When entrepreneurs decide to embark on their business journeys, they are often advised to make room for new additions to their lives – be it people, skills, or lessons. My mentor advised me to learn a new thing every day, and to never rest on my laurels. And when the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world, the investment I made in myself in the past years came in handy.
One of the most valuable lessons bestowed upon us by the pandemic is the importance of acquiring a diverse set of skills and how habits such as flexibility could save our business during challenging times. It taught me to personally appreciate all the hours I dedicated to learning new skills and as a result I was able to withstand these challenging times.
With the pandemic providing many of us with the time to think about our aspirations, entrepreneurship is a popular route being considered by many. And as many make room for the additions entrepreneurship will bring to their lives, there are many habits we need to give up that can hinder our growth and stand between us and our success. Here are five habits you should kick if you want your business to thrive.
Give up working all the time
When I launched my first business years ago, everybody advised me to work hard, especially during the first couple of years. What I didn’t know was that I didn’t needed to work all the time. Unfortunately, we live in a world where overwork is glorified. We may feel guilty when we compare ourselves to others’ social media feeds and think that we aren’t working hard enough.
The truth, however, is that more work doesn’t necessarily yield more productivity. If anything, it will backfire in the long run. Dedicate certain hours to your business, and in these hours give it your best. But after that, you also need to give time to yourself. Without proper rest, you won’t be able to achieve your goals.
Give up comparing yourself to others
As entrepreneurs, we often look at our competitors and compare our performance to theirs. While it’s essential to see what the competition is up to, don’t make it your sole focus. Keep in mind that we are all going through our own set of challenges and businesses would rather show off their achievements rather than their struggles. Focus on your offering, on your customers and on developing your business.
Give up taking everything to heart
It is normal to seek the advice of friends and family members about your business, but don’t take everything they say to heart. Sometimes, advice is offered by people who aren’t experienced in your field and it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s right or that you are doing something wrong. This is why it’s important to cultivate a network of professionals or a mentor who you trust to gain advice and feedback. You can serve as each other’s sounding boards and dedicate specific times to meet and discuss your business in-person or online.
Give up micromanaging
When I started my first business, I was overseeing everything from customer service to web development because I didn’t trust that anyone would be able to do it better than me. I then suffered from burnout and didn’t have the time to develop my business because I was busy with administrative tasks. Learn to delegate. Hire freelancers online if you are on a tight budget but don’t let micromanagement kill your business.
Give up thinking that you don’t have what it takes
When my first business took off and I received acknowledgments, I started doubting myself. Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs deal with Imposter Syndrome – feeling that they aren’t as competent as people perceive them to be. By giving in to that, you can become your business’s worst enemy. Working hard and being persistent pays off – and if that’s what you’ve been doing, you should be proud of yourself. Always remember, if others can do it, so can you.
Entrepreneurship has been one of the most rewarding journeys I’ve been on. And as with any journey, it’s best to travel light. Give up on habits that could hinder your growth.
They involve criminals conning mobile phone operators into issuing them with replacement Sim cards, often by claiming their phone has been lost or stolen
They use the victim's personal details - obtained through criminal methods - to convince such companies of their identity.
The criminal can then access any online service that requires security codes to be sent to a user's mobile phone, such as banking services.
2021 World Triathlon Championship Series
May 15: Yokohama, Japan
June 5: Leeds, UK
June 24: Montreal, Canada
July 10: Hamburg, Germany
Aug 17-22: Edmonton, Canada (World Triathlon Championship Final)
Nov 5-6 : Abu Dhabi, UAE
Date TBC: Chengdu, China
New UK refugee system
A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
Dialysis is a way of cleaning your blood when your kidneys fail and can no longer do the job.
It gets rid of your body's wastes, extra salt and water, and helps to control your blood pressure. The main cause of kidney failure is diabetes and hypertension.
There are two kinds of dialysis — haemodialysis and peritoneal.
In haemodialysis, blood is pumped out of your body to an artificial kidney machine that filter your blood and returns it to your body by tubes.
In peritoneal dialysis, the inside lining of your own belly acts as a natural filter. Wastes are taken out by means of a cleansing fluid which is washed in and out of your belly in cycles.
It isn’t an option for everyone but if eligible, can be done at home by the patient or caregiver. This, as opposed to home haemodialysis, is covered by insurance in the UAE.
Housed on the same site as the original Africa Hall, which first hosted an Arab-African Symposium in 1976, the newly renovated building will be home to a think tank and postgraduate studies hub (it will offer master’s and PhD programmes). The centre will focus on both the historical and contemporary links between Africa and the Gulf, and will serve as a meeting place for conferences, symposia, lectures, film screenings, plays, musical performances and more. In fact, today it is hosting a symposium – 5-plus-1: Rethinking Abstraction that will look at the six decades of Frank Bowling’s career, as well as those of his contemporaries that invested social, cultural and personal meaning into abstraction.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023 More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The bio
Who inspires you?
I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist
How do you relax?
Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.
What is favourite book?
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times
What is your favourite Arabic film?
Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki
What is favourite English film?
Mamma Mia
Best piece of advice to someone looking for a career at Google?
If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.
