It started a week before Ramadan, actually.
People were trying to schedule important meetings the past week, clients pushing against the deadline, and everyone running around like the apocalypse was about to hit us.
Let's face it, with the long fasting hours, and short fasting day, and many non-fasting colleagues taking their annual leaves now, Ramadan may seem like a month where nothing happens.
It may also affect your business. As an entrepreneur, I remember how a couple of years back, I changed my entire work schedule to accommodate the month, from sleeping in during the day, and working my way through the night. My "office hours" started at 7pm and ended with the morning call of prayer at around 4am. I cut that habit last year and I'll tell you how in a bit.
The thing is, if you don't have a strict schedule for yourself, as a business owner you may lose some valuable time that could have been utilised for important business decisions.
Here’s how you can maintain your work schedule, “see people for meetings” and not have your business negatively affected.
It’s all about timings
The fast begins around 4am depending where you are in the Muslim world and lasts until sunset. Given that Ramadan takes place during the summer time, this means that the fast gets more tiring noon onwards. If you need to arrange meetings, or have a presentation to make, I suggest to schedule those before noon, preferably around 9.30am to 11am, when they will be focused.
Unfortunately, you won’t be able to schedule them any earlier as many work hours commence at 09:00 and many people attend the night prayers, which leads them to sleeping late. You may also receive some cancellations or reschedules of meetings, but keep an open mind as the month’s a bit intense on many people given how they need to balance a social and a professional life.
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Mix work and pleasure
If the above isn't possible during the day, try to combine some work and pleasure. Perhaps you could meet your colleagues, or clients over Iftar, which takes place at sunset. People in general are more accommodating to eating out and meeting with business partners during this time of the year, especially with many outlets throwing lavish banquets, yummy treats, and entertainment for their guests.
Use this time to do admin
Long summer afternoons are actually very useful, especially when it comes to admin tasks. As your energy drops during the day, pass the time by archiving emails, updating your filing system, cleaning up your computer, updating your address book and just doing the things you’ve been delaying all year. You can also have an office clean-up party. Recycle old papers, re-arrange the office decor, and simply just de-clutter.
Time for social work
If you’ve also been thinking about taking a more active role in the community then Ramadan is the perfect time. There are so many ideas to adopt such as organising food drives at your local mosque for those who break their fast there, preparing an Eid kit for those less fortunate that could include a coupon at a retail store where they can buy new clothes for Eid, a coupon at a barber for a haircut, and/or some amenities such as perfume, shavers, etc.
You can also volunteer at a hospital, visit the elderly or
the children at hospitals, or collect some money for your cleaning staff to give them as an Eid gift.
Schedule fitness time
What happens with many throughout the month is that they will pause their fitness routine. Last year, I made it a point to work out every single day. In my case, and this is different for everyone, I found it best to work out an hour before I broke my fast. Not only did it help me lose weight throughout the month of Ramadan and maintain my fitness level, but it made me energetic, and more productive at work.
I also tried as much as I could to not ruin my sleeping pattern, and instead woke up early morning, and worked until mid-afternoon, when my energy levels would start to drop. That way I had more time in the afternoon and evening to spend with friends and family, and enjoy the month's holy rituals.
While work tends to slow down throughout the month, I find that Ramadan provides a unique opportunity to get so much done.
Manar Al Hinai is an award-winning Emirati writer who manages her branding and marketing consultancy in Abu Dhabi.
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
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
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
UAE%20medallists%20at%20Asian%20Games%202023
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Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Results
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 Group 1 (PA) US$75,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Ziyadd, Richard Mullen (jockey), Jean de Roualle (trainer).
7.05pm: Al Rashidiya Group 2 (TB) $250,000 (Turf) 1,800m
Winner: Barney Roy, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
7.40pm: Meydan Cup Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,810m
Winner: Secret Advisor, Tadhg O’Shea, Charlie Appleby.
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Plata O Plomo, Carlos Lopez, Susanne Berneklint.
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: Salute The Soldier, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.
9.25pm: Al Shindagha Sprint Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Gladiator King, Mickael Barzalona, Satish Seemar.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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