These days we are all being affected by the circumstances in which we live. Tensions at work go home with us and cause problems in our family life. The issues of home come to work and become obstacles to successful performance. I will break with the regular cycle of leadership, customer service and sales techniques to talk about a tip I was given long ago and which has helped me a lot.

One of the keys to successfully managing stress is to learn when to let go.

Often we face what appear to be insurmountable obstacles. That happened to me in early January 1989. My team and I had done everything right and something had gone seriously wrong. That night driving home I thought I was about to have a heart attack - and I was only 33 years old.

That's when I remembered a stress management seminar I had taken which told us: 'You need to do everything you can to meet your objectives or perform correctly. However, if having done so you still can't meet the schedule, fulfill the objective or face unforeseen obstacles, it is time to let go.'

That evening I said a short prayer and did just that, let go of the problem. When I got home I never told my wife about it. The next morning on my way to work I said a small prayer, released my home concerns and concentrated on my work problems. A few days later a colleague and I managed to solve the problem at hand and keep our jobs. We have remained friends since.

Since that day I have followed that formula. I do it every day when driving home and when driving to work. I have even done it sometimes during the day when I realize that having done all I can, I am still going to be late or may not be able to do all I had intended.

It has helped me keep my sanity and my wits. I am sure it has also helped my health and my demeanor.

'Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak. Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.'       Sir Winston Churchill