UAE residents' top resolutions for 2013

2013 is just around the corner - what are you going to do to make this year your best yet?

And no, we’re not talking about unrealistic (yet well-intentioned) promises to yourself such as going to the gym every single day or swearing off your favorite food or calling your mom every single day.

New Year’s Eve has always been a time for looking back to the past, and more importantly, forward to the coming year.

It’s a time to reflect on the changes we want (or need) to make and resolve to follow through on those changes.

A majority of UAE residents want to grow their incomes in 2013, and almost a quarter wish to switch jobs during the year. Interestingly, sizeable number also want to take it easy in 2013 - perhaps having gone through a lot of thick and thin during the past few years.

Did your New Year resolutions make our list of top resolutions by UAE residents?

Read on to find out what are the top resolutions of UAE residents.

Bilal S, a customer service executive in a local bank wants to take home a fatter paycheck in the New Year. “I want to increase my income in 2013.

“I want to upgrade my car; my wife wants a new phone and the kids have their demands as well.

“Making more money is my top resolution in the coming year,” he said while talking to this website.

Bilal is one among the many respondents of an Emirates 24|7 online poll who wants to see their incomes increase next year.

This is the top resolution of the majority (28 per cent) of the participants.

Focusing primarily on personal finance, the poll quizzed the readers about their top resolution for the year ahead.

Besides increasing income to keep up with the rising cost of living in the past year, UAE residents seem financially prudent as a good number of them want to get rid of their debt.

“I’ve been struggling to pay off my personal loan. I tried to close the account this year but failed.

“I hope to make it happen next year,” said a respondent.

Wishing to increase income and reduce debt, a number of residents in the country are looking to change their jobs to make it happen.

There are many people who have been with their current employers for a while now, either due to limited openings in the past two years or simply because of a lack of confidence to take risks in the current scenario.

However, as the economy picks up and the job market improves, many now believe it is time to start scouting around for greener pastures.

Twenty-four per cent of respondents to the Emirates247.com poll have put a job change on top of their resolutions list.

Previous polls have shown that a majority of UAE residents believe 2013 will be a happy year as they expect to see pay hikes, more job openings and a better economy in general.

“[Our] salary survey revealed that 63 per cent of UAE professionals expect a raise within a year, with 25 per cent expecting a raise of more than 15 per cent.

“Another survey that reaffirms these positive expectations for the year ahead is our latest consumer confidence Index – November 2012 in which 49 per cent of UAE professionals stated that their personal finances will become better in a year’s time,” Suhail Masri, VP of Sales at jobs site Bayt.com, told this website.

But it isn't everyone that wants to take the next year seriously. A good number of respondents (22 per cent) want to take it easy.

“Past few years have been tough on us.

“I want to take it easy next year and want to go vacationing at least twice!,” said a participant whose top resolution for 2013 is just to take it easy.

Image via Shutterstock

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