Going back to work after the lazy summer holidays might feel like a harrowing re-entry into reality when having to face the gruelling daily commute again, along with an email inbox stretching out like the Dead Sea Scrolls.

You got a glimpse of freedom whilst on holiday, but now you’re back where you started. If you’re experiencing regular headaches, feelings of tiredness, loss of appetite and are having strong feelings of nostalgia, you could be suffering from a classic case of post-holiday depression.

For most however, the post-holiday blues usually wears off after a few weeks, but some may experience it more intensely which can last for several months if not managed with care.

Mariska van Aswegen, spokesperson for Pharma Dynamics – a generics firm specialising in antidepressants – says more than a quarter of Americans suffer annually from post-holiday depression, which is bound to be the same for South Africans too.

“Almost everyone is subject to post-holiday depression, especially if it’s been a long and pleasurable holiday. Getting back on track after having to swap the beach and blue skies for the view of your laptop in a stuffy office is tough and it’s completely normal to experience dips in mood, motivation and energy for the first few weeks.

“However, for some, post-holiday depression can result in a feeling that you no longer want to keep doing what you’re doing and all you can think of is making a change to your life to better your situation. Often, if action isn’t taken or the situation doesn’t improve, these thoughts can consume you and lead to major distress and debilitating depression,” she says.

To help ease your way into regular life again and specifically to combat post-holiday blues, Van Aswegen suggest the following:

· Share your holiday experiences with family and friends or look at photos and souvenirs – somehow reliving the holidays offers a sense of comfort.

· If you really enjoyed a particular holiday spot or activity – whether it’s kite-boarding or hiking, start planning your next get-away and/or purchase equipment needed to enjoy the activity more often. This offers a distraction and gives you something to look forward to.

· Don’t dwell on the negative, since stress and disappointment can get you down. Try to make a conscious effort to be positive.

· It’s important to unplug or disconnect every now and then. Your brain needs a break from the constant demands that phone calls, emails, SMSes, Tweets and other forms of social media place upon it.

· Feed your body and mind with a healthy diet and daily exercise. This might also help you achieve some of your goals for the new year, while setting you on a path of health and happiness. Exercise releases endorphins (the feel good hormones) which will instantly lift your mood.

“Another theory behind post-holiday depression is the ‘let down effect’, which is described as a condition where high energy levels in the body are followed by a rapid decline in activation levels. The highs you experienced during the holidays may leave you feeling depleted physically and mentally once you go back to work.

“If however your blues don’t lift after a few weeks back at work, consider reaching out to your family, friends or a mental health professional. Alternatively contact Pharma Dynamics’ toll-free.

The 2016 Dias Festival is approaching fast and in just under a month from now the festival arena at the Santos Caravan Park, venues such as the parking area at De Bakke, the Bartolomeu Dias Museum and the sky above Santos beach will again become live with the sound of music, sports car action, play parks for children, more than a hundred stalls and much more.

The festival will start on 3 February 2016 with a ceremonial landing of Bartolomeu Dias at Santos Beach, followed by a short programme at the Bartolomeu Dias Museum, 528 years to the day of his landing at Mossel Bay. It will end on Sunday, 7 February 2016.

In addition to live performances by several of South Africa’s most popular artists as well as local talent, the festival programme will also include a cultural evening in the town hall, solo performances at the museum and a local restaurant, the usual motorsport at De Bakke, flag jumps and fireworks.

It will again include a German Oompah Band, performances by riel and gumboot dancers as well the Ethemba Kids, Portuguese folk dancing and performances by Chinese, Indonesian and Madagascan performing arts troupes.

It is the second successive year that a Chinese troupe directly from China will perform at the festival. This year the troupe is the Hunan Song and Dance Troupe from Huaihua in China, which has won several national and international awards.

The customary street parade at the Festival will take place on Saturday, 6 February 2016, and it is hoped that especially businesses will use the opportunity to advertise their businesses by way of floats as part of the parade.

There will be a play park for children with jumping castles as well as a merry-go-round. The popular TV characters, Tjiff and Tjaff, will also perform on stage on the Sunday morning

There will be more than a 100 food, crafts and other stalls, as well as a tea garden and a beer tent.
More information on the festival can be obtained on www.mosselbayevents.co.za or by contacting the Office of the Municipal Manager at telephone (044) 606-5003.

Bica . net is an Internet Café with Faxing, E-mailing and Printing facilities. We also offer you the opportunity to enjoy a freshly brewed cup of coffee from our selection of Baruch’s and Peacock suppliers.

When did you start your business?
Our business was officially opened on the 8th of January 2016.

What prompted you to start/buy your business?
The fact that our locals, the elderly especially have to drive all the way into town for simple office services (Faxing, Printing and e-mailing). We also felt that it would be more convenient to have a shop that sells stationary closer to home for the mom’s and dad’s just getting off work that need to help with school projects. Lastly, since there is such long waiting list at the post offices for post boxes, we are arranging for post box facilities at Bica . net.
My business is aimed at?
My business is aimed at everyone from kiddies who are able to sit down and drink a milkshake while mom sends an e-mail to business men and woman who need a coffee shop with fresh aromas to seal the deal.

What products/services are you offering?
We offer facilities to send and receive e-mails and faxes as well as do printing of A4 and A3 with the option to laminate (handy for our local builders). Soon we will be able to do vinyl printing and cutting for interior decorating or plain simple signage. For those struggling with modern technology feel free to book a session on show how to learn how to use your own device (cell phone / laptop / tablet, etc.), we are patient and willing to show you what you want to know. We are registered with a courier service (Fastway) for any packages, documents or gifts that need to be sent too loved ones and relatives or for business. Soon we will be able to offer a post box service (Coming soon), so if you are interested, please pop in and leave your name on our list. Our shop offers wi-fi as well, making it ideal for students who do correspondence studies and business men and woman that need to do Skype interviews and mailings.

What is your competitive advantage?
We are patient, we listen to what our clients need and want. We enjoy sitting down with our clients and having conversations, as well as helping our clients. We communicate regularly with clients, and we go the extra mile to stay open an hour longer if need be for a client who needs to service for a while longer.

Personal achievements?
Being able to help the people in our community, by being more convenient with the services and products that we offer.

What makes your business stand out in the crowd?
We are an Internet Coffee Café, where service meats luxury, leisure and friendliness.

Complete the following statements:
“Through experience, I’ve learnt that being friendly, listening and having patience gets you much further in life and you end up being healthier too ”

In future my business will offer the service of post boxes, and a wider variety of stationary”

What is the most important message you wish to send to the community?
We are in the shop that Jadem Arts and Crafts traded from in the Pick n Pay Center in Fraaiuitsug. We offer all services from faxing printing and emailing with space to sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee with the use of your own personal laptop if chosen to do so. Please support the new idea, we are of service to you and only hope to increase our growing clientele.

The 2016 Dias Festival, which takes place from 3 February 2016 to 7 February 2016, will again include entertainment for those who like to enjoy their music in quieter surroundings than the festival arena – and this year it will be in the form of a romantic French show and an Oscar Wilde show by Emile Minnie and Jeroen Kranenburg respectively.

Emile Minnie, who has been described by Laurika Rauch as one of South Africa’s best songwriters, returns to the Dias Festival this year on Saturday, 6 February 2016, with his “Chanson”: the French Show. It is billed as a romantic French show, breathing new life into old favourites like “La vie en rose” and “Je ne regrette rien.”
However, for this performance Emile will also combine the French songs with favourites from his previous seven albums, as well as give the audience a taste of his new Afrikaans album, “Donker Liefde”. For good measure, he will include some Golden Oldies, and even a dash of rock and roll.

The show will start at 19:30 at the Bartolomeu Dias Museum, and as it is part of the annual Dias Festival, entry is once again free.

Jeroen Kranenburg will perform his “Work is the Curse of the Drinking Classes” show at the Diaz Strand Hotel at 19:30, also on Saturday, 6 February 2016. It is based on the work of Oscar Wilde. Entry to this show will also be free of charge.

After a recess for December and January 2016, the Brak River Astronomical Club will be resuming its activities at the Eden Country Inn on the R102 Provincial Road, Little Brak River on Thursday, 11th February at 7 p.m.

The programme will be “An Alternative view of our Solar System” plus an excellent video on the Planet Mars. Visitors are always most welcome and a voluntary charge of R 20 per person is requested to cover costs.

The Pinnacle Point Golf Course is currently listed among the top 20 golf courses in the world.(SABC)

A new golf academy to help develop young talent was launched at Pinnacle Point in Mossel Bay on Sunday.
The junior golfers will be mentored by South African greats such as world number 17 golfer, Louis Oosthuizen.

Showing off his skills, Oosthuizen was ecstatic to be amongst the junior golfers.

Oosthuizen’s career was boosted by fellow golfer, Ernie Els’s Foundation and he too is now giving back.
Oosthuizen says, “You know, the facilities here are really good and it makes sense to have all the facilities that Pinnacle has got. We want to give the kids a really good chance in all the areas of the game. We have a swing fit here and it’s just a nice spot for them to come and work on their game – it’s a nice golf course for them to practice on.”

Young golfers say they are excited to be part of the development programme.
The Pinnacle Point Golf Course is currently listed among the top 20 golf courses in the world.

Pinnacle Point Golf Academy Nic Grundtvig says, “We not only have a fantastic golf course, [but we have] a world renowned golf course designed by Peter Makovich … [and] we also have other additional facilities. We see the academy as the conduit for the local community to get them onto the golf course.”
Oosthuizen and his team also raised funds for the Pinnacle Point Golf Academy.

Beskryf u besigheid in ‘n kort paragraaf:
Ons verkoop rekenaars, laptops, printers, parte, accessories, sagteware en dan doen ons ook herstel werk van dit, en ons gee ook skade verslae vir die versekering.

Wanneer het u die besigheid begin?
Desember 2015

Wat het u aangespoor om u besigheid te begin?
Om vir my kinders eendag iets te kan gee om op verder te bou.
Op watter segment van die gemeenskap is u besigheid gemik?
Die publiek en enige besighede

Watter produkte/dienste bied u aan?
Alle rekenaarprodukte, vervanging van parte regmaak van rekenaars en binnekort internet kafee.

Watter voordeel het u bo u mededingers?
Pryse is baie kompeterend en goeie gekwalifiseerde personeel.
Persoonlike hoogtepunte/suksesse/prestasies.
My gesin is my hoogtepunte en prestasies doen alles vir hulle.

Wat laat u besigheid bo ander uitblink?
Goedkoop produkte asook goedkoop arbeid en vriendelike personeel.

Voltooi die volgende stellings:
“Ondervinding het my geleer dat ……………..”
Alles kom slegs met harde werk en ondersteuning van jou familie niks gaan net in jou skoot val nie.

“In die toekoms sal my besigheid die volgende (aan) bied …..”
Internet kafee, skryfbehoeftes as ook ink en toners

Die belangrikste boodskap wat jy met die gemeenskap wil deel?
Ons besigheid is gebou op liefde en ondersteuning van ons familie en ons kliente sien ons as ons “familie” want sonder familie is jy ook niks in die lewe nie.

Kontak besonderhede:
Johannes Halgryn
044 690 3742 / 073 871 6499