As we return to work from the summer holidays, it is becoming evident some business owners cannot seem to take a break from the office and find a work-life balance.
Lots of companies find themselves in a loop of countless emails, memos and meetings stacked on top of each other. This unnecessary overload of communication is a big waste of time and usually holds you back from attending to other things outside of your work.
People may argue being successful at work and at home are mutually exclusive but we find achieving a balance is attainable.
It requires an ability to put aside the burdens of work at the end of the day and focus on important relationships. For an entrepreneur, their passion is their work and vice versa, so separating work and personal time can bemore difficult.
Being mobile and constantly connected adds a new dynamic to vacations as it has now become part of the norm to stay in touch even while on a break. There is no doubt over-use of technology is a global phenomenon, bordering on an addiction for many.
According to an external Manta Wellness survey conducted in June, 71 per cent of business owners find themselves glancing at their emails and accessing documents from mobile devices while sitting on a beach, going on a tourism outing, or trying to spend time with their families.
It is, then, no surprise business owners find themselves returning from vacations more tired than when they went away.
Research studies have shown small business owners, who manage their own time, tend to set goals and identify what really needs to be done each day.
Being organised tends to help maintain a balanced lifestyle. New business owners find themselves easily pulled into the chaos of their jobs, which often results in wasting the little precious time they have. Getting things done by setting pre-determined deadlines ensures you have the time to enjoy yourself with friends and family.
It is also important to harness the motivating power of your other passions. After all, no matter how dedicated you are to your company, you may have other interests too.
So what is work-life balance? To put it in simple terms, it is the ability to manage the growth and success of your business or career while leading a fulfilling lifestyle
Here are five easy steps to get you started:
1 Take a technology break for an hour every day during lunch. You will enjoy your food much more, while clearing your head of the things that might be irritating you or causing you to be stressed, which is counterproductive.
2 Select one family member or friend and make it a point to have a five-minute chat, a quick Skype session or an evening meal.
3 Exercise at least three times a week for a physical and mental release. The endorphins will make you feel good and help clear your mind.
4 Learn to relax. Pick an activity you love to do, weather it is cooking up a storm on the weekend, or taking up photography and add it to your schedule. Make a rule to stay away from work by putting all work emails and calls on hold.
5 Instead of wasting half your working day checking your twitter feed, Facebook and Instagram, improve your efficiency by setting aside five-minute breaks throughout the day to keep up with the latest social media happenings
Prajit Arora is the managing director of Sentinel Business Centres, a business set-up consultancy and serviced-office facility
UAE%20SQUAD
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
More on animal trafficking
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
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Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
'Gold'
Director:Anthony Hayes
Stars:Zaf Efron, Anthony Hayes
Rating:3/5
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
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Find the right policy for you
Don’t wait until the week you fly to sign up for insurance – get it when you book your trip. Insurance covers you for cancellation and anything else that can go wrong before you leave.
Some insurers, such as World Nomads, allow you to book once you are travelling – but, as Mr Mohammed found out, pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.
Check your credit card before booking insurance to see if you have any travel insurance as a benefit – most UAE banks, such as Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, have cards that throw in insurance as part of their package. But read the fine print – they may only cover emergencies while you’re travelling, not cancellation before a trip.
Pre-existing medical conditions such as a heart condition, diabetes, epilepsy and even asthma may not be included as standard. Again, check the terms, exclusions and limitations of any insurance carefully.
If you want trip cancellation or curtailment, baggage loss or delay covered, you may need a higher-grade plan, says Ambareen Musa of Souqalmal.com. Decide how much coverage you need for emergency medical expenses or personal liability. Premium insurance packages give up to $1 million (Dh3.7m) in each category, Ms Musa adds.
Don’t wait for days to call your insurer if you need to make a claim. You may be required to notify them within 72 hours. Gather together all receipts, emails and reports to prove that you paid for something, that you didn’t use it and that you did not get reimbursed.
Finally, consider optional extras you may need, says Sarah Pickford of Travel Counsellors, such as a winter sports holiday. Also ensure all individuals can travel independently on that cover, she adds. And remember: “Cheap isn’t necessarily best.”
MO
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Meatless Days
Sara Suleri, with an introduction by Kamila Shamsie
Penguin
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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Landfill in numbers
• Landfill gas is composed of 50 per cent methane
• Methane is 28 times more harmful than Co2 in terms of global warming
• 11 million total tonnes of waste are being generated annually in Abu Dhabi
• 18,000 tonnes per year of hazardous and medical waste is produced in Abu Dhabi emirate per year
• 20,000 litres of cooking oil produced in Abu Dhabi’s cafeterias and restaurants every day is thrown away
• 50 per cent of Abu Dhabi’s waste is from construction and demolition
Tuesday's fixtures
Kyrgyzstan v Qatar, 5.45pm
End of free parking
- paid-for parking will be rolled across Abu Dhabi island on August 18
- drivers will have three working weeks leeway before fines are issued
- areas that are currently free to park - around Sheikh Zayed Bridge, Maqta Bridge, Mussaffah Bridge and the Corniche - will now require a ticket
- villa residents will need a permit to park outside their home. One vehicle is Dh800 and a second is Dh1,200.
- The penalty for failing to pay for a ticket after 10 minutes will be Dh200
- Parking on a patch of sand will incur a fine of Dh300
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