State Department spokesman says Washington backs a deal to halt the fighting and free hostages
world9 hours ago
When it comes to setting alarms, I used to be just like any other sleepyhead. If I had to wake up at 7am, I would assemble an army of alarms: 6.45am, 6.50am, 6.55am, 6.57am, 6.58am, 6.59am, and then, finally, the last call.
That way, I could prevent my thumb from hitting the snooze button too many times — which, as you know, almost always ends up in a morning emergency of having to cram shower and breakfast into three minutes. Not the best way to start a day, right?
While I have always been grateful for my alarm clock’s service in the name of punctuality, the day came — when I didn’t need it anymore. Work made me realise that it was time to disband the army and grow up. I no longer set an alarm — as in, now, I just wake up and all is cool. Sometimes it’s a few minutes early or a few minutes late, but not to a crisis point.
I have been on this ‘alarm detox’ for a little over four years now. I needed a lifestyle change.
During my days on my first job in Dubai, I was always busy, racing against time, ticking off boxes on a never-ending to-do list. I worked late, woke up early.
I needed a longer series of alarms just to make sure I would be able to drag myself out of bed and onto the Metro. It happened day after day after day. I hated the sound of my phone and every waking morning was a war I fought with a grand battalion of alarms that were trying to invade my day.
Opening my eyes and pulling myself up felt like I had lost a battle. At one point, I asked myself, ‘does it always have to be this way?’ As the serenity prayer goes, ‘accept the things you cannot change and have the courage to change those you can’. So, I made a decision to do something about it.
The alarms weren’t the problem, it was my lifestyle. I would sleep late, binge-watching TV shows, which I felt I deserved after a long day at work. Or, sometimes, I would bring tasks home, work-life balance be damned. “My alarms would wake me up the next day, anyway,” I thought. With such reckless disregard for bedtime, there was no way waking up would be easy.
Things changed when I started making a conscious effort to sleep at least eight hours before I had to wake up. Then, before hitting the sack, I would remind myself what time I need to get up the next day.
I would spend about a minute or so just mentally taking note of the time. And that’s it, I trust my brain to remember — and it does. It worked day after day after day, until my mornings got brighter. I was calmer, even more productive.
Without the annoying alarms, I felt free from some ‘external force’ that was nagging me into doing something I didn’t want to do. By winding my body clock, I take control of my day right from the moment I wake up.
kirstin@khaleejtimes.com
State Department spokesman says Washington backs a deal to halt the fighting and free hostages
world9 hours ago
He clarifies that the offer accepted by Hamas is a softened version of Egyptian proposal, which is not acceptable to Israel
mena9 hours ago
These areas will serve a growing population and will act as green corridors that link service areas, residential areas, and workplaces
uae10 hours ago
The Kremlin specifies that the exercises are a response to statements by French President Emmanuel Macron and British officials
world10 hours ago
Hopes for a September cut rose after the non-farm payroll report on Friday
markets10 hours ago
He also stabbed three other workers, leaving them with serious injuries
uae10 hours ago
Dubai FinTech Summit kicked off on Monday with over 200 exhibitors
business10 hours ago
There were no immediate details over what the agreement entailed
mena10 hours ago