I can’t speak highly enough about the island, the accommodation, the food, the service and the pool. As I sat at breakfast it was staggeringly obvious that people were unable to disconnect from their world and have a proper holiday at Hayman. As I looked around the beautiful dining room on the beach, 7 out of 8 tables had mobile phones sitting on the top of the table. As I looked out onto the beach, there were husbands pacing up and down the beach on their mobile phone at 8.30 in the morning. There were husbands and wives sitting opposite each other at the breakfast table, both on mobile phones. At dinner there were young girls sitting in front of their parents sending texts throughout dinner. By the pool in the middle of the day while their children played in the water, parents sat on the edge on mobile phones. Fathers paced backwards and forwards down the side of the pool on their mobiles. Anxious fathers sat knee deep in water sending text messages to the office.

If you’re going to go on holidays, then truly disconnect and go on holidays. I totally agree with all that Andy has talked about in Flip the Switch and throughout the Recovery Lounge website. However people are paying lip service to it, and they think because they’re on an island they’re recharging, recovering and reinvigorating. They’re kidding themselves.

I recently worked with a group of CEO’s and prior to my speech there was general chatter around the room about things that were significant in their life. One of the CEO’s of a large Australian corporation had said that he had gone on holidays the week after it was budget time. When he left the office the business had recorded a $6.8million profit, but whilst on holidays on his very first day away, the profit had dropped to $4 million due to the drop in currency and exchange rates. He said naturally on his first morning away at the beach, his blackberry went ballistic and he spent the next week fixing budgets and working out how they could recuperate the millions of dollars they’d lost due to the currency exchange. He said ‘As you can imagine it wasn’t much of a holiday but the kids had a good time, and that’s the main thing.’ Well I’m sorry that isn’t the main thing. The main thing is if you are truly going to recharge and recover, then disconnect and spend time properly engaging with your children. Just because you’re sitting by the pool on your crackberry doesn’t mean you’re on holidays with your family. Its sad that people are forgetting how to relax. People are forgetting who they are because their identity is totally built around the workplace. And its not just blokes that are doing it, women and wives are just as guilty from what I have observed around Australia.

A man walked up to a Zen master and said ‘Master, teach me the secret of Zen.’ The Zen Master said ‘When working just work, when resting just rest, when eating just eat.’ The man said ‘That’s it’?’ The Zen Master said ‘That’s it.’ The man said ‘It can’t be that easy.’ The Zen Master said ‘It is that easy but its surprising how few people can do it.’

If you are going to rest, recover, and reinvigorate your world, then do just that. If you’re reading, just read. If you’re with your children, be with them, be totally engaged, talk to them eye to eye and listen to what they’re saying. Play and properly engage rather than disrespecting them by playing on your mobile and thinking you are giving them your full attention. Kids know and so does your partner. When you’re eating just eat. No mobile phones, no crackberry’s, no PDA’s, no iPhones. In fact I was talking to a guy just recently who said that his house has a no technology policy from the minute he gets home in the evening and across weekends. This was due to the fact that he and his wife were no longer talking because of computers, phones and blackberrys. The no technology philosophy in his household he says saved his marriage.

I think Andy’s books, writings and speeches are spot on with regards to recovery. Recovery is a must in our current society. However you need to listen to Andy May the accountability guy and hold yourself totally accountable. If you’re going to do it, do it but don’t kid yourself by thinking you’re recovering by being on an island when the whole time you are connected to the rest of the world by technology. Be it on holidays, having coffee with a friend, walking the dog, or hitting the gym, the message is the same. It is not recovery if you are still connected. The main thing is to truly be there.

When you lose your job, you’ll work out what is really the main thing. If you lose your health, you’ll work out what really is the main thing.

Gary speaks to audiences around the world about unlocking their thinking, imagination and ideas in the areas of performance, problem solving, innovation, marketing, strategy, creativity and learning. He is the author of The keys to Creativity and Who Stole my Mojo.

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 Andrew May

Our modern way of living teaches us that faster is better. Speed is the new king with our lives measured in bits and bytes, and dissected into micro-detail. Is it any wonder our health, performance and relationships begin to suffer?

We are not designed to go flat out around the clock. Life is meant to be a series of sprints interspersed with periods of rest and recovery. Our culture has conditioned us to think that slow is the enemy of achievement, yet as the Slow Movement is showing us, nothing could be further from the truth.

The Slow Movement

The Slow Movement is about slowing down and taking time to enjoy the things that give us pleasure. It’s about reconnecting with food, people and places, but it’s not anti-work or even anti-capitalist. In fact as Carl Honoré says in his book, In Praise of Slow, “The secret is balance. Instead of doing everything faster, do everything at the right speed. Sometimes fast. Sometimes slow. Sometimes somewhere in between”.

Founded by Carlo Petrini, the movement started in the late 80’s as a foodie fight back against the opening of a McDonald’s restaurant on Rome’s Spanish Steps. Slow Food gave birth to Slow Cities, or Cittaslow in Italian. Adhering to the Cittaslow Manifesto, these towns of 50,000 or less embody a way of life that supports slow living; where traditions and conventional ways of doing things are valued.

In Australia, the town of Goolwa was recently named our first Cittaslow, while Bloodwood Vineyard in Orange is now making slow wines. Annually, Canberra also hosts the Slow Festival in celebration of all things, well, slow.

Lessons in slow from Kenya

When I was a middle distance runner in the 90’s, every year we’d get the opportunity to train with Kenyan athletes who would come out to Australia. Each year a different group of athletes would come, and amazingly each year a new champion would emerge from their ranks: the talent pool seemed endless. What did they know that we didn’t?

There’s a phrase in Swahili that sums it up, ‘hapa hapa’. It means slowly, slowly, and that’s exactly the way these high speed Kenyans took things. They listened to their bodies, training when they felt good and taking time off when they needed rest, often for weeks at a time. Looking back on my running career, I really believe I would have run much faster if I’d taken more notice of the Kenyans and trained hard and recovered even harder!

Eight go slow tips

Here are some great ways to apply the slow philosophy:

1. Slow stretching
Try doing a gentle 5 to 10 minute stretching routine before going to bed. Slow your breathing and your heart rate.

2. Slow walking
Emulate my dog, Cougar. Stop and sniff absolutely everything!

3. Slow weekends
Don’t race around trying to see and please everyone. Try shifting back a few gears and getting rid of the weekend to-do list.

4. Slow mini-breaks
Get away for a three day mini-break, but avoid scheduling every waking hour with sightseeing.

5. Slow food
Copy the Italians with a three to five course meal that takes a few hours to get through, washed down with a couple of glasses of hearty vino.

6. Slow gardening
Just stop and smell the roses! Potter in the garden and take stock of the beautiful smells and plants.

7. Slow sex
Tantric sex is not just for hippies and rock stars like Sting. This 5,000 year old discipline advocates slow sex as a way to increase awareness.

8. Slow thinking
Stretch out on the grass and stare up at the clouds. It’s amazing how often the biggest breakthroughs come when you turn off the conscious chatter.

Like to know more?

For more on Slow Movement practise, try Carl Honore’s book, In Praise of Slow – How a worldwide movement is challenging the cult of speed, or my latest book, Flip the Switch – Why performance increases when you play hard and recover even harder.

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.

by Jessica Hurt for Adelaidenow.com.au

From yoga retreats to exploring the great outdoors, there are many holidays that are good for the mind, body and soul.

Spending a week at a day spa appeals to many but for some travellers, cycling through rice fields in the Vietnam countryside is their idea of a healthy getaway.

Holidaymakers also can combine different experiences into one holiday.

Spend your mornings in a yoga class in Ubud before discovering the best the Bali village has to offer in the afternoon.

If pampering is your indulgence of choice, catch the next plane to the Chiva Som retreat in Thailand. Here, the hardest decision you will have to make is choosing between a tai chi class and a massage.

But if you want to breathe in fresh air as you explore the many natural wonders of New Zealand, there is a tour just for you.

Vietnam cycling

What: The chance to discover Vietnam from a unique perspective.

An active holiday where you get to know the country intimately as you join the locals on the country’s most popular mode of transport, the bicycle. Stop for the perfect photo as you cycle down backstreet lanes.

Health appeal/highlights: High health factor. You are getting fit and exploring at the same time.

Highlights include visits to Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hoi An, Quy Nhon, Nha Trang, Dalat, Cu Chi Tunnels, the Mekong Delta and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The trip grading is adventurous and suitable for travellers with above-average levels of fitness and mobility.

Prepare for some long road journeys, basic facilities at your home-stay and plenty of walking. For the ultimate indulgence after your cycling adventure, book a stay at the Life Resort in Quy Nhon.

Recharge the body with tai chi on the beach, yoga and meditation classes or soothe aching muscles with realaxing treatments in the day spa.

Details: Fifteen nights in hotel accommodation, one overnight train, one overnight home-stay and one overnight boat trip, all road transport by air-conditioned vehicles, use of mountain bikes and support vehicle from Hue to Saigon, breakfast daily, three lunches and two dinners.

The next available tour departs October 6 and costs from $3295.

Superior rooms are from $135 a night. For details visit www.liferesorts.com or phone 1300 138 755 and visit www.travelindochina.com.au

Bali yoga retreat

What: In Ubud, Bali, immerse yourself in the culture and beauty that is the land of the Gods with daily yoga classes surrounded by rice fields and lush tropical gardens.

Health appeal/highlights: Taper the holiday to suit your physicality.

Between yoga classes hire a Vespa and explore the area, mountain bike down a volcano, go white-water rafting with the group, discover local artist villages, surf a beautiful beach, take a cooking class, chill out by the pool or indulge in a two-hour spa treatment.

Yoga classes are complemented by meditation and mindfulness workshops. At night, you have the choice of a cleansing detox vegie meal, a five-star culinary feast, or soaking up the energy of the night markets with the locals.

There’s an introduction to the Chakra system, a Shiatsu workshop, see the Ramayana performed at the Ubud Palace, full moon fire dancing, morning market tour and cooking lesson and a one-on-one remedial yoga session. Indulge in such treatments as a four-handed massage, reflexology and facials.

There also are day hikes, treks, paddles and cycles in the surrounding hills, volcanoes, rivers and rainforests.

Details: Accommodation is in cottages on the fringe of town, nestled among forests and rice paddy fields. The retreat costs from $1650-a-person, twin share for a fan-cooled room. The next yoga retreat is from October 11 to 19.

Bookings close on September 1.

Visit www.yogasam.com.au

The Kimberley by 4WD

What: A 13-day Kimberley, Western Australia, small group 4WD tour from Broome, exploring one of the country’s most fascinating regions.

Broaden your horizons and discover more of the wonders of the Australian backyard while being active at the same time.

Health appeal/highlights: Hiking in gorges, a stay in a wilderness lodge and swimming in rock pools. Enjoy the fresh air as you explore the isolated Mitchell Plateau, discover Gwion (Bradshaw) rock art and end each day with a hot shower, a three-course meal and sleep in a comfortable wilderness lodge.

Details: Price is $5495 a person twin share. Departures are between April and October and price includes touring, accommodation, 34 meals, cruises, APT and Aboriginal guides, sightseeing and park fees. Phone 1300 656 985 or your local travel agent.

Thai spa luxury

What: A no-expenses-spared, indulgent holiday in Chiva Som, Thailand. Revitalise your mind, body and soul with the ultimate indulgence during a three-night Asian getaway.

Health appeal/highlights: It doesn’t get much more healthy than this. Spend three nights indulging in spa cuisine meals, daily massages, a daily fitness and leisure program and the use of water therapies including steam, sauna and jacuzzi.

Known as the “Haven of Life”, the internationally-renowned health resort Chiva-Som is nestled within seven acres of lush tropical gardens in Hua Hin, on the Gulf of Thailand, 185km south of Bangkok. The retreat focuses on achieving wellbeing and vitality, offering more than 150 treatments.

Personalised programs are available to cater to a wide range of needs, including weight management, stress reduction, anti-ageing, detox and overall wellbeing. Improve your fitness with tai chi, pilates and personal training.

Modern facilities include outdoor “salas”, a bathing pavilion, beachfront swimming pool, multilevel steam rooms, plunge pools, hydro pools, watsu pool and a high tech air-conditioned gym. Other retreats focus on issues such as weight management, detox, pampering, holistic health and de-stressing.

Details: From $1264 a person, twin share. Valid for travel until January, 2009.

For details contact Travel the World on 1300 766 566

Soaking in NZ

What: Now here’s a relaxing holiday combined with the serious sightseeing travellers expect.

The chance to experience the rejuvenating thermal pools of Hanmer Springs on a 15-day Grand Southern Traveller tour which takes in the best of New Zealand’s South Island including Christchurch, Punakaiki, Nelson, Franz Josef Glacier, Wanaka, Queenstown, Dunedin, Stewart Island, Invercargill and Milford Sound.

Health appeal/highlights: Health experts have long extolled the benefits of soaking in natural thermal pools, from the age-defying natural minerals to therapeutic qualities. And it is no surprise that a refreshing dip is the perfect way to unwind.

Journey over the Southern Alps through the scenic Lewis Pass, stand and marvel over the Pancake Rocks and Blowholes at Punakaiki.

See the impressive Buller Gore, enjoy a relaxing cruise on Golden Bay in Abel Tasman National Park and soak in the thermal pools of Hanmer Springs.

Journey on the TranzAlpine Train, stroll along the ice on Franz Josef Glacier, travel along the shores of Lake Wanaka, explore historic Arrowtown, visit Queenstown, adventure capital of the world, or travel through magnificent Kawarau Gorge.

Still want more? Then why not take in a city tour of Dunedin or head for the water and a cruise through picturesque Milford Sound.

Details: AAT Kings 15-day Grand Southern Traveller tour is priced from $3740 a person, twin share, land only.

This article was originally published on adelaidenow.com.au. Read the article now

by Glenn Capelli

In 1966 Petula Clarke had a hit song with the Tony Hatch & Jackie Trent penned Colour My World:

Oh, you can colour my world with sunshine yellow each day!
Oh, you can colour my world with happiness all the way!
Just colour my world

My wife Lindy and I have taken the spirit of the lyrics to heart and colour certain days in our calendar green.

Green Days have rules:

1. No work
2. No making or taking work related phone calls
3. No talking about work
4. Instead on Green Days we only talk about other aspects of life

Given that Lindy and I have been married and running a business together for the last 20 years, green days are vital. It becomes too easy to talk shop and be tempted into doing some work related things even on so-called days off. Green Days add a tint of greater importance to free time. In today’s sprint paced world people do not seem to have this true Refresh Time, even on holidays they allocate a certain amount of work into their day or allow work to fill their mind.

When we are on Green Time, if one of us mentions a work related thing, the other reminds them that this is a green day. We discipline each other in ensuring that we take the time to clear the mind. Such cleansing helps the mind recharge and allows a greater creativity to flourish. It is hard to be truly creating when you are exhausted.

The Buddhists say ‘When you eat a mandarin, eat the mandarin’. Be present for the moment. I say ‘Be present in a Green Day’ – fill your mind with the magic and beauty of the day rather than with a mind still cluttered in work related issues.

We colour days and weeks in a year green: green for recharging, refreshing, renewing and green for sustainable energy.

Glenn Capelli is the author of Thinking Caps book and radio pieces as well as being a top Keynote Speaker. www.glenncapelli.com. You can contact Glenn at glenn@glenncapelli.com

by Dr. Tim Sharp

Relaxation strategies can be extremely helpful and useful. Relaxation can help you to better manage stress, tension and anxiety. It can help you get to sleep and fall asleep again if you wake during the night. Overall, it can help you manage a whole range of situations better and thereby, to enjoy life even more.

So what is relaxation? It is more than just sitting in front of the TV or having a bubble bath (although these activities can certainly be enjoyable and relaxing at times!). The relaxation we are talking about here is a relaxation that can be a powerful tool for life. Deep relaxation refers to a distinct physiological state that is the exact opposite of the way your body feels and reacts under tension and stress. It involves a series of physiological changes including:
•    lowered heart rate
•    lowered perspiration levels
•    lowered blood pressure
•    lowered muscle tension
•    lowered metabolic rate
•    lowered analytical thinking

The good news is that as well as being very effective, relaxation really isn’t very difficult to learn. It is simply a skill, and just like any other skill, the more you practise using it, the better you’ll get and the more effective it will be for you.

The key is to practice as often as you can, and in as many situations as you can. Even if you can only practice for a few minutes, several times a day, you’ll gradually master the skill and begin to realise the benefits. You will start feeling more relaxed all the time.

To begin with, therefore, put aside three to five minutes, a couple of times each day, and try to relax. If you don’t know how to do it just do nothing. Following are some general guidelines that apply to all types of relaxation exercises. There are many different ways to relax and general guidelines that apply to all the various relaxation techniques.

When - It is best to use the exercises before breakfast, and before going to sleep. ideally, relaxation should be done before eating. Also, developing a routine set time each day is most helpful.
Where - Find a quiet place that feels safe and where you won’t be disturbed.
Position - Any comfortable position, such as sitting in a chair with good back support or lying down.
How long - It’s ideal to gradually build up to between ten and twenty minutes, once or twice a day, plus about three to five minutes, five times each day.
Focusing - Be aware of your breathing and/or concentrate on a calming word.

Breathing techniques

Firstly you need to understand what your normal breathing rate is. To begin, count your breaths using a stopwatch or a watch with a second hand. Each breath in and out counts as one. So, on the first breath in and out, count one. On the next breath in and out, count two, and so on. Don’t try to slow your breathing down at this stage.  Time yourself for a minute to see how many breaths per minute you’re taking.
The average person takes about ten to fourteen breaths per minute when at rest. If your breathing rate is more than this, then you’re breathing too quickly. Simply learning how to slow your breathing down will help you feel noticeably calmer. Next, practise this slow breathing exercise:
•    take a slow deep breath in for three seconds through your nose, and then breathe out for three seconds through your mouth. Think the word “relax” every time you breathe out. Let your breathing flow smoothly. Imagine the tension flowing out of your body each time you breathe out. Continue doing this for about five minutes.
•    count your breathing again after you complete the exercise. Ideally, you will be breathing at a slower rate. But don’t worry if you’re not. It might take time and more practice before you really start to experience the benefits. This is the slow breathing or controlled breathing technique. Practise it as often as you can through the day and try it out in as many different situations as you can. Soon, you’ll be a master of keeping calm and you’ll be in a position to explore other forms of relaxation and meditation.

Progressive muscle relaxation

This involves tensing and relaxing all the different muscle groups in your body. The idea is to tense each muscle group in succession (without straining) as you breathe in, and then to let go and relax the muscles as you breathe out. Then give yourself fifteen to twenty seconds to relax, noticing how the muscle group feels when relaxed, in contrast to how it feels when it’s tense, before moving on to the next group of muscles. Throughout the exercise, try to stay focused on your muscles. If your attention wanders, bring it back to the particular body area you’re working on.

To help you remember each of your muscle groups, you can relax your muscles in the following order:
•    hands - Curl your hands into a fist, and then relax.
•    lower arms - Bend your hands at the wrist, and then relax.
•    upper arms - Tighten your biceps by bending your arms at the elbow, and then relax.
•    shoulders - Shrug your shoulders up, and then relax.
•    neck - Pull your head back as if you were going to touch your head to your back, and then relax.
•    forehead and scalp - Frown and tense your eyebrows and scalp, and then relax.
•    eyes - Clench your eyelids tightly shut, and then relax.
•    jaw - Clench your teeth shut, and then relax.
•    tongue - Press your tongue against the roof of your mouth, and then relax.
•    chest - Breathe in deeply to inflate your lungs, then relax.
•    stomach - Push your tummy out to tighten the muscles, and then relax.
•    back - Arch your back slightly, then relax.
•    buttocks - Pull your buttocks together, then relax.
•    thighs - Squeeze the muscles all the way down to your knees, and then relax.
•    calves - Lift your toes off the ground towards your shins, and then relax.
•    feet - Curl your toes down towards the floor, and then relax.
When you have worked through all the muscle groups, imagine a state of relaxation spreading throughout your entire body. Take some slow, controlled breaths while you sit for few moments, enjoying the feeling of being deeply relaxed.

Just as with the slow breathing, and in fact with all forms of relaxation and meditation, practise as often as you can. With regular practice, progressive muscle relaxation can go a long way toward helping you to better manage your stress and feel better generally.

Visual or pleasant imagery

This is another form of relaxation that builds on the controlled breathing and progressive muscle relaxation techniques. Visual imagery is most effective in creating feelings of calmness and tranquility, and it’s the form of relaxation that most resembles meditation. It can be practised anywhere, but is typically easiest to do in a quiet, peaceful location.

To begin with, review the controlled breathing technique, and/or the progressive muscle relaxation approach, and then try to visualise yourself in a peaceful scene. Imagining yourself in a pleasant setting can give you an overall feeling of relaxation that frees you from stressful thoughts. It’s important to try to visualise the scene in enough detail so that it completely absorbs your attention. When you’re absorbed in this way, your state of relaxation deepen . Start off using visual imagery. Make yourself comfortable and breathe nice and slowly.

Take a few deep breaths, exhaling slowly and thinking calming, relaxing thoughts.  Picture yourself in a beautiful location, where everything is as you would ideally have it. You may be on a beach, in a rainforest, by a lake, or just at home in a nice comfortable chair. Imagine yourself as calm and relaxed. You can feel yourself as calm and relaxed. All you can hear is calming, peaceful and relaxing. The sky is blue, the water fresh, and the chair warm and soft. Use your imagination to create a tranquil and peaceful place to relax. Involve all of your senses and tell yourself that you can return to this place whenever you want to or need to relax.

Once you’ve imagined your own ideal scene, practice returning to it as often as possible (even if only for a few minutes at a time). This will help you establish the scene in your mind and make it easier to return to. After a while, you’ll be able to visualise the scene whenever you want to calm yourself and unwind.

Once mastered, this technique is one of the quickest and most effective ways to combat ongoing daily hassles so use it as much as you can and get more out of life with less stress.

Dr. Sharp is one of Australia’s leaders in the exciting new science of positive psychology and happiness. In short, he is one of this country’s leading Executive Coaches, a highly qualified consultant on matters relating to human behaviour and psychology (particularly the application of positive psychology principles within organisations and teams) and a sought after public/corporate speaker. For more information please email info@thehappinessinstitute or visit The Happiness Institute

by Andrew May

Ahhh, the perfect holiday - you lie stretched out on a hammock between two gently swaying palm tress. There’s no traffic and no noise apart from the rhythmic lapping of waves on the shore. With a great book and a cool drink in hand, you take a deep breath and drift away.

Sounds idyllic, but now for the real story. At the end of a frantic week’s work, you stay up till 2am packing bags and trying to find your passport. You then picked up the Blackberry and spent another hour returning emails. The alarm clock screamed at 4.45am and you jumped into a last minute cab to the airport. Four hours later you’re in a two hour customs queue. Finally, you arrive at your hotel just as the local telephone network connects with your roaming Blackberry… Beep! You have mail.

Sound familiar? You’re not alone. A recent survey by American Express revealed that 40% of British holidaymakers find travel stress more unbearable than a visit to the dentist. And to describe our relaxing holidays we’ve had to invent new terms like trolley rage, air rage and check-in rage to explain what happens when wired up workers try and hit the off button.

Stockpiling holidays

According to a recent Tourism Australia survey, the Australian workforce has accrued more than 70 million days of annual leave. That equates to 14 million weeks or nearly $11 billion in holiday pay.

The study also found that almost 60% of Australian workers don’t take their full annual leave entitlement! When questioned why, the majority responded with “I’m too busy to take a lot of time out”.

It’s just unsustainable. The key to performing at your peak is high intensity effort interspersed with regular recharge and renewal periods.

Seven holiday tips to refresh, renew and recharge

1. Plan your break - many people plan their working day to the last second but fail to give any thought to their time off. Look for relaxing locations and fun activities for your next break. Pack early, keep important paper work including passports and travel documents in the same place, and get a good night’s sleep before you leave.

2. Leave your work behind - don’t take anything to finish on your next break except a good book. Be disciplined and leave your work in the office.

3. Bury the laptop - leave your laptop in the office too. If that sounds hard, you might find you are addicted to your laptop, mobile or PDA. Try turning them off for a week – seriously!

4. Prune your schedule - don’t pack your holiday diary like your average working week; leave some time to just chill and relax. This will do wonders for your creative thinking when you get back to the office.

5. Try something new - try something totally left field to give your brain a rest from the normal grind. Go windsurfing, paddle a kayak, learn French, try yoga, or book in for a massage.

6. Get up at the same time every day - a big trap on holidays is the circadian rhythm free-running cycle. You go to bed a little later each night and by the end of the holiday you’re sleeping in till lunchtime. Go to bed and get up at your normal times. If you feel sleep deprived, go to bed an hour earlier or enjoy an afternoon siesta.

7. Learn to relax - as a reformed workaholic, I honestly had to learn to do this. When it’s time to switch off, set boundaries that force you to relax. Try turning off your mobile phone and ditching the watch.

Relaxing and switching off may not come easily at first, but persist. It is impossible to be productive when you are switched on 24/7.

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.

by John Buchanan

Well, it has finally arrived, or at least almost…….’getting away from it’ time – the holidays!!

I must say this year our family holidays will be quite different to those we have experienced for the last 8 years. Normally I am totally immersed in cricket, either a Test series, or preparing for an upcoming.

Like all big families, the Australian Cricket team arrive into Melbourne with more luggage than you can poke a stick at. During this 8 year period, we have seen the family grow in age as well as size. Our youngest was 5 and oldest was 16 when we made our first venture south to join the celebrations; while the Haydens, the Gilchrists, the Husseys and so on were flighty young couples, no children, and no need to bring the grandparents and/or nannies for babysitting duties.

Holidays are a special time of the year, and while we had a Test match to prepare for, I think we were all pretty good at making sure we were able to have fun when we could.

Like everything we do though, if we can get the preparation right in the first place, then the time that follows has a much better chance of delivering what we would hope.

With this organisation and preparation, I think we were able to achieve the best of both worlds – the family holiday and the serious stuff of a Test match.

We were able to devote ourselves to the important part of holidays which is family time. Work, or Test match preparations was allocated time slots in each day, and while these times were a priority, it did mean that once this work had been completed, the family ruled.

It is ideal not to take work away with you on holidays; but if you must, compartmentalise it so that when you are with you family, you are totally there with them, not drifting back to work.

With family time and getting away from it comes the chance to freshen up. Throughout the course of a long year, all of us become fatigued mentally and physically. The holidays are designed to recharge those tired batteries. Everyone has different ways of doing it from simply doing nothing but sleeping or catching up on those books that have been gathering dust by the bedside table to being more physically active, walking with your wife, swimming, golfing, fishing.

Ensure by the end of the holidays your energy levels have returned – you are freshened up and looking forward to the challenges the new working year will present

Combining the cricket with the family holidays, meant that the playing and support staff needed to make sure the Test match preparations were spot on. It required us to maximise the use of our time.

If you feel that work needs to be done on holidays, do not over allocate time. Using this method forces you to fine focus on what is important and maximises the time used.

The real beauty of holidays is that it frees the mind from our everyday working life. It is a wonderful place to be and often it provides us with brilliant flashes of what the future may be. Allow yourself every opportunity to dream, because this dreaming has been generally locked away during the year. Do not discount your fanciful pictures of life and what could be. Talk them over with family and see where it takes you. Remember, the only limits to what you can achieve are the ones you set yourself.

Make sure there is plenty of dreamtime in the holidays so that you can look forward with freedom

And finally, holidays is about having fun. Enjoy talking and doing things with your family. We can find fun in the simplest of activities or the most expensive. Wherever you choose to find yours, make sure you get plenty of it!

Bring back the child in all of us – have a fun filled holiday.

So whatever you do these holidays, make sure you –

• Prepare well
• Make family the priority
• Leave the holiday refreshed
• Fine focus if and when required
• Dream looking forward
• Have fun

John Buchanan is the former coach of the Australian Cricket Team. He is in demand as a speaker, corporate coach and sports coach. John Buchanan is available to share his philosophy for success expanding the benefits well beyond the cricket team and into any area. www.buchanancoaching.com

by Andrew May

Go slow

Our modern way of living teaches us that faster is better. Speed is the new king and our lives are measured in bits and bytes, dissected into milliseconds and micro-detail. Is it any wonder our health, relationships, sex lives and performance begin to suffer?

We are not designed to go flat out, around the clock. Life is meant to be a series of sprints interspersed with periods of rest and recovery. It is impossible to be ‘on’ 24/7. While we regularly need to boost the throttle into turbo drive and plough through those To Do lists, it is equally – and vitally – important to spend time in cruise mode, or time going slow. The challenge is our culture has conditioned us to think that slow is evil; slow is seen to be the enemy of achievement. Slow is perceived as weak, passive, soft. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The Slow Movement

As humans are becoming more and more disconnected from the things that really matter, the slow movement offers a return to a connected lifestyle. The slow movement? Yes, really. It’s a loosely connected international movement that’s aimed at providing an alternative to today’s fractured, fast-paced, and increasingly unhappy, overworked and burnt out world. It’s all about slowing down life’s pace, and taking time to enjoy the things that give us pleasure. It’s about reconnecting with food, with people, with place, with life: these are the things that offer us meaning.

Hapa Hapa

Hapa Hapa is Swahili for ‘slowly, slowly’, and this concept is much more part of the African culture. When I was a middle distance runner, every summer the Kenyans would come out and train with us for a few months. Looking back, I failed to heed the lessons they were teaching us. Train hard and recover hard. The Kenyans use to do 3 things – run, eat and sleep! In contrast, whenever I felt really tired I’d keep ploughing ahead (as do so many athletes) thinking that all I needed was to get some more miles in the bank and then everything would come good. In retrospect, I really do believe I would have run much faster if I had taken more notice of the Kenyans and rested more when I felt tired. In other words, adding some Hapa Hapa and going SLOW in order to go FAST.

Recovery in Sport

My good friend, David Misson, introduced a recovery system with the Sydney Swans a few years back where players accumulate 100 points each week to ensure they are recovering properly for the upcoming game. An elite AFL player can cover more than 20 km in a game, and the majority of this at high intensity. With so much energy being expended on game day, the primary focus in between games is managing injuries and getting the players ready to peak again, ready to perform. Each week the players tally their recovery activities, different tasks are weighted according to their ability to facilitate recovery for the upcoming game. An ice bath or a massage might be twenty points, yoga scores twenty-five points, an easy stretch ten points and so on. During the pointy end of the season, Misso gets the players to double their weekly targets and aims for 200 recovery points each week.

The Recovery Toolbox

The Recovery Toolbox is based on a format similar to Misso’s point system. In the business world we try and play a five-day test match every week, a Grand Slam every fortnight, and an AFL Grand Final every day. Is it any wonder we are continually tired?

The Recovery Toolbox combines both indoor and outdoor activities, with the total goal being 100 points a week. Add Indoor activities plus outdoor activities for the previous week and tally your score. How did you go?

Cross-recovering

So rather than getting 100 points by dancing four times a week (or choosing any of the other activities where you score 25 points four times a week!), I’d like you to accumulate points from a range of activities. You’ll notice these activities are predominantly ‘slow’ tasks. Fitness enthusiasts often feel ripped off when they first see this scale. Fitness junkies do everything hard and fast – but the simple fact is that going to the gym and belting out a Pump Class, or riding your bike up a mountain for four hours, while great for strength and cardiovascular fitness, doesn’t really help you recover and press the ‘re’ button.

30 weeks of 100 recovery points

Why don’t you give it a go? Set yourself a four week period and see how your scores add up.
For thirty weeks of the year I want you to flip the switch and make sure you focus on recovering properly. Think back to the Recovery Toolbox. Each week your goal is to get 100 recovery points. Why not buy a notebook and fill out your recovery points every week so you ensure that you make it up to your goal of 100 points, thirty weeks a year?

And what about the other twenty-two weeks of the year? You’re not entirely off the hook. The remainder of the time, your goal is to get a minimum of 70 points each week. So aim to get 100 points when you can, and when it’s just not possible, make it a 70-point week.

Happy recovering!

Click this link to watch me talk about Recharge 100 on the Today Show

recharge-100

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.