After two years of being in lockdown because of Corona, I finally went on vacation last summer.
I needed to break up my steady routine which begins with morning exercise and ends with office work at six o’clock in the evening.
This is interspersed with meetings and a limited time of activities in the evening. All of this is carried out in strict accordance with precautionary measures.
The first week of my holiday was spent on the beaches of Greece, followed by a week in Italy.
I was overjoyed, but boredom set in at the beginning of the second week, and I had a strong desire to return to the hustle and bustle of the business.
I decided to cut my vacation short for a day and resumed reading emails and making phone calls.
Despite the fact that my family and friends were enjoying the vacation with me, I felt weary after two weeks of rest and relaxation.
I felt compelled to engage in things that are helpful and good for me and those around me.
At the same time, I was wondering about many people whom I know, who have opted to retire and how they are spending - or killing - their time now.
I also thought about those who are compelled to work despite not enjoying it and faking happiness.
I remembered a friend who told me that once his children had grown up and left the family home, his wife began to create new problems every day for a variety of reasons, some of which were trivial.
My friend went on to say that the answer he suggested to his wife was for her to get a job, not for the money but to pass the time, or volunteer with an organisation or civil society, and set new goals for herself.
I also recalled how I thought that by taking a four-day vacation last year, I would be able to disconnect from work, reorganise my thoughts and devote myself to doing some work at home.
Unfortunately, I was unable to completely disconnect from work, which is one of the most important aspects of my life, if not my entire life as I am mentally and emotionally attached to my job. My holiday in Europe gave me the chance to reflect on how people work and produce there, as well as to observe them carefully.
They are people who hardly sleep. Everyone works, men and women alike, and they spend an average of two to three hours a day on trains and travelling to and from work, and they work for eight to nine hours, if not more.
When the weekend arrives, they truly reward themselves, as they ‘work hard and play harder’.
On the other hand, most of the Arab world is napping. They have no clear goals to motivate them to get up in the morning and work actively.
Even the pandemic came as a mercy for those who prefer to stay at home and do not want to work.
Nevertheless, I will always hope that the Arab world becomes a restless beehive, to work harder to have a role in their societies and our world.
Hunger, I believe, is the driving engine of any living creature, including humans, and it does not have to be a hunger for food only. It can also be a hunger for knowledge, passion, or self-realisation, and this is what is vital for us as human beings.
How did I spend the remaining two weeks of my vacation, in the end?
To be honest, I chose to do as much of my job remotely as possible and I concluded that my vacation should be no more than two weeks long.
akram@fp7.com
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