The Workplace

Choice should not distract career aspirations

Career frustration is not fun for anybody and seems to be all too common. Yet so many procrastinate while finding ways through it, weighing up the alternatives, considering them from all angles, picking them up and turning them inside out and upside down. These alternatives provide so many choices that the essential energy needed to move beyond career frustration towards career fulfillment is all but spent on the decision-making. With choice comes burden, the burden of concern about ‘is this the best solution’, ‘will this get me what I want’ along with many other worries choice can produce.

Isn’t choice supposed to be a great thing to have in all aspects of life? The answer is a resounding yes, if you are one who is completely capable to efficiently sift through the myriad of options and make sense of it all, or if you have time on your hands to ponder and create. Given that many of us do not fit those criteria, choice can become our greatest enemy, stealing our focus while leading us down a rabbit hole of detail.

Here’s a great ‘life’ example of that I’ve personally experienced. I was recently trekking across the desert for 5 days from Abu Dhabi to Dubai in the Women’s Heritage Walk. The organization of the walk was second to none with backups at every stage of the walk. We were constantly supported by a support team of 4WD vehicles that you could choose to call for a one-hour respite for the feet, or a drive direct to camp if you felt you couldn’t make it. Here’s my issue with that. When there’s no choice, you find the way to keep going, for the very fact that there is no choice; you simply have to keep focused on getting to the goal you set out for. For me however, the essential support cars became a distraction to my focus of the experience of walking to camp. The possibility of jumping into those cars kept invading my determination to break through the pain point, and my focus on reaching my goal became encumbered with the choice of ‘how best to’. When frustration exists at work, there will be a multitude of ways to move through the frustration, with choice existing in resignation, in re-designing responsibilities, in forging new communication lines across departments, along with many others. Your ultimate outcome for is to dissipate the workplace frustration and remove its effect from your daily life. Yet, the more options we have and the more exploration we invest in those options, the more the options mask or worse still take us away from our ultimate outcome we hope to gain and into the realm of detail.

Take Farzaneh for example! She needed to remove herself from the negative impact her work situation was having on her home life, yet was aware of the positive impact her monthly salary was bringing. Rather than focusing on what life will feel like once out of the frustration, she intensely sought out others who have made the break, listening to every detail of their

strategic escape. She then compared each person’s journey against a pre-determined measurement of ease, and time taken as well as the amount of effort invested. With this measurement providing untold amount of variable data, Farzaneh little by little was seduced by the possible breadth of choice rather than focusing on the ultimate end outcome and aligning her actions towards that. The longer she had that salary, the longer the salary became her focus. Choice can be a distraction purely because the details of the choice can transport us into the land of detail. If choice is an essential component of your frustrating work life, perhaps you could do well to channel any choice into this question: How will I remain firmly focused on the ‘what’ and allow the best ‘how’ to emerge as I take tiny action steps toward the ‘what’. While navigating that,

Surround yourself with winners, positive attitudes and those you feel an affinity with. Convert your desired outcome into a sensual experience in your mind. Not only see what life will be like without the frustration, but also feel the peace you’ll be surrounded by, appreciate the time you’ll be gaining and hear the calmness (vs personal chaos) at the start of each day. Trust that your focus on a new outcome will bring the energy to your every day that will attract new ideas into the ‘how’.

Understand that your own future, and the change required to get to that, cannot be measured against others. Run your own race to be bigger or better than your former self. Check in with your own progress each day, and reward yourself once again for the small but consistent effort you are taking.

Choose your destination of career fulfillment. Define its look and feel, associate that with what life will look like when having that fulfillment, and align each and every decision according to that. Be clear on what you want, and use it as your anchor to guide every decision from there. Stay out of detail, stay away from procrastination, stay focused on that new career, and move full speed ahead. The responsibility for career fulfillment is yours and yours only; when we own something wholeheartedly, we also know what to say ‘no’ to. Distraction from choice – be done with! Lead your career future with clarity, consideration and conviction.

Debbie Nicol, managing director of ‘business en motion’, builds org systems, frameworks and cultures through the services of training, coaching and solutions, helping move businesses and leaders ahead through change. ‘learning en motion’, a niche brand of ‘business en motion’ is a contemporary response for those leaders who feel frustrated in the workplace, enabling them to be part of the solution.

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The culinary capital of the Middle East, Dubai, is gearing up to host the seventh edition of the region’s biggest citywide celebration of food, Dubai Food Festival (DFF), from 26 February – 14 March.

FOOD FANATICS UNITE SEVENTH EDITION OF DUBAI FOOD FESTIVAL SET TO KICK OFF ON 26 FEBRUARY

The citywide culinary extravaganza will be a feast for the senses, with a delicious array of food on offer to suit every taste bud and budget. Organised by the Dubai Festivals and Retail

Establishment (DFRE), the 18-day festival will offer an appealing range of mouth-watering events including annual favourites: Dubai Restaurant Week, Etisalat Beach Canteen, Hidden Gems and Foodie Experiences.

During DFF, diners in the city will be able to seek out authentic dishes hidden in the city’s bustling streets, and try out the newest food concepts in Dubai, as well as masterclasses, chef’s tables and unique dining experiences – all available for a limited period only. Plus, appearances by celebrity chefs, cooking competitions, one-time only promotions in malls across the city and much more!

Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) said, “Now in its seventh year, Dubai Food Festival (DFF) is a magnificent platform for the city to demonstrate what it has to offer when it comes to food. A powerful name in the industry, the festival showcases Dubai as a gastronomy leader on the world map.

For 2020, we are set to continue delivering on the DFF concepts that put it firmly on the annual calendar – plus new initiatives to celebrate the citywide event. We look forward to welcoming both residents and tourists, of all nationalities and cultures from across the world to celebrate Dubai Food Festival 2020.”

From street food to fine dining, mass events to retail offers, DFF has something for everyone. Highlights of the 2020 festival will include:

Etisalat Beach Canteen (26 February – 14 March) The festival’s flagship event, Etisalat Beach Canteen, will return to Jumeirah Beach behind Sunset Mall, and showcase some of Dubai’s best food concepts. The pop-up event will also feature entertainment and a dedicated family area. The free-to-attend space will be perfect for a family day out – little ones will be sure to love the wide range of fun activities in a dedicated kid’s zone, while foodies can take part in cooking workshops and attend live cooking sessions at the beachside theatre.

There will also be a gaming square and sports court to add to the fun!

Dubai Restaurant Week (5 – 14 March) Dubai Restaurant Week will see 35 of Dubai’s most in-demand restaurants come together for 10 days to offer diners carefully curated two-course lunch menus and three-course dinner menus. The specially curated menus will feature the restaurants’ most irresistible dishes, catering to more than 18 cuisines city-wide. This year, diners will be able to choose from a selection of restaurants including those by award winning chefs such as Paru by Michelin-star chef Akira Back, COYA, Hell’s Kitchen, Scalini and many more. Prices will range, with lunch prices starting from AED 75, and dinner from AED 150.

Hidden Gems (26 February – 14 March) Away from the main streets of Dubai are a whole host of hidden culinary hot spots that are yet to be discovered. DFF’s Hidden Gems allows curious culinary fans the chance to indulge at the top hidden food hot spots in the city. These undiscovered culinary gems will offer incredible authentic tastes and a vibrant atmosphere at pocket-friendly prices. Foodies across Dubai will have the chance to vote and select the 10 best Hidden Gems of Dubai. Voting will open on February 16 and the winners will be announced on March 14.

Foodie Experiences (26 February – 14 March) After the hugely successful launch of Foodie Experiences at last year’s DFF, the concept is back for 2020, and will deliver unique, one-of-a-kind food adventures. Foodie Experiences will feature masterclasses, chef’s tables and experiential dining in unique venues.

Experiential dining concepts will be held across the city at venues including an organic tasting tour and farm dinner at Emirates Bio Farm, which will treat diners to flavours from the field whilst learning about organic and sustainable farming. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Centre for Cultural Understanding (SMCCU) will also host a dinner under the stars in the stunning Al Fahidi District in Old Dubai with a delicious menu of authentic Emirati cuisine.

Chef’s table events and interactive masterclasses will be available to book at some of Dubai’s most iconic restaurants, including Zhen Wei, BB Social Dining and Tresind Studio, and many more.

Designed for residents, tourists and families alike – DFF 2020 promises a memorable, exciting and educating festival, celebrating the best of food in the city – which cannot be found elsewhere on the annual calendar. With a list of events, offers and special promotions to be announced, diners in the city should keep their eyes peeled for a whole host of foodie surprises still to come. The line-up includes Taste of Dubai which will be returning for its 13th year from 12 to 14 March with its signature line-up of food creations, celebrity chefs and family-friendly entertainment.

For more information and a full update on DFF activities, visit: https://www.visitdubai.com/en/dff or @DubaiFoodFest and #DubaiFoodFest.

Over the past decade the unpredictability of economic trends worldwide have taught us a valuable lesson on the importance of saving money regularly.

Those wise among us have already started to keep some money back to safeguard against the uncertainties of life. Money management now has become an important topic for discussion in social and financial spheres alike as more people look to improve personal savings.

Savings and personal finance management are common knowledge but sometimes we tend to overlook the basics. Limiting our spending and saving a portion of our income are key steps towards effective savings. It is also extreme

ly important to keep a budget and log income vs. expenses monthly. Here are some handy tips that will help you become a smart saver:

Pay yourself first: Transfer some amount of your monthly income from your salary account to your savings account. Some banks will give you a direct deposit facility, automatically transferring a set amount of money from the salary account to a saving account.

Keep a budget: As mentioned earlier, logging income and expenses, and setting a limit on monthly budget will ensure you keep a track of your money. This will help you monitor your spending to know where you can curb.

Set a realistic goal: You don’t have to cut your spending drastically to increase savings. Ideally, 20% of your income should be saved every month but if that is not possible, start small and gradually increase as you become better at managing your finances.

Avoid impulsive buys: Resisting the urge to buy is an effective way to save money. We are often tempted to buy certain items that we want but don’t really need. In such cases, give yourself 48 hours as a cooling off period will tell you whether you really need to buy or not.

Look online for better deals: If you have decided to buy something, look online for rates first. Often the best deals and cheaper prices can be found on the internet. They might even come with free delivery.

Extra income: If you have additional income from tax refunds, prizes, bonuses, gifts, or any other sources, it’s always a good idea to save them rather than spend; for you never know when those additional expenses might show up.

Change to spare: Don’t scatter away that change. An effective way to make most of small change is to put it in a jar. You will be surprised how a jar of change over a couple of months will fill out and can be exchanged for a decent-sized note at the bank.

Managing personal finances and saving regularly is not that difficult. We need to make it a habit to follow such simple steps to make the most of our money.

For more information, please contact Tony Ashton on 050 7953305 or Tony. ashton@cfsgroup.com

Louvre Abu Dhabi and Théâtre du Châtelet, with the support of Bloomberg Philanthropies, are pleased to announce the world premiere of Singing Trees, a new interactive installation created by award-winning digital artists from London, Umbrellium, in collaboration with Paris’ Institute for Research and Coordination in Acoustics/Music (IRCAM) and independent producer, Katherine Jewkes. After its premiere at Louvre Abu Dhabi, Singing Trees will be presented in cities around the world including in the garden of Paris’ Palais Royal from 10 to 20 September 2020, followed by presentations in London, New York and Paris again for the Olympics in 2024.

Launching in Abu Dhabi on 25 February 2020, Singing Trees illuminates the pressing need for environmental awareness in the age of climate change. Combining innovative technology, music and an interactive visitor experience, the installation offers a unique opportunity to engage with, and appreciate, nature. Activating the outdoor landscape of Louvre Abu Dhabi, Umbrellium will give a voice to the palm trees around the museum’s entrance using non-invasive, electronic belts attached to each tree. These belts – designed with the support of sound engineers from the Institute for Research and Coordination in Acoustics/Music (IRCAM) – will enable the trees to sing together as a choir that will change in response to the audiences’ interaction with the work. As visitors move closer to the trees, the choir becomes louder and more in-synch. Visitors are then invited to hug the tree to maximise the volume of the choir.

The trees will sing a combination of songs in English, Arabic and French. In each country that exhibits the installation, new songs will be commissioned for the trees to sing. The featured musical pieces for Singing Trees at Louvre Abu Dhabi include Ayyala, a traditional Arabic song that reflects the artistic heritage of the UAE; “Greensleeves”, a traditional English folk song from the late 16th century and the French Medieval choir song “L’Amour de Moy.”

Manuel Rabaté, Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi commented, “Singing Trees speaks to Louvre Abu Dhabi’s mission to provide an educational and innovative space where visitors can engage in dialogues around the issues that affect us all. Timed to coincide with UAE Innovation Month, the piece explores how technological advances can bring us closer to nature and heighten our understanding of the environment. We are grateful to our partners Théâtre du Châtelet and Bloomberg Philanthropies who made this project possible and look forward to seeing Singing Trees travel the world.”