BE CAREFUL! DON'T FORGET HOW TO RELAX

Up to date again - Yay!

Although this was written last year, it is pertinant again this year as we enter what is possibly our busyiest time of the year. Take note all - we don't want you falling over from absolute exhaustion.

Have a good weekend!

Be careful! Don't forget how to relax
Tessa Silberbauer

22 November 2006 at 06h00

We are in the last leg of the year. On the one hand we're racing to meet the last objectives of 2006; on the other we're thinking about what will happen when we go on holiday. Now when there is so much to do and time seems so short, it is even more important to take regular breaks during the week.

I'm not talking about long stretches of time, but at least half an hour each day that is dedicated to you alone. Yes, it may seem selfish and indulgent when so many things and people demand your time. But it is necessary to be stubborn in the face of these needs. Create the habit of relaxing.

First, if we are too focussed on the holiday, we end up planning the future, or daydreaming about it, instead of concentrating on what we're doing. If what we're doing is rushed, as it so often is this time of year, the potential for disastrous mistakes increases drastically.

Second, and this may sound strange, it is training for the holidays. When we're not used to it, or have forgotten how it feels, relaxing is hard work indeed. Get into the habit now and you reap two benefits at the holidays: you will be able to relax more and you will need to let go of stress.

These two together mean that you can recover more energy and return to work feeling more revived.

Third, pacing yourself will allow you to do more in the long run. Yes, in the short term, less gets done, but not that much less. The loss is more than recovered by the increased concentration and energy that you will soon notice.

Fourth, now is an excellent time to start a new, healthier habit. Creating space for yourself and getting used to claiming it is easier now than later. You do not have to work against the artificial enthusiasm that a new year creates and the momentum against this type of self-care will be less in a few months' time. Maybe you're nodding and thinking: "Yes I need that, I'd like it, but what would I do?"

Here are some suggestions. Adapt one to your needs:

nBreathing exercises, meditation, yoga and similar activities can be wonderful for restoring energy levels. And when you start to learn how, half an hour is enough to begin with. As your mental stamina increases, you can lengthen the time at will.

nCombine a few days' worth of half-hours and go back to that sport you loved as a child, or try one you've been curious about. Join a sports club for a few hours each week. The social life will help too.

nTake up a new hobby. Learn a new craft, music, arts, or just rejoin the library and spend a while reading each evening.

nSpend some time in your garden, or if you don't have one, make one out of pots next to a sunny window. Spending time caring for plants and seeing the results slowly unfold is a marvellous tonic for the soul.Give yourself small intense breaks often and the year-end holiday magically returns so much more. Even a machine needs to stop to be oiled and we are not machines.

nTessa Silberbauer is a Joburg-based life-management trainer.For information, corporate training or private consulting, contact her at 083-310-0955 or livingskills@webmail.co.za