Balance. It's the modern-day holy grail. Whether it's emotional balance, brain-body balance, a balanced diet, work-life balance or a balanced exercise regime, equilibrium (in one form or another) is being touted as the answer to most 21st-century ills.
On our eternal quest to lead more harmonious lives, we buy cookbooks brimming with healthy recipes, books that proceed to gather dust on the kitchen counter (guilty); we travel to exotic destinations for wellness holidays and then spend most of our time checking work emails (guilty); we attempt to meditate or be more mindful but, for the most part, fail miserably (guilty); we try endless yoga classes, but just become frustrated about the sorry state of our asanas (guilty); and we buy adult colouring books that just end up feeling a little, well, pointless (yup, guilty again).
Work-life balance is the ultimate goal – the lifestyle jackpot, so to speak. Because our attitudes to work are becoming increasingly unsustainable. “Work is our religion and it’s failing us,” a Huffington Post headline shouted out last week. “No previous age has been so enthralled, or longed for more, rather than less, work to do. No other people have imagined nothing better for their posterity than the eternal creation of more work,” suggested the author, Benjamin Hunnicutt.
As a professor of leisure studies at the University of Iowa and author of Free Time: The Forgotten American Dream, Hunnicutt knows a thing or two about this subject. As he sees it, our jobs are now where we find success, meaning, purpose and identity. Our self-worth has become inextricably linked to our professional performance – and that's not a particularly healthy state of being.
Work-life balance is a challenge for those of us in the UAE, as the latest Expat Insider survey from InterNations revealed this week. In a ranking of destinations offering the best work-life balance for expats, the UAE came in at number 52. Out of 65. The UAE has always prided itself on its work-hard-play-hard mentality, but it seems that most of us are doing more of the working hard than the playing hard.
People in Bahrain and Oman are far more well-rounded in their approach to life, it seems. Of the 10 countries that recorded the best work-life balance, Bahrain came in at number 2, with 69 per cent of respondents expressing satisfaction with their work-life balance and 72 per cent saying they were satisfied with their working hours. Oman came in at number 9. Norway, the Czech Republic, New Zealand, Sweden, Costa Rica, The Netherlands and Malta also featured in the top 10, with Denmark taking the number one spot. No big surprises there – those guys work 39.7 hours a week.
What was most telling about the results (which were based on insights from about 13,000 expat workers from 188 countries and territories) was that there was no direct correlation between the number of hours worked per week and satisfaction levels. For example, expats in the Czech Republic spend more time at work than the global average, but still have great work-life balance. It appears that the holy grail isn't so much about how long your working week is but a matter of what you do with all those other hours.
I sometimes wonder if we spend so much time worrying about how to achieve balance, and our abject failure to do so, that the whole idea becomes a source of stress in itself. I spend a significant amount of time wondering how I can squeeze more into my week, and it’s entirely counterproductive.
Barbara Corcoran, who is one of the investors on the long-running US television show Shark Tank and a mother of two children, has just come out to say that work-life balance might as well be a unicorn. "Stop striving for work-life balance; it just doesn't exist," she boldly announced on a radio podcast.
Those who do still think it is possible say the only way to achieve a balanced existence is to completely compartmentalise the various parts of your life. Work; family; parenting; friends; exercise, and so on. You know the drill… if you are with your family, put your phone to one side; those work emails can probably wait. If you are at work, try and focus completely on the task at hand – the more productive you are, the quicker you’ll be done with it. Figure out what your priorities are and be completely realistic about what can be achieved and what cannot.
The trick, I think, is to remember to leave a little bit of time for yourself. The eternal pursuit of the unicorn can wait.
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Read more from Selina:
The dress failed to win me over – but Meghan Markle herself most certainly has
Ramadan offers us all the chance to reassess and reset
Paying tribute to the extraordinary life of my dad, the ultimate expat
Why eating meat makes me feel like a hypocrite
Phone etiquette? I need some guidelines please
After a decade, Dubai feels like it has come of age
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A%20QUIET%20PLACE
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The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry
Price: base / as tested: Dh91,000 / Dh114,000
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 356Nm @ 4,700rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
SPECS
Engine: Two-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 235hp
Torque: 350Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Price: From Dh167,500 ($45,000)
On sale: Now
The biog
Favourite colour: Brown
Favourite Movie: Resident Evil
Hobbies: Painting, Cooking, Imitating Voices
Favourite food: Pizza
Trivia: Was the voice of three characters in the Emirati animation, Shaabiyat Al Cartoon
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
The National in Davos
We are bringing you the inside story from the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, a gathering of hundreds of world leaders, top executives and billionaires.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Fighter profiles
Gabrieli Pessanha (Brazil)
Reigning Abu Dhabi World Pro champion in the 95kg division, virtually unbeatable in her weight class. Known for her pressure game but also dangerous with her back on the mat.
Nathiely de Jesus, 23, (Brazil)
Two-time World Pro champion renowned for her aggressive game. She is tall and most feared by her opponents for both her triangles and arm-bar attacks.
Thamara Ferreira, 24, (Brazil)
Since her brown belt days, Ferreira has been dominating the 70kg, in both the World Pro and the Grand Slams. With a very aggressive game.
Samantha Cook, 32, (Britain)
One of the biggest talents coming out of Europe in recent times. She is known for a highly technical game and bringing her A game to the table as always.
Kendall Reusing, 22, (USA)
Another young gun ready to explode in the big leagues. The Californian resident is a powerhouse in the -95kg division. Her duels with Pessanha have been highlights in the Grand Slams.
Martina Gramenius, 32, (Sweden)
Already a two-time Grand Slam champion in the current season. Gramenius won golds in the 70kg, in both in Moscow and Tokyo, to earn a spot in the inaugural Queen of Mats.
Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
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Specs
Price, base: Dhs850,000
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 591bhp @ 7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.3L / 100km
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
The biog
Hometown: Birchgrove, Sydney Australia
Age: 59
Favourite TV series: Outlander Netflix series
Favourite place in the UAE: Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque / desert / Louvre Abu Dhabi
Favourite book: Father of our Nation: Collected Quotes of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
Thing you will miss most about the UAE: My friends and family, Formula 1, having Friday's off, desert adventures, and Arabic culture and people
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