How a slow cup of tea can do more for you than a health spa.

In a busy schedule, the first thing to be sacrificed is personal time.

We know we're not at our best when we are burning out. Staying healthy, performing at our best and maintaining a positive outlook, means making time to lean back from everyday stresses.

Quality 'time out' provides the vital space needed for new understandings and insights to emerge.

I find that just when I need it the most is when it seems impossible to do this.

The good news is that creating space to unwind and reflect does not mean overhauling your life. In fact, I've learnt that making the most of the ordinary moments in your day can produce more powerful results than grand once-a-year holidays.

Begin with a brief daily appointment. This is an appointment with you, and it's one you should to keep as diligently as you would an appointment with any other important person. It can be as little as fifteen minutes, though longer would be better.

Do something that brings you into the moment. For me a cup of tea savoured can be enough for extraordinary shifts to take place.