Before I begin my yuletide message for those with a job, a company, a NLP-based profession (the best kind of 'job'! )...

Here's wishing one and all the greatest of festive cheer. Have a good one!

Michael
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No matter what your religion or beliefs, you cannot miss that the festive season is once again upon us. A time when most people feel the urge to have fun, enjoy the company of others and perhaps even give a present or two.

But how often do you actually consider giving yourself a really worthwhile present? Something that will benefit you and your business ...and I don't mean a new i-pod! Actually this present is priceless yet effectively free, better still it has the potential to become something even greater...

Before we consider your perfect gift, let us first consider the nature of that wonderful thing called your brain. It is said the brain has two halves, a creative side and a logical side. In business we need both. Though there is an intriguing argument to suggest it is the creative side which is the most useful.

Thinking about some problem you have recently solved, can it not be said that creativity was part of the solution, whether that creativity be yours or someone else’s. Alternatively, why not think about a recent communication you made which you initially perceived difficult - can it not be said that there was a spark of ingenuity which helped smooth the way. Or perhaps you were suitably creative in your endeavours to find the perfect present for that certain special person.

Or perhaps not...

Maybe you were one of the many who struggled to accomplish any of these tasks. Maybe inspiration was sadly lacking and every little problem became something so much greater than reality. Perhaps this is everyday at the office for you!

But why is this the case? Why wasn't that creative side of your brain being helpful? Where had the inspiration gone?

The truth is that the inspiration was always there, it was just your brain was 'closed for business'.

Consider for a moment the meaning of the word inspiration, or more particularly just look at the first two letters... 'IN'. So looking at it this way it is helpful to think of 'Inspiration' as a simple process whereby your brain 'takes IN' some form of stimulus and outputs something suitably creative. It therefore follows that to be INspired you need to have space available, otherwise nothing gets IN.

All too often the brain of someone is full, packed with clutter continually being processed and sorted. In effect, it is 'closed for business', it cannot gain INspiration, it cannot be creative. Essentially, a cluttered mind is bad for business.

So, about that special present you are going to give yourself this festive season...
It is simply this - TAKE TIME OFF!

That's right, take a break, enjoy the holiday, do anything but business.

This festive season give yourself the present of freetime and in doing so let your brain free some space in that cluttered skull of yours. In the New Year you will then return to your business, clutter-free and ready for inspiration! You will in turn discover the answer to that business problem, say the perfect words to that difficult customer, perhaps even realise a whole new exciting venture for your business.

Of course, you could ignore all of this and take a look at those emails, have a read of that report, perhaps even scribble down a list of chores to be completed. Just as long as you realise that you will start the New Year with the same nonsense that finished the Old. Worse still, like all the other fools, you'll be none the wiser as to how to get through it all... But hey, I suppose you've always got the other half of your brain, or would that just make you a half-wit...

In conclusion...

There is a saying often said at this time of year, this being 'Peace and goodwill to all men' - This festive season just make sure you include yourself in that statement and enjoy a bit of peace and quiet!