Transcript:
Hi, everyone! Welcome to the Speak English Now Podcast.
Today, we’re going to talk about something very common: being too busy.
Maybe you know this feeling. You wake up in the morning, and before you even get out of bed, your mind starts working.
“I have to answer emails. I have to work. I have to clean the house. I have to call someone. I have to study English. I have to exercise. And, yes, I also have to relax.”
But wait a minute. If you have to relax, maybe something is wrong.
Many people today are extremely busy. And sometimes, being busy almost becomes a competition.
One person says, “I’m busy.”
Another person says, “I’m very busy.”
And a third person says, “I’m so busy I don’t even have time to be tired.”
But here is the problem: being busy is not always the same as being productive.
A person can spend the whole day answering messages, checking notifications, and doing small tasks. But at the end of the day, that person may feel tired because they didn’t do what was really important.
In English, we have a useful expression:
I have a lot on my plate.
This means: I have many responsibilities. I have many things to do.
For example:
“I can’t help with another project right now. I already have a lot on my plate.”
Another useful expression is:
My schedule is packed.
If your schedule is packed, you have many appointments, activities, or tasks. You don’t have much free time.
Of course, being busy is not always bad. We all have responsibilities. We need to work. We need to take care of our families.
The problem begins when we are busy all the time and we never stop.
When we are always in a hurry, we may stop listening carefully. We may become impatient. We may forget simple things. We may eat too quickly. We may even enjoy life too quickly.
And sometimes, we feel guilty when we rest.
But rest is not laziness. Rest helps us think clearly. Rest helps us do better work.
Another common expression is:
I need to slow down.
To slow down means to stop rushing and do things more calmly.
And if we don’t slow down, we may burn out.
To burn out means to become extremely tired because of too much work, stress, or pressure.
So, what can we do?
First, remember this: busy does not always mean important.
Second, leave some empty space in your day. Not every minute needs a plan.
Third, learn to say no sometimes. When you say yes to everything, you may say no to your peace, your health, and your family.
Now, let’s practice with a mini-story.
Mini-Story
(Practice your speaking)
I’m going to tell you a story, and I’ll ask you many easy questions.
After each question, answer out loud. Then listen to my answer.
Speak quickly. Don’t worry about mistakes.
If you want to practice more, get my Premium Courses: SpeakEnglishPodcast.com/courses
Jane was a very busy woman. Her schedule was packed every day.
Was Jane very relaxed?
No, Jane wasn’t very relaxed. Jane was very busy.
Was her schedule empty?
No, her schedule wasn’t empty. Her schedule was packed. She was very busy.
Every morning, Jane drank coffee while brushing her teeth, answering emails, and doing squats.
Did Jane drink coffee in a calm way?
No, she didn’t drink coffee in a calm way. She drank coffee while brushing her teeth, answering emails, and doing squats.
What did Jane answer?
Jane answered emails.
Jane had three calendars: one for work, one for personal life, and one for organizing the other two calendars.
Did Jane have one calendar?
No, Jane didn’t have one calendar. Jane had three calendars.
What was the third calendar for?
The third calendar was for organizing the other two calendars.
One day, Jane saw a special activity on her calendar: “Relax for ten minutes.”
Did Jane see “work for ten hours”?
No, Jane didn’t see “work for ten hours.” She saw “Relax for ten minutes.”
How long did she have to relax? 10 hours?
No, no. Not 10 hours. 10 minutes. She had to relax for ten minutes.
At 6:00 a.m., Jane’s phone rang. It said, “Warning! You are late for your relaxation.”
Did Jane’s phone ring?
Yes, Jane’s phone rang.
What did the phone say?
The phone said, “Warning! You are late for your relaxation.”
Then Jane hired a relaxation assistant named Bob.
Did Jane hire a cooking assistant?
No, she didn’t hire a cooking assistant. She hired a relaxation assistant.
Why did Jane hire Bob?
She hired Bob because she needed help relaxing.
Bob said, “Your first task is simple. Sit quietly and do nothing.”
Did Bob give Jane a difficult task?
No, Bob didn’t give Jane a difficult task. He gave her a simple task.
What was her task?
Her task was to sit quietly and do nothing.
Jane looked terrified and asked, “Can I do nothing while checking my email?”
Did Jane look peaceful?
No, Jane didn’t look peaceful. Jane looked terrified.
What did Jane want to do?
She wanted to check her email while doing nothing.
Is checking email really doing nothing?
No, checking email isn’t really doing nothing.
Bob took Jane's phone, her three calendars, and her emergency coffee cup.
What did Bob take?
He took Jane’s phone, her three calendars, and her emergency coffee cup.
For the first time in years, Jane sat quietly. She looked out the window. And nothing terrible happened.
Did Jane sit quietly?
Yes, Jane sat quietly.
Did something terrible happen?
No, nothing terrible happened.
After ten minutes, Jane smiled and said, “Maybe I don’t need to be busy every second.”
What did Jane learn?
She learned that she didn’t need to be busy every second.
And that’s the end of the mini-story.
Being busy is normal. But when your schedule is always packed, and when you feel burned out, maybe it’s time to slow down.
Remember: life is not only about doing more. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is stop, breathe, and enjoy one simple moment.
All right. That’s the end of the story. Listen to this mini-story many times to improve your speaking!
If you want to practice more, get my Premium Courses:
👉 SpeakEnglishPodcast.com/courses
Thanks for listening, and I’ll see you in the next episode.
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