The Shutdown Day website throws down the challenge - can you live without your computer for one day?
The site is promoting a computer free day on May 3rd. It aims to get people thinking about their lives and the world outside the computer screen:

" It is obvious that without computers we would find our life extremely difficult, maybe even impossible. If they disappeared for just one day, would we be able to cope?"

There's a comments thread on the website where people can answer the question of what they'll do on their computer-free day. Amusingly, one chap who didn't seem to get the point of Shutdown Day said he'd spend his time playing Xbox 360. Bzzt, wrong answer!
May 3rd is a Saturday, so most people would be able to unplug for the day if they wanted. My perfect computer-free day would involve the beach, a puppy, good coffee and a good book, followed by a mid-afternoon siesta. How about yours? :)

Some people just don't know how to take a vacation—but others sure do and do it with style. Entrepreneur Brad Feld falls into the latter category and describes his various flavors of vacation, from quarterly, disconnected "Spend Time Away" trips, to occasional unplugged "Go Dark" weekends, to "Downshift" time where he limits work to just a couple of hours a day. Not all of us have this kind of flexibility (and vacation time!) but Feld makes the great point: when you set the expectation of work to relaxation ratio before you vacation, it's a better time for everyone.

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With the right type of thinking, you can vastly improve your concentration skills. Exercising your mind takes time and commitment but will ultimately translate to a sharper focus. To align your mind with your body and bring a heightened awareness for a much deeper concentration, go to a completely isolated room. Sit on a chair or on the floor with your spine erect. Breathe deeply and relax your body. There are many exercises you can attempt to improve your concentration, and the Ego Development blog suggests several. One such exercise requires full body awareness.

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Blogger Tim Ferriss has spent over a decade studying sleep optimisation and has discovered five effective means of getting the sleep you need when you need it. Right before you go to sleep, you should consume 150-250 calories of low-glycemic index foods (e.g. lowfat yogurt or an orange). Treat your meal schedule just as you'd treat your sleep schedule: keep it regular. Ferriss also suggests that ice baths can bring upon sleep, but beware of the consequences.

The result: it's like getting hit with an elephant tranquilizer. Don't expect it to be pleasant at first.

If you have difficulty falling asleep at night, avoid reading non-fiction right before bed. Also, plan your to-do list early in the afternoon so that you're not preparing late at night and adding to stress right before sleep. How do you prepare for that much-needed rest? Thanks, James!

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Let your anxiety melt away with deep breathing exercises that are often associated with Kundalini Yoga. If you need to relax, set aside a few moments a day to practice deep-breathing to calm you down.

Begin by increasing your awareness of how your breath is naturally flowing. Notice where the breath moves in your body and listen to the sound of your inhalation and exhalation. After a few breaths, begin to deepen and expand the breath and make sure you are breathing through your nose. As you inhale, draw the breath into the belly- allow the belly to expand with the breath. Continuing this inhalation, expand through the rib cage and upper chest.

For a more focused breathing exercise to get you out of your sleepiness, practice the "breath of fire." The exercise involves contracting your diaphragm and pulling your navel area toward your spine. You should end up feeling a lot more energetic.

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Is your mind wandering in fast motion? Relax. To avoid burnout, self improvement weblog Zen Habits suggest that you slow down. Right now. If you're mind is constantly spinning with ideas, thoughts, or deadlines, you initially don't want to expect immediate gratification. Resolve to take baby steps. Start imagining the next few days without any distractions and work obligations. Envision a day where all you were doing was dedicating the day to yourself. Eventually, turn those thoughts into reality—slowly. Spend time with yourself for an hour a day. Don't rush to finish the food off your plate.

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Stressed out? Sit down and relax. If you've been plagued by anxiety, calm down. Get in the zone. The Self Evolution website teaches you how. Of critical importance is how you breathe. Expand your diaphragm to breathe forcefully through your nose. Repeating this technique will cause the tension to leave your body. Spread your legs. Slouch slightly (but only for a few minutes). Kill internal dialogue. You can do this by opening your peripheral vision and performing eye exercises:

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One of the things I like about Friday afternoons is getting to ask people what their weekend plans are, and wishing them a good weekend. Today I realised it's kind of silly to still do this - given that I'm one of the many people who works odd days and hours and usually works on one or both days of the weekend.

With the changes to retail opening hours and the move towards online business being 24/7, the barrier between the work week and weekend has fallen down, if not disappeared altogether. So it made me wonder - how many of us actually get a full weekend these days? Do you take work home with you, or do you work on your own sideline projects? Or maybe you have your 'weekend' during the week due to shiftwork. It's all too easy to lose your leisure time this way. If you have any strategies for protecting your weekend time, please share in comments.

The BBC takes on the topic of power naps, detailing many of the benefits and basic techniques we've touched on before—like tensing your muscles and saying "the and sticking to the 20 minute nap. One sleep expert notes one of the best ways to ease yourself into relaxation—listening to albums and mixes you've heard many times before:

He suggests dusting down old and familiar CDs - new music is no good as you end up concentrating on the lyrics.

"You know old albums inside out and don't have to concentrate. They become pleasant background music."

I'd have to say this holds true for work as well, as I too often find myself jumping away from my tasks with an, "Oh, which album is this from?" What music (or other sounds) get you into the power-nap state? Share your tips in the comments.

The Dumb Little Man blog posts a guide to finding a few restful moments of meditation in scheduled activities, including bathing, indulging in hobbies and listening to music. For those who still can't find time for zen moments, writer K. Stone recommends a "10 Minute Dark Room Meditation." Find a quiet, darkened place, sit in a comfortable position and work through the following:

• Start by taking 10 deep breaths. Hold each for a period of time that is comfortable for you and then release very slowly.
• After this simply breath normally. Be aware of your breath. Be aware of each part of your body from your feet all the way up to the crown of your body.
• Notice each part in turn. Send an intention of healing to any part that is in need of care.
• Then focus on a simple mantra, any word you choose. As unwanted thoughts enter your mind use the phrase "empty the mind" to gently usher them out. 10 minutes will go by pretty quickly.

Looking to go beyond a few spare restful moments? Check out an easy introduction to meditation. Photo by roland toth.