Category: Minutes a Day

  • The Gift Economy

    The gift economy is now my preferred way of working, wherever possible.

    If you’re not already familiar with the concept, this effectively means that I work to the best of my ability, and you pay for my work as you feel appropriate.

    This methodology is already used in a very wide range of ‘open source’ computer programming.  It’s also used by some incredible restaurants, coffee shops, designers, even law firms!

    If you want to know how much to pay, take a look at the local market rates.  If you have a set-budget in mind, choose a value that you feel happy paying, and we’ll work out a suitable time period accordingly.

    If you feel the price you pay is a fair reflection of my work, then I consider that a fair exchange.  Everyone’s happy.

    Obviously there are a few restrictions.. I’m not going to travel for 3 hours each way to provide a 20 minute treatment, nor would it be reasonable for me to work for 5 hours and you offer me $5 for my time.

    Be reasonable, be respectful.  If you have your own professional skills you’d like to exchange for my time, I’m always happy to discuss.

  • Drinking more water, school study in Bolton

    It was great to see St James’ school in Bolton this morning, being featured for running a study on the benefits of drinking more water.

    In the controlled trial of over 150 pupils, cognitive funciton was found to improve by as much as 50%, concentration was improved, and even figiting decreased!

    This of course supports our popular workshop on drinking more water.

    I’m hoping to publish a link to the findings on here when it becomes available.

    In the meantime, for further information please do get in contact.

  • How to ‘Fix Your Own Headache’

    For many years now, I’ve been trying to simplify the main types, and main causes of headaches.

    When people then speak to me and say ‘I’ve got a headache’ I’ve been quick to ask where their headache is, and then be able to offer specific suggestions on how to fix it themselves (generally without the need for over the counter medication.. of course medical supervision is also recommended).

    These simple quick fix techniques have come from a wide variety of areas, over many years of study and fine tuning. The solutions, much like the rest of ‘Minutes A Day’, take just moments to apply.

    I’m very pleased to now be forming these techniques into another free ‘taster’ tutorial, to be available through this website.

    I look forward to posting again on this regard. To be notified as soon as it goes online, please sign up to our mailing list.

  • ‘Final’ tweaks now made to the Minutes A Day website

    I’m pleased to say that I’ve finally been able to sort out the little extra tweaks we’ve been keen to do, to the Minutes A Day website today, quite simply adding little rounded corners to each of the text box areas.

    For those of you who understand html (website programming at source), this has been done with simple and good CSS, using the CSS for design, and not adapting the html source unnecessarily or excessively to make it work (i.e. trying to work from a table based idea of design).

    For those of you who don’t understand html source code, or CSS, quite simply it means designing it this was gives you faster loading times, improved cross-browser compatibility (so it should be accessible both on your computer, mobile phone, and printer, but differently on each), and improved accessibility to screen readers.

    Further features will of course be added to the ‘Minutes A Day’ website over the future. We do look forward to continuing what is a pleasure to share.

  • Transforming Tension

    Stress is growing almost everywhere in the world. The speed of change is continually increasing. We suffer from activity and information overload.

    In Britain nearly 60% of workers complain about stress. The direct and indirect costs of stress are enormous, costing the in the UK alone more than £150million, that’s around £600 per employee, or around two weeks sick leave per year!

    The Transforming Tension program is based on the understanding that the key way out of the stress cycle is going in to a resting point within each of us, and using practical methods that can be easily introduced into each of our lives, based on each individuals circumstances.

    The Transforming Tension program is unique in many ways. It provides:

    • Clarity about the difference between “managing” stress and “transforming” it.
    • Methods on how we can connect with an inner resting place, so we have a place of peace no matter how hectic the outer circumstances
    • Understandings and methods to diminish four levels of stress – physical, mental, emotional and intellectual. This includes tools to combine activity with rest.
    • A model of the Human Development, which shows how tensions grow and how to reverse this process

    The effect of the Transforming Tension approach and methods

    People who have used the methods over time have reported changes including:

    • Being more centred, present and objective
    • Having more perspective and humour
    • Increased energy and better health
    • Greater creativity and confidence
    • A knack for relaxing in the midst of chaos
    • Making new and different life choices
    • Lower accident rates in the workplace and lower fuel consumption for drivers

    People in all walks of life, young and old, from many cultures, have used this approach at home and in work settings.

    The Transforming Tension program also includes:

    • Attention to the participants’ specific interests
    • The chemistry of stress and its effects
    • The effect of relaxation methods
    • The active participation of relaxation methods suitable for each individual
    • How to take steps in an organic, inner motivated, realistic process to relax and develop the quality of life you would like yourself and to share with others
    • A resource manual and a selection of program developments.

    Who began the Transforming Tension Program?

    Karuna Kress, Ed.D, is the co-creator of the Transforming Tension programme, How to lead a Transforming Tension Seminar, and Multi-Dimensional Coaching. She has a doctorate in Adult Education from Boston University and has worked as a consultant, seminar leader, college teacher and manager for over 30 years.

    She was founder and director of the Boston University Leadership Consulting Service, the Associates for Human Resources. She served as the Vice Chancellor of the Osho Multiversity and is an expert in designing learning experiences. She is deeply interested in helping people relax, be themselves, increase their enjoyment and effectiveness in all dimensions of life. She has used all the methods in this programme and many more.

    Who is the training for:

    This training is for anyone who would like to decrease the tension in their lives, learn to find a place of rest within, perhaps find a new focus on how they may help themselves better, and persons who would like to improve their general state of health and well-being.

    People from over 14 countries have already taken part in this training – including England, Germany, Sweden, Greece and the USA.

    For the Transforming Tension program, we recommend no more than 14 individuals per training session, although multiple sessions can be arranged to run in parallel.

    An introductory taster session with practical methods to take away is also available, please contact us for more information.

  • Effective Listening and Communication Skills

    The Samaritans, Nightline, Childline, the AIDS Help line, all organisations synonymous with good listeners. Why then are they there?

    “By Listening, most people are only waiting for their next opportunity to talk”

    We all need someone to talk to, we all need someone to listen to us.

    Ask any troubled organisation where they see the root of their difficulties, and many will report poor communication between levels.

    Ask many troubled relationships, and how many people will comment how their partner doesn’t listen to them.

    Have you noticed how with some people, even complete strangers, you can tell them absolutely anything. And yet with others, even your closest friends, you can’t seem to tell them anything at all?

    Who is the Effective Listening Skills program for?

    • Individuals who would like to learn more about how to listen effectively.
    • From 17-80
    • From any background

    The effect of the Effective Listening Skills program:

    • Improved relationships with family and friends.
    • More stable relationships with partners
    • Increased respect from work colleagues (both managers and staff)
    • Less time wasted in poor communication
    • Decreased stress
    • More time for others
    • More time for yourself
    • Improved quality of life

    Key Elements of the Effective Listening Skills program:

    • Why we all need someone to listen to us
    • Examples of good listening bad listeners
    • The necessity, practice, and importance of silence
    • How to be non judgemental, and not give your advice.
    • Allowing others to arrive at their own solutions.
    • The importance of Confidentiality
    • The importance of Body Language, and mirroring.
    • Personal Space and Comfort Zones
    • When to touch and when not to make physical contact
    • Introduction and practice of individual relaxation exercises
    • The structure of the mind, and why we need to talk.

    Course Structure:

    • All classes are an opportunity to share experiences, and work with each other individually and in a group.
    • All participants will gain knowledge and experience of both listening, and talking without interruptions.
    • Learning is in the form of circular class lectures, working in small groups of 4 and 5 with general feedback to the groups, and in a series of structured and unstructured one on one listening and communication exercises varying in lengths.

    For any further information, please don’t hesitate to contact us