KEEP CALM AND FAST

Ramadan is essentially a whirlwind myriad of activities. On one hand, it is the blessed month when we seek spiritual solace and strive to strengthen our connection with the divine. And on the other, there're a million things like shopping, attending parties, going out for iftar and sehri, etc. And, there's work! The 'thing' that pays for those million things! 

Balancing work with so many activities - whilst embracing the spirituality of the month - can be a challenge. Follow these simple rules for a smooth Ramadan. 

Set Spiritual Goals
What do you want to accomplish this Ramadan? Would you aim to do a certain level of charity work? Would you commit to reading taraweeh prayers? Fix your goals, and make a realistic plan keeping in mind your nature of work - so that your office does not come in way of your spiritual journey. 

Sleep Well
The importance of adequate sleep is something that is talked about all year round, but during this month, it becomes a more pressing concern. Be it for the sehri timing or for the fast itself, many people experience drowsiness during work, feeling 'down' and lethargic. In order to solve that, make sure that you have a good night's sleep. Easier said than done, right? Enter powernaps: shut down and doze off for a few minutes at office to replenish energy.

Keep Good Health
You already know that you should not overstuff during iftar and that you must opt for a healthy meal. Adding to that, watch you sehri menu too. These days, we go out to have sehri at a restaurant or attend one of those so-called 'sehri parties'. If you don't eat sensibly, you may feel very thirsty later or even have digestion problems, thus affecting work. 

Moreover, it's a good idea to visit your doctor before Ramadan starts; fasting may require some changes on your prescription. 

Make Work Hours More Productive 
Many organisations cut down on office timings. But that obviously does not give you the right to escape from your responsibilities. We need to make the best use of time. 

Instead of raging over the insane traffic, use the time to make important calls or answering emails. Getting a certain level of work done in the car can give a big boost towards accomplishing a day's things-to-do list. 

When you connect to the internet at office, do not instinctively log into Facebook! Social media sites are significant in our lives, but they are highly addictive too. You won't even realise how you have spent so much time accomplishing so little. It's a problem you can't afford to have during the tightly scheduled Ramadan. So, unless there is something important, get some work done prior to visiting social media sites.

Try to find out when you feel the most energetic. Perhaps it's during morning, or in the early afternoon. Find that time and deal with the most difficult tasks in that period. 

Despite all these, let's not forget Murphy's Law! Anything that can wrong, will go wrong. When that happens, try to mend the situation instead of fretting over it. In most cases, you will be back on track soon enough. 

Keep calm and fast. And perhaps keep a water bottle and a couple of snacks in your bag in case the 'adhan' breaks and you have to open your iftar on the road?