Where is the benefit to our quality of life? This statement, written by Richard White, editor of Southern Business Times, struck me as I opened the page.

Nowadays, human values are measured in the value of the stock market and family values on the size of the bank balance.

Whatever happened to simple living and high thinking?

Materialism and greed have to be at the core of this unsavoury and unwholesome modern living.

But why are we allowing ourselves to be dragged into this culture of 200 per cent demand on our lives? Whatever happened the social wisdom of enjoying life and culture with compassion, love, sharing and contentment?

There is something wrong with the way in which we seem to be ignoring our own knowledge base.

For example, huge sums of money are poured into stress management and personnel management to save industry billions of pounds and strengthen productivity - yet their success as a preventative strategy is far from reality in most businesses.

This is proven by the hundreds of sick certificates we GPs are asked to sign for employees every year.

It would serve people well to sit back and reflect: "Am I going to let my life slip by work?"

Thats what I have been doing this week, taking time off to reflect and change things in my life.

So here are some ideas for what you could do to improve the quality of your life:

Stop working after hours and weekends.

Have regular breaks away from home with family or friends.

Take a relaxing walk on the seafront or in the woods or go and play a game of your favourite sport.

Get a relaxing massage regularly.

Make it a regular habit to sit down in a quiet place with your favourite music.

Close your eyes softly and start breathing slowly in through the nose and out through the mouth.

Get in touch with your inner being, somewhere near your heart which is the centre of your emotions, so that you forget the rest of the outside world.

Repeat to yourself: "I am the spirit and no one can take that away from me."

My friend and colleague Tony Betts, who a leading business management consultant has this to say:

"To bring about real and lasting change in your life, learn to do what really counts.

Regain balance and a fresh attitude. Align the needs of the people with the organisation. Learn the difference between motion and action and discover the leader within."

Are you in nirvana yet?

Dr Milind Jani works as a conventional and
holistic GP and Dr Asmita Jani as Ayurvedic Consultant from 30 The Drive, Hove.

Call them on: 01273 778123 or e-mail: milind.jani@ntlworld.com