While being healthy and happy are two common new year’s resolutions, a University of Scranton study of the most popular resolutions for this year also suggests many are looking forward to improving relationships.
Here, The National looks at some psychology and science-backed hacks to hit all three.
Sunny side up
Resolution: Be healthier
Time required: Two minutes
World-renowned neuroscientist, host of the popular Huberman Lab podcast and professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine, Dr Andrew Huberman recommends this two-minute change ad nauseam: getting sunlight in your eyes first thing in the morning.
“It is perhaps the most important thing any and all of us should do in order to promote metabolic well-being, positive functioning of your hormone system and get your mental health steering in the right direction,” says Huberman in his podcast on maximising productivity, as well as physical and mental health.
“Get outdoors, ideally with no sunglasses if you can do this safely, even if it’s cloudy. More photons are coming through that cloud cover than from a very bright indoor bulb. Do this for at least two minutes, 10 minutes would be better, 30 minutes would be fantastic — depending on the brightness of the environment.”
The science: Getting outside for even a short walk ensures your eye neurons — melanopsin-expressing, intrinsically photosensitive ganglion cells — receive adequate stimulation. These neurons convey to the brain that it’s time to be alert. This sets in motion a number of biological cascades in every cell and organ, from the liver and gut to the heart and brain.
“Early in the day, we experience a natural and healthy bump in cortisol levels. Cortisol comes from the amygdala and promotes wakefulness and a healthy immune system,” Huberman explains.
“We typically hear that stress and cortisol disrupt the immune system, but not the short little pulse you get each morning,” he says. "This pulse is going to happen once every 24 hours, no matter what, but you get to time it by choosing when you view sunlight or bright light of another kind first thing in the morning. And you want that cortisol pushed early."
Best of all, it costs nothing and requires between two and 10 minutes a day.
Do it write
Resolution: Be happier
Time required: 15 minutes
Darius Foroux, author of international bestsellers Think Straight and Do It Today, calls procrastination the number one challenge to self-improvement and happiness in the modern world. “We have so many distractions and obligations that it’s hard to get anything done,” he tells The National.
But he also cautions against blanket advice. “Most advice is not relevant to individual struggles," he says.
"I recommend taking the time to understand what your problem is. Without awareness of personal challenges, we can’t solve them. So that’s where it must start."
Foroux also recommends the deceptively simple act of journaling.
“Simply sit down with a pen and a notebook and start asking yourself: 'What do I want? Why am I struggling? When do I usually feel good? When do I usually feel bad?'" he says. "When you become aware of what’s good and bad for you, you can focus on the good and eliminate the bad.
Spend three minutes thinking about what you’re grateful for in a relationship, what’s going well and why it’s important for you to have a good relationship [with a particular person]
Nicola Beer,
relationship coach
"If you want to improve your life and be happier, you must start by knowing yourself. Answering fundamental questions about what true happiness means to you makes what you should be working towards a lot more clear and achievable.
The science: Several studies over the past 20 years have shown that journaling can help memory and immunity, plus lung and liver function; promote psychological well-being; improve the way we speak; and even help us land jobs faster and score better marks at school. Meanwhile, a 2006 study found writing meaningfully for as little as 15 minutes is as effective as cognitive-behavioural therapy and reduces the risk of depression.
Feels like love
Resolution: Improve relationships
Time required: Three minutes
Nicola Beer, a British relationship coach living in Dubai, pinpoints one of the things most people get wrong in relationships at one point or another: becoming stuck in a cycle of negativity and complaining, which has a compounding effect and creates resentment as time goes on.
Beer offers a DIY solution that takes three minutes a day.
“Create a daily morning or evening routine where you spend just three minutes thinking about what you’re grateful for in the relationship, what’s going well and, most importantly, why it’s important for you to even have a good relationship [with a particular person] in the first place," Beer tells The National.
“Thinking about why you want what you do will also help you correct your own patterns. Knowing that it’s important for you to show your kids love or have a strong relationship with the family will make you prioritise those in your life and let the insignificant things slide."
The science: To put it simply, connecting gratitude dots every day helps the brain build our positivity muscle and reinforce the beliefs retained in our reticular activating system, commonly known as RAS. It is that part of the brain that makes our minds scan for more evidence on whatever we already believe and focus on, Beer explains.
If you start focusing on what you’re grateful for instead of what makes you angry, the RAS will help you see your relationships more positively, Beer says.
“It doesn’t even have to be about your partner; it can be about anything in life you’re inclined to see negatively,” Beer adds.
So there you have it: 20 minutes a day could be all you need to significantly change the quality of your life, your mental healthand your relationship with yourself and others.
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
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
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.
Intercontinental Cup
Namibia v UAE Saturday Sep 16-Tuesday Sep 19
Table 1 Ireland, 89 points; 2 Afghanistan, 81; 3 Netherlands, 52; 4 Papua New Guinea, 40; 5 Hong Kong, 39; 6 Scotland, 37; 7 UAE, 27; 8 Namibia, 27
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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South Korea
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Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
'Munich: The Edge of War'
Director: Christian Schwochow
Starring: George MacKay, Jannis Niewohner, Jeremy Irons
Rating: 3/5
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup – Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
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
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo
Power: 435hp at 5,900rpm
Torque: 520Nm at 1,800-5,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Price: from Dh498,542
On sale: now
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