I find it perculiar. I know plenty of people who have told me that they simply cannot how to relax. One friend told me that he gets guilt pangs sitting doing nothing on a Sunday – he feels obliged to fly around the house or garden determined to find something to do. Another friend recently told me that, whilst Saturday morning is his golf morning, and whilst he actually goes out on the course, he doesn’t actually play! He can’t – his mind is wandering back to everything that happened during last week or what’s going to happen the following week. He’s out on the course but, not only is he not chilled, he’s not even all there! Even better, a client who doesn’t have a care in the world – great job that he’s really on top of, great home life, great everything, tells me that when he plays golf he actually feels guilty – feeling that he should be in the office or at home.

Modern life almost demands of us that we should be constantly on the go. But there’s a world of difference between cramming your time with activity and getting the really important things done. And one of the most important things that you need to have as an integral part of your life is time to chill. A New York Times piece a few years ago revealed that native tribes in the Amazon basin have the lifestyle that most New Yorkers want – seven hours work each week, the balance spent at leisure. However, New Yorkers simply wouldn’t know what to do with all that leisure. OK, there’d be lots of activity squeezed into it – but what about totally chilling (like the Amazonians)?

You need to find yourself an easy chair, sit yourself down and do nothing for thirty minutes – see where your mind takes you. Or find a shade tree, spread out a blanket and just sit there. This is the kind of space that is required in our lives – not to recharge our batteries, but to clear our minds, become inspired and focus on the crucial things that we need to do to be happy and successful. Sir Isaac Newton was relaxing under just such a tree when the apple fell for him – find your tree and you’ll find that pennies will drop for you. A little relaxation will change your life.