by Fiona Cosgrove

Life coaches, Performance coaches, Wellness coaches, Executive coaches. These are becoming everyday terms. With the increased pressure on us to reach for the stars, achieve our goals, fulfill our potential comes the dilemma of how to structure our lives to allow this success. The demands of daily life have never been greater and in this information age when the choice of services, products, guidelines is enormous, how do we come up with a plan to “be our best”? There is a big difference between consultants, mentors and coaches. The former two roles are more of a “telling” or expert role. They are bringing their often superior knowledge to the relationship and we learn from them. They tend to take responsibility for the learning and teaching process. A coach is quite different.

What a coach will do is:

• Act as a support person and “cheerleader”
• Help you find your own solutions
• Facilitate your path to change
• Let you take the lead
• Be a mirror to reflect your insights and awareness
• Affirm your strengths
• Show empathy and acceptance
• Hold you accountable

A coach is someone who will help you get there. A coach will not:

• Tell you what to do,
• Take on the responsibility
• Constantly offer advice
• Design your plan

Get the picture? If you find the right match for you, a coach can help you climb any mountain. But how do we find a great coach when there are so many people out there claiming to be just that?

A good check list might look something like this:

A great coach will:

• Be passionate and energetic in their commitment to help you be your best
• Be astute enough to recognize what is important to you, not them.
• Walk the talk
• Only offer expert advice at pivotal moments
• Have clear focus and positive and confident outlook
• Believe in you
• Be trained in coach psychology and the area that they are working in

It is a good idea to meet with a potential coach first to find out if you are comfortable with each other and you can connect with that person. Your coach will foster self acceptance and self respect and not hold themselves out to have all the answer. They will have a knack for honing in on our strengths, desires and values. Coaches are great listeners and enjoy our stories. Ask them about how they structure their sessions. A good coach will have a model they follow (but not their own agenda), which will become a vehicle for you to help you move towards your goals. They usually offer a program rather than a one-off session, understanding that change takes time and a methodical approach.

A coach needs to be able to take risks and confront us when necessary, yet at the same time be playful when appropriate and make the sessions fun - not just hard work. A good coach will not rescue us when we hit a difficult place but let us work through the dilemma. They will understand the importance of our journey and help us celebrate each successful step. They will eventually leave us with greater self knowledge, confidence and belief in our own abilities and if all goes according to plan – the ability to live a more fulfilling life.

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 Tim Sharp

As regular readers would well be aware, I spend much of my time talking about happiness and as part of this, I spend much of my time busting common myths and misconceptions about happiness. If we don’t properly understand what happiness is (as well as what it isn’t) then we’re always going struggle to achieve it.

Now I’ve heard some pretty bizarre and outlandish claims made about happiness in my time and so as a result, I’ve developed a new presentation titled “Hard facts, half-truths and absolute nonsense”. Today I’m pleased to bring you a brief summary of some of the more common half-truths and some of the absurd claims made about happiness with a view to helping you avoid falling into these traps and accordingly, being distracted from what will really help you create a happy life.

Myth 1: Happiness comes from having more money and more things

The truth: more money will lead to more happiness but only to a point. There’s no doubt that for someone living below the poverty line, struggling to eat or secure shelter, then money will definitely help. But once we get beyond a certain point, which for the sake of simplicity we’ll consider an average wage, then the return we get from increasing our wealth diminishes rapidly. That is, if happiness is our goal we’ll receive a much better return on our investment from pursuing other goals such as developing and fostering our relationships – which makes happiness the most valuable asset!

Myth 2: Happiness involves seeking pleasure and avoiding pain

The truth: as with the first point this is partially true, but only partially. Most people like pleasure and most don’t like pain; but happiness is much more than hedonism. In fact, the research suggests that although important, pleasure may be less important for our happiness than meaning and purpose.

Myth 3: Happiness is synonymous with being frivolous and irresponsible

The truth: Happy people are not silly but rather, tend to be very responsible and productive employees and citizens. In short, happy people typically outperform unhappy people on every measure so rather than being frivolous, happy people are healthier, more productive, better parents and better friends.

Myth 4: Life’s too serious for happiness

The truth: Life’s so serious we can’t afford not to be happy. I’m not naive enough to think life’s all wonderful but the fact that there are problems in the world means it’s even more important for as many of us as possible to be happy; because, when we experience positive emotions we’re more resilient and we’re more able to generate effective solutions to the difficulties we face.

Myth 5: There’s a secret to happiness out there somewhere

The truth: there is no secret. I’m sorry to disappoint some of you but the reality is quite simple…there is no one secret to happiness. And even if there were one thing that was very important for me it wouldn’t be the same for all of you because we’re all different. Happiness means different things to different people and accordingly, the creation of happiness will require different approaches for different people. But at the risk of contradicting my earlier statement, if here was a secret to happiness it would probably be discipline – having the discipline to determine and clarify your own happiness plan, and then stick to it!

So if you want to create a happier life beware of these and other myths. I urge you to believe happiness is possible but I also urge you to see the creation of happiness as something that requires work and time.

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 Diana Ennen

Many of you are already established in business with your website in place, your business cards tucked away securely awaiting the next networking opportunity, and your promotional materials printed and filed away. You are set — Or are you?

Think back, when was the last time you revisited this area? When was the last time you recreated your promotional materials and added a new image? Have you actually read your website lately from the prospective of a potential client? If so, did it portray you in the best light and did it convince you to utilize your services? Did it have all your latest PR successes and latest services? If not, it’s time to jumpstart your marketing. The results, more clients and a new and improved you.

Here are just a few ideas:

Your Web Site

When doing your website or reviewing your website, take your time. This isn’t a race to the finish. Take it a page at a time and give it your all. Ask yourself:

Would it hold their interest? You need to make sure they aren’t bored with long paragraphs or unnecessary long wordy descriptions. They want to find what they came for quickly.

Is it personalized? When people come to your site, do they get to know you and your business or do they hear the same ole’ same ole’ that’s on all the websites in your Industry. It’s important to have you in there.

Get to the point. Go back and cut out unnecessary words, paragraphs, graphics, anything that just isn’t essential to the bottom line of providing the benefits of what you provide.

Is it understandable? Sounds simple, right? Go back over your site and make sure that you’ve clearly spelled out what you do. You know you’re the best, but have you adequately described this to your potential clients?

Can you add a few new graphics or colors or something to jazz it up? A change of your website’s theme colors can make a big difference in adding to a fresh new look.

Press Releases & Articles

How often do you write a press release and submit it out? Or better yet, when was the last time you did send one out? Ouch-that long. If you want to fine tune and bump up your marketing, then you absolutely need to write a good press release and get it out there. The main point in that sentence is — write a good one. How do you do that? Easy, make it something that informs and inspires. Make it newsworthy. Tie it into what is happening in today’s times and then connect your business to how you can make a difference. Did you remember the “call to action” paragraph, where you are telling them what you want them to do? And finally, just having a release isn’t enough. You need to actively submit it out and post it on your website, blogs, social networking sites, etc.

Social Networking

You need to do this. Actually you will want to do this. Once you get started you’ll love it too. So go ahead and do it. Most businesses will tell you that doing this makes a considerable difference in their business. Don’t have time to, hire a virtual assistant to do it for you.

Now, find the sites that interest you and get active and involved. Remember to succeed you need to be committed. You can’t just show up once every few months and expect it to work.

Your Promotional Materials

Just think how impressed your clients or even more important, those potential new clients, will be when they receive a letter on your new letterhead, with your new business card, a matching brochure, and maybe even a matching magnet with your business information on it. It’s time to jazz it up a bit and recreate a new image. You have so many more years experience in your business, let it show with your new promotions.

You’ll see how great you’ll feel with your new marketing image. Make it a goal to do this often. You and your pocketbook will be glad you did.

Diana Ennen specializes in publicity and marketing and helping businesses get the most out of their publicity efforts. She’s the President of Virtual Word Publishing, http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com and author of numerous books including Virtual Assistant the Series: Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA. Stop by for free information on starting a virtual assistant business and our free PR Informational package.

by Glenn Capelli

Cecil John Rhodes died in 1902 and amongst other things was the founder of the diamond company De Beers. After his death his Rhodes Trust establish The Rhodes Scholarship an international award for study at Oxford University.

Since then there have been a bucket load of famous Rhodes Scholars including the 1945 Nobel Prize winner Australian Howard Florey (the penicillin man), former PM Bob Hawke (Scholar 1953) and a 1975 Scholar in former Carlton Premiership Captain (and ex Head Boy of my old High School Churchlands) Mike Fitzpatrick.

However, my favourite Rhodes Scholar is not a politician, scientist, merchant banker or even footballer. My favourite Rhodes Scholar is the man who wrote the song Me and Bobby McGee – Kris Kristofferson.

I love Kris because he cannot only perform academically, he can also perform with:

• A guitar
• A mop - he was a janitor at one stage of his life
• A gearstick - he once drove trucks for a living and
• A stamina in that he has lasted in the music industry for decades

Kris Kristofferson is not only a Rhodes Scholar he is a Road Scholar too.

My figuring is that in today’s world the Rhodes/Roads mix is a good blend. Way back in 1995 the Enterprising Nation Karpin Report into Australian Leadership and Management Skills talked about the need for the T Skilled worker. This worker not only has deep specific, technical skills (the perpendicular part of the letter T) but also great broad skills (the horizontal part of T).

Broad skills include:

• Communication skills
• Empathy
• A breadth of learning
• Creative Thinking Skills

Broad skills are the stuff of Road Scholars; people who can get by in any given situation, people who can connect with others, people who are versatilists. A versatilist being a ‘person who can be a specialist in a particular discipline while at the same time be able to change to another role with the same ease’. In short, part Rhodes Scholar and part Road Scholar.

So master your Road Scholarship – learn something wide of your usual field, connect with folk who think differently than you, be curious beyond your own discipline and if ever you are busted flat in Baton Rouge – or anywhere else – have the Emotional Smarts and breadth to bounce back.

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 Rob Wilkins

I am struck sometimes by the ability of individuals to trust process and intellect and not listen to that which they have always known to serve them best, their instinct. Instinct is not something that “occurs” but rather is something that, I would say, gifted individuals recognise and embrace.

It is the combination of intellect with instinct that creates that state of being mindful and alert to the possibilities of all situations.

Carl Rogers, the psychologist whose notoriety was derived by his now famous “Humanist” approach to psychology, once stated, ” I have learned that my total organismic sensing of a situation is more trustworthy than my intellect.”

Sense making is a term that is gaining amazing credence in Knowledge Management circles and my reflection of this is centered around this combination of intellect and instinct or “being mindful”.

My question is, “Is this a learned state or can it only be practiced by a gifted few?” (metaphorically speaking).

Jerry Braza PH.D, in his book “Moment by Moment” states “mindfulness is a natural state of living moment by moment”. The reason why this statement resonates so strongly with me is because of what I observe on a day-to-day basis as a Learning and Development Professional. I observe so many people caught up in the plans of the day, week, month or year and not giving their attention to the moment at hand.

Children provide a wonderful illustration of how the adult mind lets go of this natural skill of being mindful. I am reminded of a story of a family who are on their way to a party and come to a railway crossing that begins to indicate a train is coming. The father, who is driving and already anxious about arriving on time, thinks to himself “Great! Now we will definitely be late”. That is until his 4 year old daughter pipes up and says, “Daddy, Daddy, now we get to see the train go by! This is exciting!” The father appreciates the complete diversity of what his daughter is thinking and for a brief moment, appreciates being mindful and in the moment.

There is a lot to learn from mindfulness and what it means for recharging yourself and your day-to-day performance and I hope to talk about his in more detail in the future.

In the meantime, find yourself a railway crossing and enjoy the moment (metaphorically speaking of course).

Rob Wilkins is a Learning and Development professional with over 20 years experience in Corporate Learning and Development, Management and Executive Development, Learning Technologies and Organisational Performance Improvement. Currently completing his Masters in Knowledge Management and Business Information, Rob is considered a specialist in eLearning and Personal Learning Environments with a strong Knowledge Management influence guiding his research and professional development. Email: dawilkos@tpg.com.au : or more of his insights on a daily basis: Blog: http://roalp.blogspot.com

By Andrew May

Sure, times are a little tough. But talk to some people right now and you’d honestly think the world was over. I met with a senior sales manager last week and from the moment I walked into his office my energy was drained. Bags around his eyes, shoulders slumped forward, and when he lumbered out of his chair to greet me he moved like a hairy sloth stretching out from one branch to the next. I made the fatal mistake of asking ‘how’s it all going’ and for the next 10 minutes was peppered with all of the reasons why business as we know it is over; how the world will never recover; and how we’re all totally, totally screwed. ‘Armageddon’ I could feel him screaming underneath his responses. ‘Armageddon, Armageddon the world is about to end!’

Now before you discount me as a totally insensitive ‘rhymes with chick’, let me acknowledge that times definitely are tough and there is a lot of pain out there. In fact we have seen the worst decline in the stock market since the 1937 depression. At the start of the year we had 5 major US investment banks, now there are only 2. In recent months we’ve seen Octagon, ABC Learning, Allco and a list of other companies go into receivership.

So yeah, this is like nothing many of us have ever seen before. In fact most Generation Y workers have never witnessed a downturn in the financial market in their working lives. But the world is not over and I still haven’t finished with my friend the senior sales manager. Now I’ve known this guy for more than 5 years and he is one of the best sales people I have ever meet. He leads a national team of more than 300 people in a very competitive, fast changing industry.

After hearing him out for 10 minutes and 12 seconds, (but who said I was actually counting?), I had to interject and metaphorically slap him across the face. ‘Jim, Jim. I totally agree with you mate. The world seriously is screwed. Why don’t you sell everything right now, pull the kids out of school, call your wife, pack up the car and head to the hills. Get out of here because listening to you for the last 10 painful minutes, I have no doubt the worst is yet to come. . .’

After staring at me gob smacked for a few minutes, he said ‘I think that was a bit harsh! There’s no need to take the piss and make me feel totally inadequate. Thanks for getting rid of every last bit of motivation I had left’ . Staring as intently back I said ‘Come on mate, snap out of it. I’ve known you for more than 5 years and you’re one of the best sales people I’ve ever met. Sure times are tough, but there’s still a lot that you can focus on in a positive way. Besides, if you’re behaving and acting like this, God help the people you lead every day – what on earth is their behaviour and attitude going to be like?’

After the dust settled we found a common ground and both agreed there were a number of areas that people can focus on, even in the toughest of times, to help people survive. So with the help of my mate Jim, here are 6 tips to help you get through the dip.

1. Turn off the TV!

One of the worst ways to start and every day right now is with a media diet saturated with bad news. Now I understand that if you work in the financial markets you need to know what is happening globally, but please have some periods in your day when you turn off the constant news stream. Unplug, switch off and change channels. Listen to some music in your car or plug in the ipod on the ride home from work. Read a fiction book or take your dog for a walk, take the kids to the park. Turn off the RSS feeds and get out of the habit of negative news updates 24/7.

2. Huff and Puff

Right now is a great time to focus more on your own health and wellbeing. Make sure you take a walk every day and lock in 3 planned physical activity sessions each week for 45 minutes to an hour. And you don’t have to go to the gym, especially if the thought of sweating inside a gym is akin to a trip to the dentist. Go for a walk on the beach or kick a footy in the park with your mates, paddle a kayak or enrol in a dancing class. Make yourself accountable to regular physical activity and also watch the food and fluid intake. Eat healthy meals and cut back on the caffeine and alcohol consumption.

3. Stimulate the brain

Keep learning. Nothing turns people into a shade of grey quicker than switching off the brain. Next time you fly grab the inflight magazine and fill out a crossword, enrol in an adult education course, pick up an instrument or learn a language. Watching my 6 month old daughter just amazes me how quickly we learn. It also shocks me as to how quickly we stop stimulating the brain or even ‘unlearn’ when we finish school and university. Learning should be a life long endeavour and all of the latest research highlights you have a reduced chance of alseimers and degenerative diseases if you keep the brain stimulated

4. Trim the fat

Cut back on discretionary spending and minimise as much financial stress as possible. Take your lunch to work each day, set a limit of how many times you eat out each week and cut back on spending to build a financial buffer to draw on down the track if needed. Now is a god time to practice being frugal with finances. It’s amazing how much you really can save by sticking to a weekly budget.

5. Delete stinking thinking

In essence this is about increasing your awareness of thinking (cognition). The best way to do this is to start keeping a thought diary. This involves writing down your thoughts (and feelings) in different situations throughout the day and carefully noting the relationship between certain types of thoughts and certain types of feelings. We all have approximately 50, 000 plus thoughts every day – it is important the majority of these thoughts are Positive Optimistic Thoughts (POT’S and not Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTS).

Just because you think something does not mean it’s true. Thoughts are not necessarily facts. If your ANTs are causing unnecessary distress you can learn to challenge or change them. This is simply a process that involves questioning your thoughts by asking questions like: Is this true? Is it helpful? Is it really that bad? Once you’ve identified and challenged your negative thoughts, it is time to start planting positive (but still realistic) thoughts. Focus on all the good things in your life; by actively looking for more good things in your life; by looking at difficult situations as opportunities to learn; and by believing good things will happen in the future.

6. Giggle, laugh and play

Finally, get a regular boost of fun and enjoyment into your routine. It’s amazing how much better you feel after a good belly laugh. Hang out with a friend or colleague that makes you laugh, watch a funny movie or just do something that you love.

Find your PPP - Positive Passionate Pursuit, a healthy activity that is good for you and where you lose yourself in the process. Every Thursday morning I hit the surf with a few mates, we swap between surf ski’s, paddle boards, surfing and swimming. I look forward to Thursday mornings each week and this helps me recharge, reenergise and renew.

Final comment

Yes, times are tough. But no, it is not the end of the world. Try and take a step back and focus on the areas in your life you can control and try to not worry about the areas or parts in your life you can’t control. Tines will get better and after every dip there is always a period of growth and prosperity.

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 Fiona Cosgrove

I recently read an article from the US about how people could “ride the wave” of potential financial disaster by returning to the “fundamentals” and concentrating on the really important stuff of life.. That got me thinking about what whether in Australia we should be thinking along the same lines and what those fundamentals might be.

Four come to mind.

1. Relationships

In today’s frantic world we believe we are in touch with everyone on a constant basis. Our electronic devices keep us on line and “connected” with colleagues, family and sometimes friends. But is a short sms the same as a meaningful conversation? And have you ever responded to an email and forgotten what you said, or whether in fact you wrote it? Somehow the illusion of connection to people makes us think we have our relationships intact, yet in fact these are often neglected.

Studies have shown that rich, satisfying relationships are the biggest predictor of happiness over anything else (including wealth and satisfying work). In times of hardship, invest time in the people who you care about.

• Attention deficit

When we divide our concentration and deny anyone our full attention, the relationship suffers. When we don’t listen properly or respond and show interest in what is being said, the person we are with feels unheard and unacknowledged. So next time you are talking someone, turn off your phone, your blackberry or computer and give them your full attention. A great tip is to ask a question, then follow it up with a question that arises from their answer. By focusing on other people, we can put aside our worries for the time being and gain the support we need. When we show interest in others, they return that interest in us.

• Chose your company

In times of stress it is important to surround ourselves with positive energy. Work out who makes us feel good and whose company we enjoy the most. You will find that often it is the people who listen and show interest in our lives. Give the same back to them. Some people have a way of “being with you” that does not necessitate a lot of conversation. In the same vein avoid the people who drain you.

2. Focus on what makes life good

• Don’t be scared of emotion

When we are under stress, we tend to block out our feelings and try and stay calm and cool. But refusing to acknowledge the way we feel can create a new set of problems. Negative emotions (such as fear, anger, resentment and loss) have to be recognized and worked through as they are a signal that something is wrong. Finding the cause of such feelings can give us direction to move either towards or away from a situation or to change it if we can. Positive emotions need to be enjoyed and savoured. Joy, excitement, contentment, and love are really what we ultimately strive for. It has been said that man needs a purpose to give his life meaning but without moments of pleasure along the way it is difficult to stay committed to the journey. Emotions lead to motion which leads to motivation. Emotions are the fuel that drives us. Without feelings, we will not prosper. Think about what is most important – material wealth or emotional prosperity? Avoiding strong emotions is not healthy.

3. What gets you out of bed in the morning

• Find your purpose

What do you enjoy doing? What gets you out of bed in the morning? Is it the thought of making more money or the fear of losing it? I doubt that it’s either. Money can be a by-product of working at something we enjoy. There are times when we have to do things we don’t enjoy and during those times it is essential to find outlets in activities that we gain pleasure and meaning from. There are also times when we have to sacrifice the good things in favour of temporary hardship which will lead to greater reward in the future. We will only do this if we have a purpose to work towards. If we make accumulating wealth our sole purpose in life we will have an empty existence. We need a goal that is meaningful but the process of achieving that goal has to be as important as the outcome. If our goals are too distant, we will lose our will to keep going.

• Meaning in each day

We need more than a long term purpose in life, we need a purpose in our lives each day. Work out what activities give you satisfaction, and are in some way connected to your values. Is it spending time with your kids? Walking your dog? Exercising? Doing something good for a neighbour? Gardening, sailing or playing golf? Reading? We all find meaning in different ways. Try and include some activity each day that gives you a sense of fulfillment.

4. Stay in touch with your physical health

• Let your body support you

Everything can be going right in our lives but if we don’t heave good health, we will be unable to enjoy each day. In today’s busy world, many people fall prey to letting their physical health deteriorate as they focus on their mental health or achieving their professional goals. What we forget is that exercise, good nutrition, adequate rest, hydration and relaxation are primarily connected to our overall state of wellbeing. Take stock of where your body is at. Are you carrying extra weight? Is your cardiovascular system getting a work out? Are you providing your body with the right fuel and rest? I believe that good physical health is about as fundamental as you can get. Without it, nothing else will be fully achieved. If reading this section makes you feel uncomfortable do yourself a big favour and get a thorough medical check up then take steps to change your lifestyle to give your body the best chance of keeping up with the demands of a complex and sometimes challenging life.

In troubled times, stepping back and reflecting on what is fundamental to our happiness is a worthwhile activity.

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 Rob Wilkins

In one of the many letters he wrote to his son in the 1740s, Lord Chesterfield offered the following advice: “There is time enough for everything in the course of the day, if you do but one thing at once, but there is not time enough in the year, if you will do two things at a time.” To Chesterfield, singular focus was not merely a practical way to structure one’s time; it was a mark of intelligence. “This steady and undissipated attention to one object, is a sure mark of a superior genius; as hurry, bustle, and agitation, are the never-failing symptoms of a weak and frivolous mind.”

In our, at times reckless lives, we tend to believe that signs of accomplishment are how much we can achieve when doing more than one thing at a time. To produce that report’ at the same time as interviewing for that new employee, at the same time as preparing for the family BBQ on the weekend, is considered to be an accomplishment worthy of praise and recognition. However the truth, as I see it, is far from this.

You have heard me make mention of John Medina and His “Brain Rules” before. John maintains, through his study of molecular biology and neural pathways, that the brain is a sequential processor and therefore multitasking cannot, as we know it, take place. In fact what we engage in is “task switching”. This has happened right throughout the industrial age and people have become very good at it. However with the advent of the information age we have now started to reach the boundaries of what we can switch between before we lose focus and quality. More recently, challenges to the notion of multitasking have begun to emerge. Numerous studies have shown the sometimes-fatal danger of using mobile phones and other electronic devices while driving, for example, in the United States laws have been passed that have now made that particular form of multitasking illegal. In the business world, where concerns about time-management are perennial, warnings about workplace distractions spawned by a multitasking culture are on the rise. In 2005, the BBC reported on a research study, funded by Hewlett-Packard and conducted by the Institute of Psychiatry at the University of London, that found, “Workers distracted by e-mail and internet suffer a fall in IQ more than twice that found in marijuana smokers.” The psychologist who led the study called this new “infomania” a serious threat to workplace productivity.

The moral of the story is that we should be cognisant of our performance and recognise that the completion of singular tasks with excellent results will still allow us to perform and perform well, it is just that we will not be causing any damage along the way. Children in western civilisation learning today, live in an information rich scoiety and the multitasking that comes with this could be affecting the way people learn. Take one students quote from the Kaiser Family foundation research project in the USA: “At this very moment I am watching TV, checking my e-mail every two minutes, reading a newsgroup about who shot JFK, burning some music to a CD, and writing this message.”

They think they are multitasking. This constant task switching will take it’s toll. Jack of all trades and master of none is the situation that comes to mind.

Wind it back. Concentrate on one thing at a time and feel the joy of a job well done.

Rob Wilkins is a Learning and Development professional with over 20 years experience in Corporate Learning and Development, Management and Executive Development, Learning Technologies and Organisational Performance Improvement. Currently completing his Masters in Knowledge Management and Business Information, Rob is considered a specialist in eLearning and Personal Learning Environments with a strong Knowledge Management influence guiding his research and professional development. Email: dawilkos@tpg.com.au : or more of his insights on a daily basis: Blog: http://roalp.blogspot.com

with Andrew May

Watch the Today Show interview

Australians are among the most stressed out people on the planet. Nearly 80 percent of Aussies say they feel stress on a regular basis.

Andrew May explains the symptoms of stress and shares his top five tips for managing stress.

”We are definitely facing different catalysts of stress these days and stress is on the rise as a consequence,” explains Mr May.

Traditionally stress was mainly caused by environmental problems such as drought, fire and floods however today lifestyle factors and work are causing us to stress out.

“Stress has always excited however in the past it came and went, today it’s constant,” he says.

Mr May believes people feel controlled by work, debt, technology, time and other people’s demands which leads to feeling overwhelmed and as though we can’t switch off.

“Although different people respond to stress in different ways there are common physical and emotional signs to look out for,” he says.

Manifestations of stress generally fall into four categories: physical, mental, emotional and behavioural processes.

Physical symptoms include: fatigue, headache, insomnia, muscle aches/stiffness (especially neck, shoulders and low back), heart palpitations, chest pains, abdominal cramps, nausea, trembling, cold extremities, flushing or sweating and frequent colds.

Stress can impact our mental processes and lead to decreases in concentration and memory, indecisiveness, mind racing and confusion.

”Another common symptom of stress is the loss of sense of humour,” May explains.

On an emotional level stress can lead to feelings of anxiety, nervousness, depression, anger, frustration, worry, fear, irritability and impatience.

”Stress will also impact on behaviour,” he explains. “Common characteristics of stress include pacing, fidgeting, increased eating, smoking, drinking, crying, yelling, swearing, blaming others and in severe cases people can become violent.”

Mr May believes in many people stress builds up because people do not take time out to de-stress and unwind.

”Managing stress is an essential skill to thrive in today’s frantically paced world,” he says. “There are several simple ways to decrease your stress levels which will make an unbelievable difference on your quality of life.”

Mr May’s top five ways for managing include relaxation, taking time out to recharge, asking for help, improving your personal skills and putting things into context.

”A great exercise to reduce stress is to make a list of all the things that make you feel stressed,” says Mr May. “Once identified, try and relax in these situations and where possible tackle the source of the stress.”

Other stress busting tips include avoiding multi-tasking and doing jobs in order of importance.

”Regular exercise is also great for relaxation,” says May. “Cycling, jogging, swimming and working out in the gym are ideal ways of reducing tension caused by stress.”

Mr May’s top five tips to manage stress

* Hit the relaxation response: learn techniques like meditation and yoga or try listening to music.
* Improve skills: stronger communication, organisational and time management skills will all help effectively deal with stressful situations.
* Big picture thinking: try and put your stress into context and don’t sweat it over the little things.
* Recharge: take mental physical breaks. Find ways to escape in your spare time and build in regular holidays and breaks.
* Ask for help: stick your hand up and ask for help and support.

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 Catherine Saxelby

Wake up your taste buds with the tartness of lemons, a natural energy recharger for busy people who want to watch their weight, says nutritionist Catherine Saxelby.

Lemon help for weight loss

Now for the good news. Lemons are very low in kilojoules – so low you don’t need to bother counting them. An average sized lemon has less than 80 kilojoules (20 calories), one of the key reasons they tend to appear in so many diet books.

For years, dieters have been told to start the day with a glass of water with the juice of a freshly squeezed lemon to ‘cleanse’ the insides and quell early-morning hunger pangs.

Lemon’s acidity is a key factor. It seems it can slows the rate of stomach emptying so a generous squeeze of lemon juice on your meal can effectively lower it’s glycaemic index (GI) to keep your blood glucose under control and your hunger pangs at bay.

Lemons and detoxing

A new detox plan called the Lemon Detox attempts to ride on the tail of lemon’s healthy benefits. Unfortunately once you read it, you’ll see that it’s not really based on lemon but instead Madal Bal tree syrup, a high sugar product derived from palm and maple trees. When detoxing, you mix this sugary syrup with lemons and water to make a sweet lemonade style drink which you consume along with herbal teas and water for 10 days. I don’t recommend it as it’s a fast and teaches you nothing about retraining your eating habits.

Lemon nutrition

There’s a lot to love about lemons. Like all citrus fruit, lemons are packed with vitamin C. One average-sized lemon will give you 40mg or 90 per cent of your daily needs. You also get a little folate and good amounts of the mineral potassium, an essential mineral that counteracts the damage done by excess salt to the kidneys and heart. In addition, the distinctive tart flavour keeps your taste buds satisfied when you cut back on salt.

Note that there’s little protein or fat and barely a gram of carbohydrate, primarily sugar.

Don’t overlook the rind of the lemon - both the rind and juice contain the flavonoid limonene. This is an antioxidant that’s showing promise as an anti-cancer agent but at this stage there’s still a way to go. And there’s US research showing that the rind has the potential to lower cholesterol – similar findings from grapefruit and orange also have been reported. Whether this ends up being proven, it’s still another good reason to add grated lemon rind to muffins, grilled fish, steamed green beans and chicken dishes.

Ways to use lemons

• Use lemon juice liberally wherever you can – to extract the most juice, have them at room temperature and roll them around on the bench first to break up their juicy membranes.
• Squeeze it on fish, oysters, prawns and any seafood
• Substitute it for vinegar for a tangy salad dressing
• Mix the juice of one lemon with a tablespoon of honey for a sore throat
• Use a whole lemon as a stuffing for roasted chicken – simply prick the skin and then insert a whole lemon along with a few springs of fresh rosemary or parsley to fill the cavity before roasting.
• Add slices to your pan when steaming vegetables to lift flavours
• Combine lemon slices with dill or basil to bring out the flavour of fish
• Enjoy in tea instead of milk

Catherine Saxelby is an accredited nutritionist and author of 9 books including Nutrition for Life. For more tips and ideas, go to her website at www.foodwatch.com.au