The second Friday in January, which falls on the 10th this year, has unfortunately been dubbed Quitter’s Day. It is the day deemed most likely for people to backtrack on their goals and good intentions right before the weekend and abandon their New Year’s resolutions.
If you want to stick to yours, here are some hacks that might help.
Set easy resolutions
Rather than lofty goals that require endless planning, consider easy-to-manage resolutions that are not too big or too vague. For instance, “save money” is an honourable goal, but it doesn’t actually mean anything. Be specific and realistic about how much money you want to save – and put an end date on it. It could be one lump sum by one set date (for example, Dh10,000 by December 31) or, better still, a certain amount per month for the rest of the year.
You could also aim to read one new book each month, cook one new dish per week and – rather than committing to some epic weight-loss plan or spending too many dirhams on a gym membership you won't use – simply start by always taking the stairs at home or at work.
Importantly, do one thing at a time. You’ll find that once you’ve managed to stick to one goal, you might be able to add in a new one. By then, you’ll be feeling more confident about being able to stick to your goals. It’s all about small steps for big results.
The time factor
In a time-poor world, sticking to resolutions that require you to expend hours of physical and mental output might not work out for many. Instead, set aside a small amount of time – between five and 15 minutes – to take baby steps towards your goal.
For instance, if “improving relationships” is on your mind, UAE-based marriage counsellor Nicola 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 why it’s important for you to even have a good relationship with that particular person in the first place,” Beer says.
“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 children love or have a strong relationship with the family will make you prioritise those in your life and let the insignificant things slide.”
If “being happier” is the end game, Darius Foroux, author of international bestsellers Think Straight and Do it Today, 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?'” Foroux says. “When you become aware of what’s good and bad for you, you can focus on the good and eliminate the bad.
“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.”
As for one sure-fire way of “being healthier”, neuroscientist and professor at 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,” he says his popular Huberman Lab podcast.
Pick a word
Rather than hackneyed or laborious New Year resolutions, why not try your hand at a practice called Word of the Year? Based on the One Little Word programme set up by self-help book author Ali Edwards, WOTY offers a compassionate way to concentrate on your vision for the coming year.
Be it “peace”, “confidence” or “joy”, the single word you choose must relate to whatever major changes you’re anticipating or hoping for in the coming year. Motivational speaker Ira Poladko, who is the creative mind behind the Mira Vision Board Kit, says the practice is a profound tool for personal growth and transformation. It empowers individuals to approach the year with intentionality, making conscious choices aligning with their word.
If your word is broad in scope, say “health”, for example, she suggests incorporating the practice of choosing a word of the month, to break down complex tasks into manageable components for effective planning and execution.
Alisha Purandare, the parenting blogger behind Two Purple Lines, believes this practice has made her “more creative over the years to experiment with words such as ‘calm’ and even ‘celebrate’ and ‘orange’”. She adds: “To me, it meant: Look on the bright side. And so I did.”
Redefine quitting
In the social media-driven era of hustle culture and the rise-and-grind mentality, being a quitter often equates to being a loser, dropout or flake. However, Devika Mankani, holistic psychologist at the Hundred Wellness Centre in Dubai, says: “Quitting isn't inherently negative. In fact, it can be a strategic and positive choice, and a proactive move to avoid burnout and open up opportunities.”
Developing a positive relationship towards quitting can help identify areas in your life that are no longer serving you well. “A healthy relationship with quitting includes self-reflection, such as regularly assessing goals and values to ensure their alignment with personal aspirations; flexibility to adjust goals accordingly; self-compassion, acknowledging that it’s acceptable to let go of pursuits that no longer contribute positively to one's life; and celebrating endings by understanding that some closures are necessary for new beginnings,” says Maham Rasheed, clinical psychologist at Nabta Health Clinic.
Rachel Godfrey, co-founder of Chase Life Consulting, adds: “Ask yourself: ‘Am I wanting to quit simply because the journey is difficult, inconvenient, or frustrating? Or am I wanting to quit because this path genuinely feels out of alignment with my values?’ If you're unable to cut your losses because you're afraid of feeling like a failure or looking like a failure, you're not learning the life lesson.”
Champions League Last 16
Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) v Bayern Munich (GER)
Sporting Lisbon (POR) v Manchester City (ENG)
Benfica (POR) v Ajax (NED)
Chelsea (ENG) v Lille (FRA)
Atletico Madrid (ESP) v Manchester United (ENG)
Villarreal (ESP) v Juventus (ITA)
Inter Milan (ITA) v Liverpool (ENG)
Paris Saint-Germain v Real Madrid (ESP)
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%3Cp%3EDavid%20White%20might%20be%20new%20to%20the%20country%2C%20but%20he%20has%20clearly%20already%20built%20up%20an%20affinity%20with%20the%20place.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EAfter%20the%20UAE%20shocked%20Pakistan%20in%20the%20semi-final%20of%20the%20Under%2019%20Asia%20Cup%20last%20month%2C%20White%20was%20hugged%20on%20the%20field%20by%20Aayan%20Khan%2C%20the%20team%E2%80%99s%20captain.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EWhite%20suggests%20that%20was%20more%20a%20sign%20of%20Aayan%E2%80%99s%20amiability%20than%20anything%20else.%20But%20he%20believes%20the%20young%20all-rounder%2C%20who%20was%20part%20of%20the%20winning%20Gulf%20Giants%20team%20last%20year%2C%20is%20just%20the%20sort%20of%20player%20the%20country%20should%20be%20seeking%20to%20produce%20via%20the%20ILT20.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CHe%20is%20a%20delightful%20young%20man%2C%E2%80%9D%20White%20said.%20%E2%80%9CHe%20played%20in%20the%20competition%20last%20year%20at%2017%2C%20and%20look%20at%20his%20development%20from%20there%20till%20now%2C%20and%20where%20he%20is%20representing%20the%20UAE.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CHe%20was%20influential%20in%20the%20U19%20team%20which%20beat%20Pakistan.%20He%20is%20the%20perfect%20example%20of%20what%20we%20are%20all%20trying%20to%20achieve%20here.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CIt%20is%20about%20the%20development%20of%20players%20who%20are%20going%20to%20represent%20the%20UAE%20and%20go%20on%20to%20help%20make%20UAE%20a%20force%20in%20world%20cricket.%E2%80%9D%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
A Cat, A Man, and Two Women
Junichiro Tamizaki
Translated by Paul McCarthy
Daunt Books
Hydrogen: Market potential
Hydrogen has an estimated $11 trillion market potential, according to Bank of America Securities and is expected to generate $2.5tn in direct revenues and $11tn of indirect infrastructure by 2050 as its production increases six-fold.
"We believe we are reaching the point of harnessing the element that comprises 90 per cent of the universe, effectively and economically,” the bank said in a recent report.
Falling costs of renewable energy and electrolysers used in green hydrogen production is one of the main catalysts for the increasingly bullish sentiment over the element.
The cost of electrolysers used in green hydrogen production has halved over the last five years and will fall to 60 to 90 per cent by the end of the decade, acceding to Haim Israel, equity strategist at Merrill Lynch. A global focus on decarbonisation and sustainability is also a big driver in its development.
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
More on animal trafficking
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Sub Regional Qualifier
Event info: The tournament in Kuwait is the first phase of the qualifying process for sides from Asia for the 2020 World T20 in Australia. The UAE must finish within the top three teams out of the six at the competition to advance to the Asia regional finals. Success at regional finals would mean progression to the World T20 Qualifier.
Teams: UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Maldives, Qatar
Friday fixtures: 9.30am (UAE time) - Kuwait v Maldives, Qatar v UAE; 3pm - Saudi Arabia v Bahrain
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- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
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- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
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- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
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- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
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
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
