Life isn’t about maximising happiness in every area – it’s about balancing priorities and learning when to compromise. But that’s easier said than done. Every decision we make pulls from one area of life to give to another, and it’s not always clear which trade-offs are worth making.
What if we stopped chasing perfection in every part of life and instead focused on making thoughtful compromises? By redistributing our time and energy across life’s competing demands, we can optimise happiness as a whole.
Happiness isn’t a one-size-fits-all experience. We have multiple life domains, such as work, family, health, leisure and relationships. Often, we’re more satisfied in some areas than others. For instance, you might feel content with your family life but frustrated at work. Or maybe your health is thriving, but you’re not spending enough time with friends.
We tend to strive for maximum happiness in all areas – a perfect score across the board. But life doesn’t work that way. Each domain demands time, energy and resources, and there are only so many hours in a day. Trying to maximise every aspect of life is not only unrealistic but also exhausting.
Achieving balance requires compromise, and compromise often involves giving something up. This is where the concept of loss aversion comes into play – the idea that we feel the pain of loss more strongly than the good feeling from gaining the same amount. For example, losing $100 feels worse than finding $100 feels good.
When faced with a compromise, the idea of giving something up can feel painful. It’s easy to focus on what we’re losing rather than what we might gain. But compromise isn’t about loss – it’s about trading something of lesser importance for something of greater value.
Imagine you’re deciding between spending more time on your hobby or with your family. You might need to scale back on leisure to invest more in your family life. While this might initially feel like a loss, the larger gain in family happiness can more than make up for it.
Of course, money plays a pivotal role in our decisions and priorities. Financial stability is often a foundation upon which other areas of life depend. For instance, earning a higher income may enable you to provide for your family or enjoy leisure activities, but it often comes at the cost of time or energy.
However, just as with any other domain, it’s crucial to ask yourself what you’re truly gaining or giving up in pursuit of financial success. Is working overtime to earn more worth the extra stress or the time lost with loved ones? It’s not about making more money at all costs but rather about understanding how financial decisions fit into the broader picture of your life.
Money also ties into the concept of opportunity cost – the idea that choosing one option inherently means giving up another. This principle underlines many of life’s trade-offs. Every decision carries an opportunity cost: by choosing one path, you’re forgoing another. The challenge lies in weighing these opportunity costs and deciding what’s most valuable to you in the long run.
Maintaining balance requires seeing the big picture. When we focus too narrowly on one life domain, we lose sight of how our choices impact our overall happiness. Instead, think of it as a redistribution of resources: scaling back in one area allows you to invest in another. This perspective helps you navigate trade-offs with clarity and intention.
For instance, you’re debating whether to accept a promotion that comes with a significant pay rise but also longer hours. This decision might seem straightforward if you only consider the financial gain. However, when you weigh the opportunity cost – less time with family, fewer hours for hobbies, or increased stress – the choice becomes more nuanced. By carefully evaluating these trade-offs, you can make a decision that aligns with your priorities and maximises your overall happiness.
Compromise is not about settling; it’s about optimising. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s finding a balance that works for you. Sometimes, giving up a little in one area can lead to far greater happiness in another.
It’s also worth remembering that it’s rare to find a solution that feels ideal in every way. When you accept this reality, decision-making becomes less about achieving a mythical perfect balance and more about making choices that reflect your personal values. If you’re clear on what matters most, you’ll be better equipped to navigate the opportunity costs that come with each decision.
Ultimately, life is about choices. While it’s tempting to chase maximum happiness in every domain, true satisfaction comes from knowing where to invest your time and energy.
Next time you face a tough decision, ask yourself: What am I gaining? What’s worth the trade? When you take the time to consider your priorities with intention, you’ll discover that compromise isn’t a sacrifice – it’s a strategy for optimising happiness.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How Voiss turns words to speech
The device has a screen reader or software that monitors what happens on the screen
The screen reader sends the text to the speech synthesiser
This converts to audio whatever it receives from screen reader, so the person can hear what is happening on the screen
A VOISS computer costs between $200 and $250 depending on memory card capacity that ranges from 32GB to 128GB
The speech synthesisers VOISS develops are free
Subsequent computer versions will include improvements such as wireless keyboards
Arabic voice in affordable talking computer to be added next year to English, Portuguese, and Spanish synthesiser
Partnerships planned during Expo 2020 Dubai to add more languages
At least 2.2 billion people globally have a vision impairment or blindness
More than 90 per cent live in developing countries
The Long-term aim of VOISS to reach the technology to people in poor countries with workshops that teach them to build their own device
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.”
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
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The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
