I’ve always felt relaxed when near the sea, and now that we live in Devon I pop to the coast a few times each week, be it to take photographs, grab some video footage, or to simply sit and do nothing.

Every now and again it feels like I can’t stop my mind from racing; too many ‘things’ in there becoming a bit of mush and racing around in my head: things I want to do, things I need to do.

It almost feels like a wheel spinning round and round that I need to stop.

There’s only one answer … the sea.

A place I often turn to at times like this is Hartland Quay. It’s an incredible place. When the tide is out, the coastline with its jagged rocks is like being on another planet.

To just sit there listening to the sound of the sea, the sound of the birds and to breathe in the sea air is like medicine. Instantly I feel relaxed, my mind stops spinning and everything starts to slot into place…

“Right…I’ll do this, then I ‘ll do that. Oh now that would be good. Ah right, yeah I’ll do the video like this…”

I’d never get this if I sat in my office near my computer or even in my garden.

We all need ‘me’ time.

Life seems to race ahead and we need to find a way to put the brakes on.

Being by the sea is my handbrake.