I had an extremely busy work period before our National Day last week, and so as the holiday approached, I was fantasising of travelling to my second home, sitting in my beautiful garden overlooking the lake, and planning my projects for next year. I wouldn’t be distracted by friends, or family and I would get a lot done. As I said, it was just a fantasy. I didn’t manage to get through any of my planned projects. My agenda never left my suitcase, and my brain went into a non-cooperative freeze mode. During my break, I slept for more than eight hours per night, and was catching up on my shows on Netflix.
Why did my holiday wear me out when I hadn’t done anything? I was just sitting there doing nothing all day, yet I felt so tired. The problem I realised, wasn’t in my busy work schedule, or lifestyle, but because I had fallen into a cycle of overworking myself the past period, and not taking enough breaks yet again.
Many of us have a certain image of being an entrepreneur in mind, one that involves us “hustling”, working on weekends, and checking our emails at the dinner table. We see tweets and social media posts in the morning motivating us to “rise and grind”. Success often equates to being overworked. We believe that the tougher our schedules are, the tougher we would be, and the more successful we would become. I’ve learnt to discipline myself throughout the years, but I sometimes find myself falling back into a routine that exhausts me. Though to some of my millennial friends, I’m doing so great by working hard and sometimes through the night, I know that all this overworking, will come haunting me back later, leading to less productivity, and negatively affecting my well-being.
In her book The Happiness Track, the science director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University, Emma Seppala, states: "Work addiction is rewarded by our culture, and is therefore considered a good thing despite its long-term negative impact on well-being." The World Health Organisation (WHO) even classified burnout as an "occupational phenomenon".
The problem with many of us is that we continue to work even when we are supposed to be on a break. We would be either checking our emails, our work social media feed, or discussing work with friends and family. This is why even when we’re on holiday, we would still feel exhausted.
This bring us to the point that a full recovery is not just about stopping the physical act of working, but to cut all aspects of it, especially the mental one. This means not checking emails, engaging in work conversations, or following work updates on social media.
When I met with British hotelier Sonu Shivdasani, at his Maldives resort Soneva Fushi, he told me that the secret to productivity is to fully disconnect from everything. That is why the island resort had selected Wi-Fi hotspots, no satellite TV, and encouraged its guest to walk barefoot, reading and becoming one with nature. To him, that was what luxury was all about.
If you want to incorporate a constant work recovery mode into your routine, then I would suggest to strategically incorporate it in your daily life, instead of waiting for your next break.
Dedicate strict working hours, and try as much as possible to not exceed those. As a morning person, I would start early, and ensure that I’m done with work late in the afternoon and there would be no talking about work after that. There’s no personal social media time for me when I’m at work, and I would limit my time on social media apps per day. Several apps help you keep track of that. Last but not least, I had to remind myself again that breaks are meant for taking a break, and I shouldn’t be using them to work especially when I have a busy work schedule already.
As for me, I will be spending next weekend doing what I should be doing, and that is absolutely nothing work-related.
Manar Al Hinai is an award-winning Emirati journalist and entrepreneur, who manages her marketing and communications company in Abu Dhabi
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Canada
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
How to become a Boglehead
Bogleheads follow simple investing philosophies to build their wealth and live better lives. Just follow these steps.
• Spend less than you earn and save the rest. You can do this by earning more, or being frugal. Better still, do both.
• Invest early, invest often. It takes time to grow your wealth on the stock market. The sooner you begin, the better.
• Choose the right level of risk. Don't gamble by investing in get-rich-quick schemes or high-risk plays. Don't play it too safe, either, by leaving long-term savings in cash.
• Diversify. Do not keep all your eggs in one basket. Spread your money between different companies, sectors, markets and asset classes such as bonds and property.
• Keep charges low. The biggest drag on investment performance is all the charges you pay to advisers and active fund managers.
• Keep it simple. Complexity is your enemy. You can build a balanced, diversified portfolio with just a handful of ETFs.
• Forget timing the market. Nobody knows where share prices will go next, so don't try to second-guess them.
• Stick with it. Do not sell up in a market crash. Use the opportunity to invest more at the lower price.
MATCH INFO
Fixture: Ukraine v Portugal, Monday, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports
Formula%204%20Italian%20Championship%202023%20calendar
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MATCH INFO
What: India v Afghanistan, first Test
When: Starts Thursday
Where: M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengalaru
Directed by Sam Mendes
Starring Dean-Charles Chapman, George MacKay, Daniel Mays
4.5/5
UAE squad to face Ireland
Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri (vice-captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmad, Zawar Farid, CP Rizwaan, Aryan Lakra, Karthik Meiyappan, Alishan Sharafu, Basil Hameed, Kashif Daud, Adithya Shetty, Vriitya Aravind
500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
25 Evacuation of injured and sick
Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics
Getting there
The flights
Flydubai operates up to seven flights a week to Helsinki. Return fares to Helsinki from Dubai start from Dh1,545 in Economy and Dh7,560 in Business Class.
The stay
Golden Crown Igloos in Levi offer stays from Dh1,215 per person per night for a superior igloo; www.leviniglut.net
Panorama Hotel in Levi is conveniently located at the top of Levi fell, a short walk from the gondola. Stays start from Dh292 per night based on two people sharing; www. golevi.fi/en/accommodation/hotel-levi-panorama
Arctic Treehouse Hotel in Rovaniemi offers stays from Dh1,379 per night based on two people sharing; www.arctictreehousehotel.com
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
WITHIN%20SAND
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UAE%20PREMIERSHIP
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3%20Body%20Problem
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
ARGYLLE
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