Are you happy? Tips to improve your mood

When you're happy life is better. You enjoy activities more and the flow-on effect on your health is considerable. Happy people have stronger immune systems, are better able to cope with stress and bounce back from illness more rapidly than unhappy people. According to RealAge:

Taking care of your emotional health and well-being can make your RealAge up to 16 years younger.

Incredible! I knew stress could age you, but 16 years? I like the idea that being happy and lowering negativity and stress can add years to my life, but 16 years is a little hard to believe. Still, it would be nice to think that being happy and emotionally stable could reap such benefits.


Small acts can add up to long-term satisfaction
Scientific American explains the difference between short-term joy and long-term satisfaction and describes how to make a habit of happiness

According to psychological surveys, factors that can strongly contribute to this state are financial security, a well-ordered social environment and a trusting relationship.

Are you happy? Take the Test
You can test your levels of happiness and satisfaction with life at the Postive Psychology Center


Perfectly yourself: 9 Lessons for Enduring Happiness
Have you ever been told "you can achieve anything you set your mind to"?

The self-help mantra dictates that you reach for the stars believing anything is possible. Matthew Kelly defies conventional wisdom and suggests that some things simply are not possible. If you set goals that don't suit your talents your chances of success are limited. This is not to say you can't achieve magnificent things, but the pressure of always reaching for the ultimate goal may stop you from reaching authentic happiness.

Perfectly Yourself is for anyone who has ever failed at a diet, survived the collapse of a relationship, or wondered if he or she will ever find a fulfilling career. It’s a book for all of us who long to be at peace with who we are, where we are, and what we are doing, not in some distant tomorrow but here and now–today.

This is an interesting book, with sane advice for people who are struggling to find the path to happiness and satisfaction.


4 Tips on Using Mindfulness to Change Your Mood
Mindfulness is recommended as a remedy for stress, anxiety and depression. Cathy Wong shows you how to use mindfulness to improve your mood.


20 Simple Ways to Get Happy
Finally in our selection of tips for happiness, Reader's Digest provides some wonderful advice for improving your mood

Just one cookie means 18 minutes of exercise

According to the Diet Detective we need to be exercising hard to get rid of all the Christmas goodies we've been eating:

To burn off the calories in one gingerbread cookie, you will have to swim 18 minutes. The martini and party mix will take 47 minutes on the bike.
And the fruitcake? Take an 84-minute walk.

It's almost enough to put me off my tucker!

Read more here

Join our forum on emotional eating

Carnival of Emotional Eating

The Centre for Emotional Well-Being is launching a 'carnival of emotional eating' which will provide tips and information for anyone who gets the munchies in response to emotional stress or uses food to change their mood.

We are looking for quality submissions that will help people with strategies to beat emotional eating. You are welcome to talk about your personal experiences with emotional eating or to provide expert advice. We reserve the right to refuse any submissions that are not directly related to the topic. If you are stating any facts then please support these facts with references to quoted experts or research.

We will also consider articles about eating disorders, in particular the underlying psychology that causes eating disorders and therapeutic treatment.

Also, anything relating to psychosocial factors that increase the tendency to eat such as subconscious eating patterns, links between stress and eating, triggers to overeating would be of interest.

Submit your post to this blog carnival here

Happiness can not be found in a box of chocolates

According to Prevention food and alcohol do nothing to lift your mood. They cite a study showing that food has no effect on mood. Instead they suggest you can get a quick mood boost by looking at your favourite photos. Hmmm, I wonder what the effect is if your favourite photo is of chocolates and champagne?

While this is a healthy approach to finding happiness I feel that the writer has failed to understand the underlying mechanisms of emotional eating. The reality is that many emotional eaters find food calming - if eating didn't quiet unpleasant emotions then people would stop doing it!

I believe researchers would have different results if they tested the effect on mood of chocolate, alcohol, music and photographs when the participants were feeling stressed, anxious or bored.

What do you think? Does food and alcohol change your mood?
Discuss emotional eating at our free forum

Listen to Bach to lift mood and creativity

Researchers at the University of Toronto have made an interesting discovery about the link between mood and challenging tasks.

Happiness proves to be a distraction if you need to concentrate, but for creativity and problem solving a good mood could unlock answers hidden in the recesses of your mind. Read more here

According to Professor Anderson:

"If attention is like a spotlight, then a good mood will widen that spotlight, while a negative mood will focus it very tightly."

Money Management - How organising your finances can reduce stress

Do you ever struggle to pay your bills on time? Are you always losing pieces of paper? Or do you simply have no idea what you earn and what you owe? Whatever your money management issues this article can help you sort out your money problems and get on top of your money paper war.

Organisation is frequently overlooked as a financial management tool. Being prepared and managing your time well can help you save money!

• you'll have time to shop around for the best prices


• you'll be able to take advantage of discounts


• you can use the extra time to play with your children or catch up with friends

Where to start?
First, establish paper systems to file your bills/accounts for payment. If you receive a lot of bills (who doesn't!) you may want to file these in date order in a concertina file, otherwise manila folders are fine. Keep one manila folder for bills due this month, and another for bills relating to future months. Also include in the file all your receipts from ATM machines and credit card purchases. These can be put in envelopes.

Your bills due for payment folder should be reviewed at least once a month using the following steps:

• Balance your cheque book so you know how much money you have available to pay accounts. (Ideally you should balance your cheque book weekly)


• Identify all bills due for payment and use your receipts to check for errors on any accounts. Put aside any accounts you plan to query


• Total the amounts due and check whether you have sufficient funds to pay all the accounts


• If there is not enough money to pay everything then prioritise your accounts. Always pay utilities and mortgage first, next accounts which offer discounts. Ring the remaining creditors and negotiate extended payment terms, or return the goods


• Record all the payments in your cheque book or computerised system, and recalculate your balance. Transfer funds as necessary


• File the bills for future reference

You can save money and simplify your life by establishing electronic systems
This doesn't mean rushing out to buy the latest computer program - it can all be done cheaply and simply.

Identify your regular expenses such as rent, electricity, phone, insurance and even credit card payments. If you pay any of these by cheque, now is the time to make changes. You can set up an automatic payment with your own bank or ring your supplier and ask for a form to authorise the company to make direct debits. The advantages are:

• never miss discounts


• no more late payment penalties


• reduced bank fees


• save time and energy so you can go out and have some fun!

These tips will help you make peace with your paper war and save you some money, always a good thing with Christmas and holiday expenses.

Tippling with diet mixers makes you tipsy!

Bah humbug!

The folks at RealAge, a health and dietary website run by Doctors Roizen and Oz (authors of the bestselling You on a Diet), have bad news for calorie counters this Christmas.

Apparently the artificial sweeteners in diet drinks, such as diet cola, cause the alcohol it is mixed with to pass more quickly into the bloodstream leading to higher blood alcohol levels. Read the article here.

On the plus side you will be a cheaper drunk - the alcohol goes more quickly to your head when mixed with diet softdrinks - so you can achieve that merry feeling sooner.

Just remember, not to drink and drive, especially if you are feeling light-headed, tired or tipsy.

Keep temptation away this Christmas

If you find it hard to resist chocolates or ciggies you might enjoy The Shockolate Vault!


According to Diet-Blog The Shockolate Vault is a transparent jar that gives you an electric shock if you open it before time. I don't think I could ever take something like this seriously, but it would be a fun gift to give to a friend. Some people have suggested it might have other uses:

I would probably do evil things with this, like putting my fiancee's keys or wallet in it. (Ryan)

Having trouble with emotional eating?
Visit our free forum

If you drink with your meals you could be adding calories

Apparently people can't count!

If you add a calorie laden drink to your meal then it adds calories. Seems obvious doesn't it? Apparently people on diets forget about the calories in their drinks and eat the same planned amount of food but don't count the calories in their drinks.

The message: unless you drink water or diet soda (and personally I think they taste foul!) skip the drink with your meals, or reduce the size of your dinner plate to compensate.


Read about the University of Pennsylvania study here

Join the discussion on emotional eating here

A Christmas Carol for Any Psychosis!

A bit of politically incorrect Christmas Cheer from Big Bad Borderline Bonkers Bill...

Schizophrenia
Do You Hear What I Hear?

Multiple Personality
We Three Queens Disoriented Are.

Dementia
I Think I'll Be Home For Christmas.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Hark The Herald Angels Sing (About Me)

Mania
Deck the Halls and Walls and House and Lawn and Streets and Stores and Office and Town ...

Paranoia
Santa Claus is Coming To Town (To Get Me).

Histrionic Personality Disorder
You Better Watch Out, I'm Gonna Cry, I'm Gonna Pout, then MAYBE I'll tell you why.

Depression
Silent anhedonia, Holy anhedonia.
All is calm, All is pretty lonely.

Borderline Personality
Thoughts of Roasting in an Open Fire.

Passive Aggressive
On the First Day of Christmas My True Love
Gave to Me (and then took it all away)

Obsessive Compulsive
Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell Rock; Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell Rock; Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell Rock; Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell Rock; Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell Rock; Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell Rock; Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell Rock; Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell Rock; Jingle Bell, Jingle…

Bill is a newspaper columnist and novelist. You can visit his blog here.

In the News

A quick round up of the latest news on happiness, eating, psychology and health...

Laughter really is contagious!

Scientists have proved what we already know - If you want to keep your friends laughing in the aisles then it starts with you. Yes, laugh and others will laugh too. What a nice virus to spread at Christmas.

Christmas is more stressful for women

Apparently the burden of preparing for Christmas falls on the shoulders of women.

"Men depend on the wives and moms and sisters to do it. That's just the way it
is," said shopper Adelene Adino.

Women have to cook and clean, shop, organise extra beds for guests, wrap presents and all the other little things that accompany the Festive Season. Waaah! I need a wife.

Beat your addictions in luxury

Does anyone remember the book Rachel's Holiday, by Marian Keyes?

It's one of my all-time favourite books about a drug addict who is sent to the Cloisters for recovery. She imagines herself staying in a luxury lodge surrounded by movie stars, and is disgusted to find herself treated like a skivvy, cooking and cleaning followed by revealing group therapy sessions.

Well, it may be too late for Rachel but it seems that you can now recover from alcohol, sex and drug addiction in spa-like settings.

Malibu alone has 12 rehab centers, most of them high end, leading Malibu
Mayor Ken Kearsely to dub the wealthy coastal city "Drug Rehab Heaven."

Mice may hold clue to curing Type-1 Diabetes

Scientists have discovered that nerve cells in the pancreas may cause Type-1 Diabetes.

Injecting a protein directly into the pancreas of mice appeared to reverse diabetes for weeks and in some cases months. The treatment has not yet been trialled on people, but scientists are optimistic they may be able to cure Type-1 Diabetes.

There was also some improvement in patients with Type-2 Diabetes, however it is unclear at this stage whether the treatment will be effective for Type-2.

Read more here

Sugar Solution author links Depression and Diabetes

The Sugar Solution is designed to help people with high blood sugar including those with diabetes, prediabetes, metabolic syndrome and hypoglycaemia.

The book included a lot of interesting information about sugar and the links with poor memory, fatigue and mental fuzziness.

In particular I was interested in the links between high blood sugar and depression. It turns out that the two often go hand in hand and that depression may lead to increased sugar consumption and ultimately depression.

Researchers found that people who were diabetic were more likely to have been
treated for or diagnosed with depression BEFORE they were diagnosed with
diabetes.

No surprise there! Using sugar - in particular chocolate - as a mood enhancer is a known remedy for those of us that are feeling tired, grumpy or sad. And what better to drown your sorrows than a sugar laden glass of wine?

According to The Sugar Solution there may also be a link with mood hormones:

Experts also believe there may be a relationship between the regulation of
glucose and various hormones responsible for depression, such as catecholamine
and serotonin.

Although The Sugar Solution is not original in its approach to sugar imbalances it is well written with an easy-to-understand plan.

In essence the authors advocate low glycaemic index (GI) foods, reduced calories and regular exercise. This is backed up with recipes, exercise programs together with the latest scientific research.

There is some advice on finding balance in your life and finding joy in your daily life, but the book does not provide comprehensive advice for people who struggle with food cravings and emotional eating. The book suggests that following the diet will reduce cravings. While this is technically correct it overlooks the fact that many people will be unable to resist fatty and sugary concoctions in moments of stress and will therefore never stabilise their blood sugar.

The book will be helpful for people looking for an exercise and eating plan to help stabilise blood sugar levels and lose weight.

Are you an emotional eater or crave sugar?
Do you get depressed or feel stressed? Join the discussion here

Note: The photograph is of the American version of The Sugar Solution. I reviewed the English version.

Treatment of Eating Disorders

Recent research into the treatment of eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia and binge eating has highlighted that effective treatment revolves around these key components:

• improving self-esteem


• body image


• coping skills

20 Great Reasons Why you should be Dancing (Guest Post)

Today’s guest post is from Chris' blog

Emotional

1. Endorphins give you a natural high


2. Forget life’s pressures for a moment or longer


3. Feel gracious as you bow to your partner and escort her off the floor


4. Catch the rhythm of different music styles. Know your tango from your rhumba


5. You can dance in your head and in your heart when it’s not possible to dance on the floor


6. It feels good when a woman asks you to dance


7. Novice dancers melt in your arms as you gently but firmly lead


8. It feels three times better than it looks


9. Physical contact without getting your face slapped!

Physical

10. Improve posture


11. Burn calories


12. Tighten leg and thigh muscles


13. Create new patterns in the brain and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s


14. You drink plenty of water

Mental

15. Lifelong learning? Learn to dance. No-one lives long enough to learn them all


16. Dance is an international language that you can speak anywhere


17. As a competent pilot and navigator, you engender trust in your partner


18. Thinking about and recognizing the rhythm is a prerequisite to ‘feeling’ it


19. Those smiles of appreciation from a dance partner get embedded in memory

Spiritual

20. Everything in the world is connected. Dancing builds connections


21. From East to West, dance is a spiritual expression

That makes 21, but who’s counting??

Chris Mitchell
Director, Dance Tours
www.dancetours.co.nz
www.dancetours.blog.com

Do you have trouble with morning tiredness?

I found this interesting article on natural remedies to morning tiredness. Isn't this something that can happen to nearly all of us? I know there are definitely days when I find it hard to get going in the morning!



Dr Cathy Wong suggests opening your curtains to get the light in. My solution is to eat my breakfast outside - unless it's raining - as the light and fresh air helps me "wake up".

Dr Wong also suggests replacing your coffee with green tea, using energising essential oils and trying diaphramatic breathing.

As sleep difficulties can contribute to morning tiredness stress management techniques may be helpful, and you may also like to check whether you have any breathing problems such as sleep apnoea, sinus or allergic rhinitis

Lose weight by eating more slowly

For more than 30 years, dieters have been told to eat slowly to reduce their intake of food. But until now, there has been no scientific evidence to support the theory.

“It started in about 1972 as a hypothesis that eating slowly would allow the body time for the development of satiety [fullness] and we would eat less,” said Kathleen Melanson, assistant professor of nutrition and food science at the University of Rhode Island. “Since then we’ve heard it everywhere and it has become common knowledge. But no studies had been conducted to prove it.”

In fact, early evidence suggested the opposite to be true. In the 1990s, one study examined the role of small bite sizes and found no effects, while a study of pauses between bites actually showed increased food consumption with more pauses.

But a laboratory study of college-age women over the past year led by Melanson confirmed the long-held belief. The results were reported in October by research intern Ana Andrade at the annual meeting of the North American Association for the Study of Obesity.

In the study, 30 women made two visits to Melanson’s lab, and each time they were given a large plate of pasta and told to eat as much as they wanted. When they were told to eat quickly, they consumed 646 calories in nine minutes, but when they were encouraged to pause between bites and chew each mouthful 15 to 20 times, they ate just 579 calories in 29 minutes.

“Satiety signals clearly need time to develop,” Melanson concluded. “Not only did the women take in fewer calories when they ate more slowly, they had a greater feeling of satiety at meal completion and 60 minutes afterwards, which strongly suggests benefits to eating more slowly.”

The women also judged themselves as having enjoyed the meal more when they ate slowly than when they ate quickly, Melanson added.

One potentially confounding factor in the study was that the volunteers were provided water to drink with their meal, and when eating slowly they had considerably more time to drink before completing their meal. The greater consumption of water might have contributed to satiety under the slow condition. However, Melanson said that this factor reflects the real-world situation, since eating slowly allows more time for water consumption. She will conduct follow-up studies next spring that factor in water consumption as well as the consumption of higher calorie beverages like soft drinks or juices.

Additional studies will be conducted in 2007 to determine if there are different results for other groups of individuals. Melanson also plans to study “the physiological signals that suppress hunger or enhance satiety to see if there is a mechanistic explanation for our results.”

-November 15, 2006

University of Rhode Island

Overeating? Emotional Eating?

Read more about it and join in discussions here

Why is depression different for Men?

According to the Mental Health Foundation (MHF) of New Zealand men may experience depression as often as women. They suggest that depression in men is underrecognised due to their reluctance to visit doctors or other health professionals for help.

The MHF also suggests that men may become depressed for different reasons, and employ different coping skills to women. For example:

Compared with women, men are more likely to be concerned with being competitive, powerful and successful. Men may fear that admitting to their depression will result in being rejected by their partner.
Most men don’t like to admit that they feel fragile or vulnerable.
Some symptoms such as anger, restlessness and hostility are not commonly associated with depression

I haven't been able to find any research that supports the idea that men are equally as likely to experience depression. Most studies suggest that women are approximately twice as likely to experience depression as men. Logically women have risk factors that men don't have, such as the possibility of post-natal depression

However I believe the MHF raises some valid points: men may find it unmanly to admit to depression or fail to recognise the signs. This suggests depression is underrecognised in males but I doubt they experience equal rates of depression as women.

Join a free forum on depression here

Vote for us: We're a 2006 Weblog Finalist

Wow, exciting news - this blog is a finalist in the 2006 Weblog awards!!!

The Weblog Awards are the world's largest blog competition, with over 1 million votes cast in the last three years for nearly 1,000 blogs.

Results are decided by public vote with results published 18 December 2006.

For the next ten days, you can vote once each day for me.

You can register your vote for the Centre for Emotional Well-Being here

You can vote once a day for 10 days. Incredible I know! Anyway I would love it if some of you could pop on by to vote for The Centre for Emotional Well-Being. This is a relatively new blog and it will be hard to compete against some of the bigger blogs that have been around for a lot longer. Every vote counts.

I would love your support. Thanks!!!

Your mother may be causing your eating disorder!

Researchers have found a link between parenting style and the increased incidence of eating problems in children.

The study investigated the individual parenting style of each parent and looked at positive and negative aspects of the parenting style. A scale was applied to a variety of factors including rule setting, discipline and punishment as well as positive aspects such as providing rewards and encouraging autonomy.

Approximately 60% of the mothers of obese children included in the study had indications of dysfunctional or negative parenting.

This suggests that fixing childhood obesity is a family problem that would benefit from counselling and education for the entire family.

Latest news on lifting depression

Depressed? Think faster thoughts, and your mood may improve

According to Cognitive Daily research shows that reading and speaking faster can lift your mood and lead to feelings of elation. Read more here...

December is US Seasonal Depression Awareness Month

Lucky me! It's summertime here and I'm looking at the window at all that wonderful light bathing my garden. But for people in the Northern hemisphere December is a time when many start to experience symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or Winter Depression.

The symptoms include persistent feelings of sadness, lack of motivation and lack of interest in the things you normally enjoy. People with SAD may also experience feelings of hopelessness and withdraw from social activities. Changes in eating and sleep patterns are another indicator. For me SAD leads to increased eating - I find myself fondling the cakes in the supermarket and making trips to the local pizza joint - but some people will be the opposite. They may lose their appetite and feel listless and sad.

According to the Georgia Department of Human Resources eight in every hundred people experience Winter Depression but most are misdiagnosed.

The National Institute of Mental Health recommends treating Winter Depression with light box therapy first thing in the morning or melatonin pills to realign the night-day body clock.

Resources:
You can take a free Seasonal Affective Disorder quiz here
Read more about depression here

Can you smell the difference between petrol and rose scent?

It seems obvious doesn't it? Surely they don't smell at all alike. However, according to experts associated with The University of Melbourne some individuals with brain disorders may not be able to smell the difference...

A ‘scratch and smell’ test is set to become an important tool in identifying people who are at risk of developing brain disorders, prior to the appearance of any symptoms.


University of Melbourne researchers from the Departments of Psychiatry at ORYGEN Research Centre, Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre and St. Vincent’s Hospital have discovered a link between a declining ability to correctly detect and identify smells and a variety of brain disorders including Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

In a test conducted at Melbourne Health, participants were given 40 ‘scratch and smell’ cards and asked to identify a smell from a list of four possible answers such as coffee, roses, oranges and petrol.Those people who later went on to develop a brain disorder or mental illness had demonstrated difficulty correctly answering more than half the questions.

The research has been compiled in a new book "Olfaction and the Brain", edited by University of Melbourne researchers Associate Professor Warwick Brewer, Professor Christos Pantelis and Professor David Castle.

Associate Professor Brewer, from the ORYGEN Research Centre, said the test was easy, non-invasive and had been welcomed by the patients and staff. “Because of the genetic link in many illnesses, it is hoped the test could also be used by family members of people who have developed an illness of the brain,” he said.

Professor Pantelis, from the Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, said smell ability provided unique information about brain structure and function. “Mental illness can arrest the full maturation of the frontal lobe, while degenerative illness can damage it,” Professor Pantelis said.“This area of the brain is used to analyse and identify smells so an abnormal sense of smell may indicate problems in this ‘thinking’ area of the brain,” he said.

“We have found that the sense of smell is worse in those with more severe illnesses. In some disorders, like schizophrenia, this may help us identify
those who will go on to have a more severe illness. In other conditions, like
dementia, this may indicate how advanced someone’s illness is, allowing us to
offer more specialised treatment.”

Professor Castle, based at St. Vincent’s Hospital, said research had identified a strong link between smell and schizophrenia across all age groups. “We became interested in how the ability to smell is affected in a range of other brain disorders and this book was a logical extension of that,’’ he said.

Sunlight reduces Seasonal Affective Disorder but can also induce Mania

Here's an interesting twist on the benefits of sunlight from Julie Fast at Bipolar Happens.

People who experience winter sadness, also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder are very familiar with the benefits of sunshine. Not only does the warmth make you feel good, but the full spectrum light affects your biochemistry triggering feelings of happiness and well-being.

You can increase your exposure to the feel good rays by purchasing light boxes or spending more time in the sun. The light enters through the eyes, either directly or by reflecting off other surfaces.

But apparently for some people too much of a good thing can lead to summertime mania, an abnormally elevated mood accompanied by grandiosity, racing thoughts, increased risk taking and inappropriate behaviours. This probably explains why drinking alcohol in the sunshine appears to potentiate or magnify the effects of the alcohol. A couple of glasses of wine on a sunny day and you start to feel REALLY good!

According to Julie

It often feels so good to finally have some energy and a renewed interest in life once the summer starts, but this good feeling is often the result of mania and has to be monitored carefully. Mania is so tricky. It can sneak up on you in just a few hours and before you know it you’re staying up all night for a week (at the expense of your job and relationships) working on a project you just know will change the world while everyone around you is asking, “What in the heck is wrong with you? Have you lost your mind?”

Julie recommends wearing sunglasses to limit the risk of mania and asking your friends,family and colleagues to be aware of any indications that your mood is excessively elevated.

Talk about bad news! It's our fifth official day of summer here in New Zealand and I have been looking forward to all those feel-good endorphins being stimulated by the longer days. I guess that's another good reason to slip, slop, slap - slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen, and slap on a hat.

Feeling Overwhelmed? Time Management may help reduce Stress

Learning to manage your time can help reduce stress. By establishing priorities and learning to say no to low priority commitments you can take control of your life and achieve your goals.

I know time management is boring - but it is a necessary evil!

Poor time management is a common source of stress. If you have trouble getting things done, it is worth investing in a time management course to help you prioritise tasks, eliminate unnecessary activities and plan your day effectively. Time management is an entire topic on its own, but here are some tips to get you started:

• Be clear about what you are trying to achieve in your life. Set personal, financial and career goals.


• Take time at the beginning or end of each day to plan.


• List everything you need to do and the date by which it needs to be completed.


• Number each item in order of priority. Your highest priority items will be the ones that help you achieve your long-term goals and ambitions.


• Delegate or lose tasks that do not help you achieve your goals and ambitions.


• Do one thing at a time, and see the task through to completion before starting something else. Switching between tasks can be a huge time waster.


• Attack the tough top priority jobs first. Most people have a tendency to do all the little tasks first so they can get them out of the way. It is more effective to start with the highest priority task. Ask yourself, "What one task if completed would have the greatest positive impact on achieving my goals?" Complete this task first.


• Handle incoming mail once (and this includes email). Don't keep putting it aside - make a decision and act on it immediately.


• Set time aside each day to work or study without interruption - close the door, turn on your voice mail - do whatever it takes to make sure you can work in peace and quiet.


• Don't take on more than you can handle. If you can't fit it in, say no.


• Plan your personal time, such as playing tennis or catching up with friends. People often think that leisure activities need to be spontaneous but this isn't true, it can be just as much fun to plan time out.

Find time each week to do something to nurture your soul - spend time with your children, dance, write in a journal or take some time. Scheduling time for relaxation will keep you motivated.

If you don't already have a diary, put this on your shopping list today. You can use it to record your goals, appointments and also to remind you to take part in regular exercise, hobbies, family and romantic time and last but not least - fun!

Compulsive shopping affects men as much as women

Contrary to the expectations of researchers, compulsive spending affects as many men as women according to a study reported by ABC News.

Researchers previously believed that 90 percent of sufferers were women, but this study indicates otherwise.

A 2004 telephone survey of more than 2,500 American adults found that 6 percent of women and about 5.5 percent of men are compulsive shoppers.

I believe that some of the confusion relates to perceptions around compulsive shopping (shopaholics). A compulsive behaviour interferes with your life to the extent that shopaholics may lie about their shopping addiction, may be in extreme debt, are unable to control their shopping and experience the same symptoms as other addictive behaviours such as gambling, alcohol or drugs.

While women may as a generalisation enjoy shopping more than men this does not make them compulsive shoppers. It is also likely that men and women shop for different types of items. Men may look for "toys" to go with their hobbies - like the latest golf clubs and accessories, or gear for their car - and other large ticket items while women may shop for less expensive items. The end result is the same - if you are buying more than you can afford and experience stress and tension when you are denied the opportunity to spend then you may be a compulsive shopper.




If you are concerned that you are a compulsive shopper or shopaholic, check out our quiz here.

The latest news on Sleep & Weight Loss

While You Were Sleeping... You Were Losing Weight

There has been a lot of research released recently on the value of an extra hour's kip and weight loss. Read more about it here

40 Facts about sleep you probably didn't know... (or were too tired to think about)

Did you know?

A new baby typically results in 400-750 hours lost sleep for parents in the first year.

Some studies suggest women need up to an hour's extra sleep a night compared to men (I'm sure that's because we think more!!! Our brains need extra rest...)

Read more amazing sleep facts here

Check out our free forum on emotional eating,
insomnia, depression, stress management and more...