Reaching a resolution


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  • Arabic

Whether you're considering changing careers or simply trying to choose a new pair of jeans, the inability to make decisions can be stressful. How can you make the process easier and move forward with confidence? Studies show that one in four people consider themselves procrastinators. Typical reasons for being this way have been attributed to: a lack of information; too much choice; lack of time and inability to concentrate, and fear of making the wrong decision. Sometimes, it's simply a case of not perceiving the decision as urgent. When we're faced with a crisis such as a sick child or a traffic accident, we don't hesitate to act. But when the decision isn't a matter of life or death, it's easy to leave things be.

When we procrastinate, we remain in our "comfort zone" - a lovely place if you're in need of more stability, but curiously uncomfortable if you've been doing the same thing and thinking the same way for too long. If the latter sounds like you, you'll know it by your feelings of restlessness and that niggling voice that whispers: "Is this it?" Our desire to feel secure is often more intense than our need for change or even success. So how do we push ourselves forward? My favourite definition of the decision-making process involves what academics call "hot" and "cold" thinking - our emotional, gut reaction versus our intellectual, rational thought processes. Hot thinking is useful when we make trivial decisions, such as which cake looks the tastiest. In the past, it has been classed as inferior to cold thinking, but is now believed to play a part in serious decision-making.

"Emotions are important, and decisions based on them are valid," says John Maule, a professor of human decision-making at Leeds University in the UK and the director of the Centre for Decision Research. What's needed, he says, is a balance between the two systems that "reflects the long-term impact of what your instinct suggests". To bridge the two, spend a little time visualising where you want to be and come up with an image of yourself or your life that inspires you. If you find this hard, you could try a technique I learnt from a life-coaching session to help you work out where you need change. Write a list of eight key sections of your life - such as friends and family, your home, work and career, health, money, love, personal development and leisure - and decide which sections are currently working and which are not. Draw a pie chart to reflect the results. If your career is fantastic (60 per cent) but you hardly see your friends (five per cent), you'll see what needs to change.

To prepare to make a serious decision, make a list of pros and cons using your hot and cold thinking powers. Take the time to gather useful facts and figures or just to ponder your desire to see where your subconscious takes you. Ensure you've covered the emotional aspects of your decision as well as practicalities. It may seem strange to be so scientific, but we're more likely to be honest with ourselves and reach a realistic conclusion when we see things written in black and white.

The next step is to design a course of action, starting with tiny steps. This way, if there's a negative on your list, you'll feel more able to overcome it. Don't be afraid to take risks and beware of being too much of a perfectionist - not only is expecting perfection unrealistic, it will also make life complicated as things will never be quite right or good enough for you. Remember, when you start acting on your decision it's likely that things will not go according to plan. Life will throw obstacles in your path, or something you didn't expect may take you in a slightly different direction. "We all think that good things will happen to us and that bad things will happen to other people," Maule says. In reality, he adds, people are overly optimistic about the probability of success. So think big, but start small.

Caroline Sylger Jones is the author of Body & Soul Escapes and Body & Soul Escapes: Britain and Ireland, compendiums of places to retreat and replenish around the world. See www.carolinesylgerjones.co.uk.

KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN MARITIME DISPUTE

2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon after nearly 30 years without an officially demarcated border. The UN establishes the Blue Line to act as the frontier.

2007: Lebanon and Cyprus define their respective exclusive economic zones to facilitate oil and gas exploration. Israel uses this to define its EEZ with Cyprus

2011: Lebanon disputes Israeli-proposed line and submits documents to UN showing different EEZ. Cyprus offers to mediate without much progress.

2018: Lebanon signs first offshore oil and gas licencing deal with consortium of France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Novatek.

2018-2019: US seeks to mediate between Israel and Lebanon to prevent clashes over oil and gas resources.

While you're here
Infiniti QX80 specs

Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6

Power: 450hp

Torque: 700Nm

Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000

Available: Now

Sri Lanka's T20I squad

Thisara Perera (captain), Dilshan Munaweera, Danushka Gunathilaka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Ashan Priyanjan, Mahela Udawatte, Dasun Shanaka, Sachith Pathirana, Vikum Sanjaya, Lahiru Gamage, Seekkuge Prasanna, Vishwa Fernando, Isuru Udana, Jeffrey Vandersay and Chathuranga de Silva.

SPECS
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Brief scores:

Toss: Kerala Knights, opted to fielf

Pakhtoons 109-5 (10 ov)

Fletcher 32; Lamichhane 3-17

Kerala Knights 110-2 (7.5 ov)

Morgan 46 not out, Stirling 40

Washmen Profile

Date Started: May 2015

Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Laundry

Employees: 170

Funding: about $8m

Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures

RESULTS

6pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 – Group 1 (PA) $55,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Rajeh, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Musabah Al Muhairi (trainer)

6.35pm: Oud Metha Stakes – Rated Conditions (TB) $60,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Get Back Goldie, William Buick, Doug O’Neill

7.10pm: Jumeirah Classic – Listed (TB) $150,000 (Turf) 1,600m
Winner: Sovereign Prince, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby

7.45pm: Firebreak Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Hypothetical, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer

8.20pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 – Group 2 (TB) $350,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Hot Rod Charlie, William Buick, Doug O’Neill

8.55pm: Al Bastakiya Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Withering, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass

9.30pm: Balanchine – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner: Creative Flair, William Buick, Charlie Appleby

Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

TRAP

Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue

Director: M Night Shyamalan

Rating: 3/5

Ain Issa camp:
  • Established in 2016
  • Houses 13,309 people, 2,092 families, 62 per cent children
  • Of the adult population, 49 per cent men, 51 per cent women (not including foreigners annexe)
  • Most from Deir Ezzor and Raqqa
  • 950 foreigners linked to ISIS and their families
  • NGO Blumont runs camp management for the UN
  • One of the nine official (UN recognised) camps in the region
The five stages of early child’s play

From Dubai-based clinical psychologist Daniella Salazar:

1. Solitary Play: This is where Infants and toddlers start to play on their own without seeming to notice the people around them. This is the beginning of play.

2. Onlooker play: This occurs where the toddler enjoys watching other people play. There doesn’t necessarily need to be any effort to begin play. They are learning how to imitate behaviours from others. This type of play may also appear in children who are more shy and introverted.

3. Parallel Play: This generally starts when children begin playing side-by-side without any interaction. Even though they aren’t physically interacting they are paying attention to each other. This is the beginning of the desire to be with other children.

4. Associative Play: At around age four or five, children become more interested in each other than in toys and begin to interact more. In this stage children start asking questions and talking about the different activities they are engaging in. They realise they have similar goals in play such as building a tower or playing with cars.

5. Social Play: In this stage children are starting to socialise more. They begin to share ideas and follow certain rules in a game. They slowly learn the definition of teamwork. They get to engage in basic social skills and interests begin to lead social interactions.

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Empty Words

By Mario Levrero  

(Coffee House Press)
 

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

On sale: Now

Company%20Profile
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A State of Passion

Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi

Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah

Rating: 4/5

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MATCH INFO

Liverpool 2 (Van Dijk 18', 24')

Brighton 1 (Dunk 79')

Red card: Alisson (Liverpool)

The specs: 2018 Audi RS5

Price, base: Dh359,200

Engine: 2.9L twin-turbo V6

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 450hp at 5,700rpm

Torque: 600Nm at 1,900rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 8.7L / 100km

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Third Test

Result: India won by 203 runs

Series: England lead five-match series 2-1