Jack Canfield Talks About Law of Attraction

Many of you will have heard of Jack Canfield, co-creator of Chicken Soup for the Soul, and self-improvement expert. Canfield is one of the featured experts on the DVD The Secret.

In this free audio Jack Canfield explains the Law of Attraction and how to put it into practice.

What is The Law of Attraction?
If you think you've heard it all before, it's probably because you have. The Law of Attraction is not a new theory. The idea that your beliefs influence your success and that focusing on what you want in your life and not on don’t want, is the basis of many self-help books.

One of the earliest proponents of the Law of Attraction was Napolean Hill in his book Think and Grow Rich. This was followed up with the book Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude, which is co-written with W. Clement Stone. Before long the self-help industry had taken these ideas about having a positive mental attitude, a burning desire for success and employing visualisation and affirmations and spun them into a multi-billion dollar industry.

In addition, many self-help experts advocate the Biblical principles ‘You Reap What You Wow’ and ‘Ask and You Shall Receive’. One of the most popular books on the subject was Norman Vincent Peale’s The Power of Positive Thinking.

The same principles are expounded in the books of Catherine Ponder, a Minister in the Unity Church. Her book The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity is a monster of a tomb that takes several days to get through and leaves you in little doubt that you will become wealthy if you follow her advice. I can particularly remember Ponder recommending tithing; the idea that you should give money away in order to get it back tenfold.

She suggests that nature abhors a vacuum, and by giving away money and material possessions you’re clearing space for new ones to come, and that you should freely pay your bills in expectation of money coming in from as yet unknown sources to replenish your bank account. However, she cautions that if you can not let the money go and instead remain attached to it that you will not receive the abundance you desire. In other words, if you donate your old furniture to the Salvation Army, but spend the next week groaning and wishing you’d sold it or kept it for the bach, then you’re not a believer and you won’t receive.

About The Secret
In The Secret, producer Rhonda Byrnes is not providing new information so much as delivering the key tenets in an easily understandable form.
The three steps of the law of attraction are:

1. Ask for what you want
In essence you are encouraged to decide what is important to you and set this as a goal or goals. This can be likened to Napolean Hill’s principle that you must have a burning desire or a purpose. Hill advocated a single dominant purpose with sub-goals so you remain focused.

2. Believe that it will happen
You are told to have unshakable faith that your goals will be achieved and that abundance will be delivered, to visualise and affirm your desires on a regular basis using mental imagery as well as creating a dream board for your goals. You are further instructed to eliminate all doubt and to persist despite obstacles, and are told to use language that shows this positive expectancy by talking as if the goals have already been achieved or are a foregone conclusion.

3. Be ready to receive
Asking and believing is not enough. You have to show your willingness to receive by grabbing every opportunity that comes your way and taking action in accordance with your goals. This is a point that Jack Canfield emphasises in the free audio discussion. It’s not enough to think your way to wealth, you have to break the goals down into steps and take action in alignment with your dreams.

What if I can’t visualise?
Canfield makes an interesting point in the audio about visualisation. Hypnotist Paul McKenna says everyone can visualise, however I know from my own experiences that this isn’t true. I have never been able to visualise. I can think about something and experience the emotions of achieving success but I can not see it. Canfield explains that some people are able to use eidetic visualisation where they can see full pictures of their goals, and others have to think about the experience. He says that both methods are equally successful

Donate!
If you enjoy Jack Canfield's free audio, you are encouraged to donate to World Trust Foundation's project to feed starving children (the project is mentioned at the start of the audio as an example of using the Law of Attraction to achieve your goals). The audio is available for a limited time so you may like to download the files to your mp3 player.


We'd also appreciate it if you could show us some love by voting for Centre for Emotional Well-Being in the 2007 Weblog Awards.

CREATIVE BURNOUT - Prevention & Resolution Strategies

Most people are familiar with the concept of "burnout." Merriam-Webster defines burnout as, "exhaustion of physical or emotional strength usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration." This definition is most often applied to work situations. In the age of layoffs and re-organizations, most of us have experienced the burnout that can accompany work overload. But how does burnout affect creative people - artists, writers, musicians, etc.?

In my work as a psychotherapist, I often encourage my patients to find a creative outlet to deal with stress, anxiety and/or depression. But I have a personal interest in this topic because in addition to being a therapist and writer, I'm also an artist. So I asked some creative types about their experiences with creative burnout.


Recognizing Creative Burnout
Artist Luann Udell is a nationally-exhibited mixed media artist who creates fiber collage assemblages and polymer clay jewelry.

"For me, much of 'creative burnout' is more like 'selective depression' -
dead-ends we hit in our craft, and feeling overwhelmed by what it will take to
change that - overwhelmed to the point of inaction."

Because Udell's success depends on a receptive retail and wholesale buying public, often her creative decisions are in the hands of others. "We simply don't feel free to try something because of fear - fear it might not sell, it might not be perceived as 'good' or we don't want to fail."

Phoenix, Arizona writer Jeanne Cook has episodes that fit the classic definition of burnout. "My creative burnout tends to show up when I'm either emotionally and/or physically tired. I can spot the signs because I do anything BUT something creative - cleaning and straightening, as an example." Avoidance and procrastination are often stages of creative burnout. Writer/editor Kristen King describes similar symptoms of creative burnout. "When I just feel bored with everything and when I can't get interested in any of the projects on my desk, that's when I know I'm burned out. Even cleaning the bathroom is more appealing!"

Differential Diagnosis - When is it Depression?
Since many of the signs of burnout, such as disinterest, difficulty concentrating, etc., can also be indicators of depression, it's important to rule out depression as a cause. The NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health lists the following as symptoms of depression:

• Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" mood
• Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness
• Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyable
• Decreased energy, fatigue, being "slowed down"
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions
• Insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping
• Appetite and/or weight loss or overeating and weight gain
• Thoughts of death or suicide; suicide attempts
• Restlessness, irritability
• Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders and chronic pain

(If you have been experiencing some of the symptoms above for more than two weeks, please see your family doctor or a licensed therapist.)

How to Re-Charge and/or Prevent Burnout
So you've identified the signs of creative burnout. What do you do to shake it and re-charge? Musician and Web site publisher Larry Hornung's experience is not so much creative burnout, but writer's block. His first step is to walk away. "I could and have forced myself to 'create,' but the results are usually less than stellar. The next step is to listen to as much new music and new musicians as possible. Hearing new musicians not only gives me confidence, but allows me to learn new approaches to the same old notes." Writer King gets away completely from her work niche. "I've found that taking a walk with my dogs or reading something that is completely non-work related is a great way to get charged up for my work."

"Creative" Solutions
Writer Cook has found one way to address her burnout through a writing "club." She has made a commitment to other writers to write at least 100 words per day for 100 days. She then must report in each week. "I force myself to sit down and write. I'll get more than 100 words, but I haven't noticed that the 100 words that are dragged out of me are any less 'good' than the ones flowing out when I'm all charged up." Artist Udell is working on taking back control of the art she makes."I just want to get back to it and let it grow and change on its own terms - not anyone else's terms, not anymore." King sees having more control over the work she accepts is also a solution for her. "The best thing I can do is to get enough sleep and decline to accept projects that (a) don't pay enough or (b) simply don't interest me. If I'm charged up about what I'm doing, it's easier to stay focused and on task, and to be excited about it."

Take these ideas and make your own list of "Creative Burnout Solutions." Practice prevention strategies that work for you - getting enough sleep, taking time to relax, etc.

Related stories:
How to get your life in balance without giving anything up
Meditation improves focus and performance

The Top 5 Mind Body Spirit Books

I've been inspired by problogger to write a list of the Top 5 Mind, Body, Spirit books at this time. This list is based on a combination of the Amazon best seller list and the New York Times best seller list.

#1 The Secret, edited by Rhonda Byrne

It seems that no one can get enough of this book and DVD claiming to hold the secrets to health, wealth and happiness. Rhonda Byrne has interviewed a number of self-help experts about the secret to success which they describe as the law of attraction. The book explains in simple terms the concept of the law of attraction and how you can apply this to your life to accomplish anything you desire including weight loss, wealth, success, love and happiness.





#2 The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich, by Timothy Ferriss

This book has become an overnight phenomenon. The author, Tim Ferriss, is a successful business entrepreneur who has disciplined himself to focus on the top priority tasks and to organise his work day to suit himself. He advocates conditioning your customers to be happy with your outputs, batching your work and reducing your availability so you can be successful in fewer hours and enjoy greater leisure. He also suggests automating as much as possible so that you can minimise your own inputs. A great concept!





#3 The Cure: Heal Your Body, Save Your Life by Timothy Brantley

According to Dr. Timothy Brantley, most health problems are not caused by genetics or germs but by the standard American diet. According to The Cure the solution lies in flushing toxins out of the body, to restore balance, promote natural healing, and increase vitality. This is not an entirely new concept. The Liver Cleansing Diet by Sandra Cabot was based on similar principles. Timothy Brantley believes that his principles have helped him restore his own health and restore balance to his system. He believes that The Cure is also helpful for weight loss. As it advocates a mainly raw diet and water, this is hardly surprising.




#4 Law of Attraction: The Science of Attracting More of What You Want and Less of What You Don't, by Michael Losier

There are a number of books riding on the coat tails of the success of The Secret. The truth is that The Law of Attraction is not new and has been advocated by many self help experts including Brian Tracy, Bob Proctor, Tony Robbins, Earl Nightingale and Napolean Hill. In this book Michael Losier talks about how events that may appear to be synchronicity (or coincidence) are in fact a response to your energy vibrations. The solution to any problems in your life, therefore, lies in changing your vibrations to attract your desires. According to the reviews on Amazon this book very clearly lays out those principles and gives you step-by-step guidance to achieving your heart's desire.




#5 The Cardio-Free Diet by Jim Karas

Yes, it's another diet book. In this one, Jim Karas, trainer to media superstars such as Diane Sawyer, promises you will see results in just 2 weeks. He says, "not only does cardio fail to help you lose weight, but it kills -- it kills your time, your energy, your joints, and your motivation. You burn a few measly calories but then eat twice as many afterward. The result? Weight gain -- and lots of it." In this book he tells you how to exercise the right way in order to see incredible results.

The 10 Biggest Mistakes People Make with New Year's Resolutions

1. Making the same resolutions every year
Many people make the same resolutions on the first day of every year without assessing why they didn't achieve their goals the previous year. There's no point vowing to quit ciggies for the fifth year in a row, if you haven't asked yourself why you didn't succeed in previous years. What have you tried? What worked and what didn't work? Do you need to learn more about quitting smoking, see a doctor or a hypnotist? Maybe you need to buy patches to combat withdrawal.

2. Failing to make a plan to achieve your goals
So you want to lose 10kg (22lb)? Great! However, without a plan your chances of success diminish. You need to know how you are going to lose that weight. Will you count calories? Do more exercise? Have you set aside a specific time each day to do your exercise or prepare healthy meal?

3. Setting unrealistic goals
I'm all for setting goals that are a challenge and stretch you. If your New Year's Resolution doesn't force you to make changes then it's not going to help you move forward with your life, but is it realistic for a 60 year old to play basketball for the NBA? Chances are it's not. You need to set goals that are just slightly out of reach. If you achieve your goal in record time you can always add new goals to your list as the year rolls on.

4. Choosing goals you are not committed to
Doing something because you "should", because your boyfriend or mother thinks it's a good idea isn't going to work. Choose goals that are meaningful to you - if your heart's not in it then you won't enjoy the process or the results. There are many things we "should" do in our lives. If your smoking is causing cancer, or your weight puts you at risk of diabetes then you need to make changes, but you need to put your entire heart into the effort. Without that commitment you will falter at the first obstacle.

5. Failing to take any action to achieve your goals
So, 2007 is going to be your year. You're going to buy for your first home, get fit and take a course in flower arranging. Fantastic! But what are you doing about it? Setting goals is only the first step. If you want success you need to make a plan and take action.

6. Not preparing your environment to support you in your goals
There will always be obstacles when you are making changes. If you want to be successful you need to anticipate these obstacles and adjust your environment to help you in your goals. If you are planning to quit smoking, chocolate or alcohol then you should clear these things out of your home. If you want to start a new business, but are surrounded by people who fill your mind with doubts and negativity, then you need to move away from those unsupportive people or find ways to protect yourself. Look at the people around you and your physical environment and ensure it is compatible with your goals.

7. Lacking a powerful reason to make the necessary changes in your life
In a word your powerful reason for making change is your motivation. Without motivation it's hard to persevere, particularly if your goal involves hard work or deprivation. Maybe you've decided to launch yourself into an exercise program. Now ask yourself why? What is your powerful reason for change? What fires you up and gets you excited? Is it to lose weight or fit into some of those "skinny" clothes in the back of your wardrobe? Are you getting fit so you can learn dancing or go on a cycling tour in the south of France? Give yourself a reason to change, and remind yourself of this on a daily basis. Pin pictures on the wall of the places you'd like to visit and the things that you will be able to do with the extra energy you get from your new exercise program and you will assure yourself of success.

8. Not chunking your goals down
When you set large goals they can seem insurmountable, but when you break them down into smaller goals and tasks they become more achievable. You can set a goal for the year and then break it down into weekly or monthly goals. I think it's better to set small goals, or if you have a big goal to break it down into smaller goals. Imagine if we could add one new habit each month! In a year your life would be totally transformed. So, instead of thinking of one big goal for the year, consider 12 small goals that would transform your life at the end of the year.

9. Focusing on failure
Maybe, you planned to lose 20 kilos but only lost 10kg last year. Is that a failure? No. Partial achievement of goals is still a success. When you focus on falling short of your goal you lose your motivation and become discouraged from further action. By focusing on the things that you did right and the progress you have made you learn how to improve your life.

10. Not reviewing goals
You need to review your goals on a periodic basis. There are lots of benefits to these reviews. For one thing, it's easy to lose focus and 'forget' that you planned to change your saving habits or cut back on junk food. It's also easy to give up when your plan to transform yourself doesn't pan out. By reviewing your goals you can decide whether they need to be changed, or devise new strategies for achieving them.


For more information on achieving goals, check out this simple guide to setting goals and improving self-esteem.

Good luck with your goals for 2007!

The Psychology of Success

The Psychology of Success, or How to Improve your Golf Swing

A keen golfer wrote to me with the following questions:

• Have you some thoughts on how to be positive in golf?
• What should I be thinking when I stand the ball ready to swing?

Set your goals

These seemingly simple questions raise a large number of issues related to the psychology of success. Whether in business or sport the principles of success remain the same.

So, what is the solution? First and foremost, in any undertaking you need to have a clear objective. Ask yourself, what do you want to achieve? It might be a speech free of umms and errs, a pay rise or a hole in one. In all cases the processes required are identical.

Rehearse

Before you pick up the golf club allow yourself time for mental rehearsal. This is a process whereby you visual yourself making the perfect shot (or speech or salary review discussion). You allow yourself to see and feel every little detail from the perfect swing to the flight of the ball and the gentle roll into the hole. This may sound corny but it is well supported by fact.

In Strategies of the Champions, Vicki Peterson outlines an experiment where NBA basketball players were split into three groups. The goal shooting accuracy of each group was tested. The players were then instructed to rest, to continue practising their shooting on the court or to mentally rehearse their shooting. The results? Those who rehearsed mentally, improved just as much as those that rehearsed in real life. The third group (that didn’t practice at all) showed no improvement.

This is only one of many stunning accounts of people who have used mental rehearsal to master skills and is an essential foundation step to making progress.

Focus and concentrate

The next step is to focus 100% on the current shot. Forget about the shot you bumbled on the previous hole, or the one you have to make on the next hole. Focusing all your attention on the current moment will remove distractions from your mind allowing you to give your best.

The difference between those who succeed and those who do not is mental resilience. If you give up when things go wrong or if you can’t tough it out when the going gets tough you will miss the shot for sure. Tell yourself you can do it. Positive statements and belief in your ability to make things happen can only help. But here comes the tricky part. Most people fall apart at the first sign of pressure. Have you ever watched game show contestants miss easy questions? You probably thought they weren’t too bright, but there is another explanation. When caught in the bright lights with the knowledge that a million or more people are watching them, many people freeze.

The same happens in everyday life. Your heart beats fast, your palms feel sweaty and you have butterflies in your stomach. Success comes when you feel those symptoms and perform despite your nerves. When you know that making the shot is the difference between winning $100,000 and $20,000 but can still focus and perform, you have the key to success.

Affirmations as a tool to achieving goals: Do they work?

Do affirmations work?

Affirmations are positive statements of intent. The theory is that daily repetition of affirmations can lead to changes in thinking and beliefs which will in turn lead to better outcomes and achievement of dreams and goals.

There are those that rubbish the idea, and the zealots who religiously repeat the affirmations like religious incantations. And of course there is the third group of people who sit on the fence. So who’s right? And how do we measure the results?

At the end of the day I think it boils down to outcomes. Before we look at affirmations, let’s consider what happens in science. Harking back to my high school years I can remember in the fifth form that if we wanted to find out if something was true, we would construct a hypothesis and then test it.

Let’s imagine we’re testing a new weight loss pill. In order to test the pill we would take a sample of people and give half of them the weight loss pill. The other half (control group) would receive a placebo that contains only sugar.

Does anyone know what happens in real life when we give people a placebo? If you guessed that some of the group show the same weight loss results as those on the real weight loss pills go to the top of the class!

The reality is that some people will experience the benefits of weight loss even when they’re taking the sugar pill because psychologically they have convinced themselves that the pill they’re taking is the real thing.

So what are the implications for affirmations and real life? Quite simply, if you can convince yourself of something then it can come true. It’s what you believe that matters. Repeating the words without emotion is unlikely to have impact, but if you’re prepared to actively visualise the positive results you desire, and act accordingly you can achieve incredible results. This is important…. You must believe, but you must also ACT!

Improve your Self-Esteem

Do you find yourself dragging your heels some days feeling you’re not good enough? Do you ever tell yourself you can’t do something – maybe a speech, a project, studies, a 10km run? If this is happening to you then the answer may be low self-esteem. You are not alone. There are very few people that can claim to have high self-esteem in all areas of life.

So, what’s the solution? A significant key is contained in the first paragraph: it is difficult to have high self-esteem in all areas of life. However you can make in-roads by building esteem in a single area of your life. By focusing on only one area, your chances of success are higher, and once your self-esteem improves in one area it will help you in others.

Before starting it’s a good idea to list any achievements you’ve already made. Grab a piece of paper and spend at least five minutes writing every success that comes to mind – and don’t think Mt Everest! Achievements don’t have to be world records or accompanied by trophies. Don’t stop until you have at least 20 items on your list.

Everyone has different goals and different values. What might be success to you may be unimportant to someone else. Here are examples of successes:

• bringing up children you are proud of
• learning to sew, play golf or some other hobby
• clearing out the shed, and getting the contents organised
• completing everything on your “to do” list
• getting your report done on time
• liking the way you look, or maybe just an aspect of how you look (e.g. hair, teeth, body, suntan)
• getting on well with people/being popular
• having pets/family/friends that love you
• being paid well
• doing work you enjoy
• increasing the amount of exercise you do (or other self care actions)

After completing the list, read it out loud. Don’t panic if you struggled to write a long list. Some people feel so out of control of their lives that they fail to see the accomplishments they have already made.

The next step is to pick a goal you think you can achieve – it can’t be a slam dunk (that’s cheating!) but it shouldn’t be a big stretch either. The goal can be in any area of your life, and it has to be something you want to achieve. Commit to it by writing it down, and include a date for completion.

Wishing and hoping won’t make it happen. To improve self-esteem you need to take action. You’ve selected your goal, now is the time to get moving and make it happen.
You’ve achieved the first goal. How are you feeling? Don’t be shy about congratulating yourself. It’s only a small step but a significant one.

Next, do the same goal setting exercise, but this time DOUBLE IT. That’s right, two goals that are achievable in the same area of your life. These goals need to be at least as difficult as the first one. Set definite dates for achievement and get started on making something happen. Make a phone call, book an appointment in your diary. Action creates momentum and even a small step will keep you motivated.

Continue building on the success of your accomplishments to date. In the last exercise the aim was two goals. Double it again. This time, work on four goals in the same area of your life. Continue by doing eight, and if necessary 16 goals. By this time you will have increased your self-esteem and made real progress in one area of your life.

The hidden stresses of running a home-based business

What is it really like to run a business from home?

There is a lot to be said for the lure of working from home. Independence, a chance to explore cherished hopes and dreams, and escape unpleasant work environments are but a few of the attractions.

I left the corporate world in 1995 without any firm ideas as to my next career move. Part of the downshifting trend that has become so common, I recognised at a young age that my working environment wasn’t right for me. The only way I could cope with the stress was by attaching a mask each day before entering the office. In hindsight, I was nothing short of an automaton. I performed my job, learnt exceptional skills but had little opportunity to express my individuality. In fact the only talent I lacked, was the ability to be my normal happy self.
In moving to a home environment I looked forward to ample fresh air, reading in the sunshine and improved health. However I have come to learn that you can not outrun stress. There are many challenges in self-employment including:

Companionship

You may not recognise it at the time, but the power of walking into the office each morning and greeting your colleagues is a powerful part of the day when you start connecting with your co-workers.

For nine of the last eleven years I have worked by myself and lived by myself. For anyone in this situation it is vital to create a sense of community. I recommend having a good group of friends that you can spend time with. In addition it is worth considering other devices to ensure you are not emotionally stranded.

A mentor can be extremely useful, or you might like to form a mastermind group. A mastermind group comprises six to eight people who meet on a regular basis. At each meeting two people get a chance to discuss their issues and receive input from the group.

Stress and Depression

It is worth mentioning that stress has become a serious issue that frequently evolves into more serious health problems including heart attack and depression. The incidence of depression has increased ten-fold since the time our grandparents, and is a danger likely to affect one-fifth of all New Zealanders.

Following on from the theme of ‘Companionship’ loneliness and feeling unsupported or isolated are potential stresses. The appeal of starting a home business can soon wane when you’re spending your entire weekend doing tax returns and paperwork.

For myself the least desirable aspect of self-employment is marketing. Give me someone else’s product to market and I’m happy as a clam. But extolling your own virtues is much tougher. Psyching yourself up to make the requisite phone calls and coping with rejections are aspects of business that I personally found tough when I was starting out. Rejection can wear you down and eat at your self esteem.

The solution is to realise that it’s a numbers game. Every five “no” calls give you one “yes” call, or some other hit rate. Also know it’s not you that is being rejected – it’s your proposal. The more you can depersonalise disappointments the happier you are likely to be. This is supported by research on the subject by psychologist Dr Martin Seligman. His book Learned Optimism makes for fascinating reading – particularly for anyone involved in sales. He has found a direct correlation between sales success and optimism, and uses science to demonstrate how you can change your attitude.

Finances
Money makes the world go round, but it also brings down many a budding business. If you’re not the sort of person who can be comfortable with uncertainty around finance, then you’re probably not suited to self-employment. Rejection (refer previous paragraph) is only one of the setbacks that you are likely to strike at some point during your business career. Self-employment requires specific skills. Without them you are exposing yourself to unnecessary stress.

One of the first lessons I learned was that some months you have more money than you know what to do with. Other months you don’t know where your next dollar will come from. If you can be comfortable with this (while taking all possible steps to maximise profits) then your stress levels will slide away.

Space Management

Are you one of those people that lets your business invade your entire house? Do you have bits and pieces of plans and ideas you are working on scattered throughout your home? If so you could be guilty of space mismanagement. A lot of people have difficulty segregating their business and personal activities when they work from home. This simply doesn’t work.
You will be faced with arguments from your family, and the psychological cluttering of your personal space. To understand this, imagine you have one blue room in your house and the rest are pink. Your office/workshed is the blue room. Imagine if one day your dining room was painted with splotches of blue. Your logic says, ‘I know this is still the dining room’, but your psyche associates it with your work area because it’s blue and is now confused.

Going back to real life, if you leave work papers in non work areas you’re unable to get mental rest, and it will take a toll on your psyche. Motto – pop everything back into your office at the end of the day.

End the day

For employees when the day is over, it’s over. You can leave the office and in most cases forget about your day.

For self-employed there is a greater level of emotional and financial investment and as such it can be more difficult to switch off when the day is over. If you have ever experienced a myriad of work-related thoughts running through your brain while you’re trying to sleep or when your concentration should be elsewhere then you’ll understand what I’m talking about. To minimise stress in your life it’s vital to reduce to achieve balance in your activities, and to have periods of calm.

Ray Kroc, the founder of McDonalds stated that one of his keys to success was learning to switch off at the end of the day. Without it he believed he would not get sufficient rest to perform efficiently. Using Ray Kroc as a role model I would recommend the following techniques.

• Consciously clear your thoughts when you go to bed. If a thought enters clear your mind again. Focus on being still, relaxed and without conscious thought
• I’m loathe to say this as everyone recommends it, however it does achieve good results… learn meditation, yoga or tai chi
• Another favourite that I like to recommend is to have a ritual to signify that the day is over. If you have a filofax prioritise tomorrow’s activities and organise your day. If you have a wall calendar or a desk calendar, rip off the finished page and throw it in the rubbish. You can visualise this if you don’t have a desk diary. See all the worries of the day being thrown away.

These are a few of the everyday stresses that those of us in self-employment face. Remember to take time for yourself and to heed your body’s warning signs. You only have one life – enjoy it!

Too much stress? Join the discussion here