Full transcript
0:00English Leap Podcast
0:02>> from Speak English with Class. [music]
0:05>> Hey English learners, welcome back to
0:07the English Leap Podcast, your cozy
0:10little place to learn easy English
0:12through real everyday conversations. I'm
0:15Anna.
0:16>> And I'm Jake.
0:17>> Jake, you look like someone who opened
0:19one email and lost half his energy.
0:22>> That is strangely accurate.
0:25>> [laughter]
0:26>> What happened?
0:27>> Nothing huge, just a normal work day
0:30kind of feeling. You know when the day
0:32starts simple and then slowly becomes
0:35many things.
0:37>> Oh, I know that feeling.
0:39>> One message becomes three tasks. One
0:42small question becomes a meeting. One
0:44meeting becomes another meeting.
0:47>> And suddenly, your coffee is cold.
0:50>> That is the true workplace tragedy.
0:54>> [laughter]
0:55>> Today, I think we should talk about
0:57that.
0:57>> Cold coffee?
0:58>> Almost. We're talking about how to
1:01describe your day at work in English.
1:04>> That is useful because when someone
1:06asks, "How was work?" many learners only
1:08say, "It was good." or "It was busy."
1:11>> Yes, but real workdays have more
1:14details.
1:15>> Some days are productive.
1:17>> Some days are stressful.
1:19>> Some days you are focused.
1:21>> Some days you are distracted by every
1:24sound, every message, every small thing.
1:28>> Some days you finish everything.
1:31>> And some days you just survive politely.
1:34>> That is very real.
1:36>> So, today we'll talk about meetings,
1:39tasks, deadlines, colleagues,
1:41distractions, and the feeling of
1:44wrapping up your work day.
1:45>> And don't worry, this is not a business
1:47lecture.
1:48>> No, this is normal daily English for
1:51talking about work.
1:53>> If you are learning English with us
1:54today, just listen like you're sitting
1:56with two friends after a long day.
1:59>> This episode is great for B1 and B2
2:02learners. And if you are A2, you can
2:05still follow the main idea as a
2:07challenge.
2:08>> Don't worry about every single word.
2:10Notice the useful phrases, repeat the
2:12lines you like, and enjoy the
2:14conversation.
2:15>> After the episode, you can visit the
2:17English Leap Club through the link in
2:19the description.
2:20>> Inside the club, you'll find the
2:22transcript, quizzes, games, and more
2:25practice activities to help you review
2:27this episode.
2:28>> And later, we'll do say it better.
2:31>> That's where we take simple workplace
2:33sentences and make them sound more
2:34natural.
2:35>> For example, instead of saying, "I had
2:38many works today."
2:40>> You can say, "I had a heavy workload
2:42today."
2:43>> Nice.
2:44>> And instead of saying, "I finished my
2:46work and went home."
2:47>> You can say, "I wrapped up my work for
2:50the day."
2:51>> So stay with us. Today, you'll learn how
2:53to talk about your work day in better
2:55English.
2:56>> So Jake, let's start with a simple
2:58question. How was your work day
3:00yesterday?
3:01>> Hmm, I would say it was busy, but not in
3:05a dramatic way.
3:07>> What do you mean?
3:08>> It wasn't one big problem. It was many
3:10small things. A few emails, one report,
3:14two calls, one task I forgot about, and
3:17a meeting that started with, "This will
3:19only take 5 minutes."
3:21>> Dangerous sentence.
3:22>> Very dangerous. It did not take 5
3:25minutes.
3:26>> It never does.
3:27>> And by lunchtime, my workload felt much
3:29heavier than I expected.
3:31>> Workload means the amount of work you
3:34have, right?
3:35>> Yes. And yesterday, mine kept growing.
3:38>> That happens so easily. In the morning,
3:41your task list looks calm.
3:43>> Then by afternoon, it suddenly has a
3:45whole personality.
3:47>> A very demanding personality.
3:49>> Sadly, not a friendly one.
3:51>> I understand that. Some days my to-do
3:54list looks friendly in the morning and
3:57by afternoon it looks angry.
3:59>> That is a perfect description.
4:02>> I think the hard part isn't always the
4:04amount of work. Sometimes it's switching
4:06between different things.
4:08>> Mhm, emails, calls, messages, documents.
4:13>> And every time you switch, your brain
4:15has to restart.
4:17>> Like an old computer.
4:19>> A little bit.
4:20>> That's when I start feeling distracted.
4:22>> Distracted means you cannot focus
4:25because something is taking your
4:26attention away.
4:28>> Yes, and at work there are so many
4:31distractions.
4:32>> Messages popping up.
4:34>> Someone asking, "Quick question?"
4:36>> Which is never quick.
4:37>> Never.
4:38>> A phone notification.
4:40>> A conversation near your desk.
4:42>> Or your own thoughts.
4:44>> Oh, the strongest distraction.
4:46>> True. Sometimes nobody interrupts me. I
4:49interrupt myself.
4:51>> Same. I open a document, then suddenly
4:53remember I need to reply to an email.
4:56>> Then you open the email.
4:57>> Then I see another email.
4:59>> Then you forget the document.
5:01>> And 20 minutes later I'm staring at the
5:03screen thinking, "Why did I come here?"
5:06>> That is painfully real.
5:08>> Work sometimes feels like walking into
5:10different rooms in your brain and
5:12forgetting why you entered.
5:14>> I like that image.
5:15>> Thank you. It came from experience.
5:17>> I had a work day like that last week. I
5:19was trying to finish one task, but
5:22people kept asking me small things.
5:25>> Were they important?
5:27>> Some were, some were not, but each one
5:30broke my focus.
5:31>> That's difficult because you want to be
5:33helpful.
5:34>> Yes, I don't want to say, "Please leave
5:37me alone forever."
5:39>> Even if your face says it.
5:41>> Sometimes my face is too honest.
5:43>> What did you do?
5:45>> I started saying, "I can help you after
5:47I finish this." It was simple, but it
5:50helped.
5:50>> That's a very good workplace sentence.
5:53>> It gives a boundary, but it still sounds
5:55polite.
5:56>> Yes, not rude, just clear.
5:59>> And that matters at work.
6:01>> It does, because if you say yes to every
6:03small thing immediately, your own work
6:06never gets finished.
6:08>> And then the deadline starts moving
6:10closer.
6:11>> Ah, deadlines. The word that makes
6:13everyone sit up a little straighter.
6:16>> Deadline means the time or date when
6:18something must be finished.
6:20>> Yes, and deadlines are interesting
6:22because a task can feel calm for days.
6:26>> Until the deadline is tomorrow.
6:29>> Then suddenly the task becomes very
6:31serious.
6:32>> Have you ever ignored a deadline until
6:34it became scary?
6:35>> I prefer the phrase waited creatively.
6:39>> [laughter]
6:39>> That is not better.
6:41>> I know, but yes, I've done it. I kept
6:44thinking I have time.
6:46>> Famous last words.
6:47>> Very famous. Then the deadline came
6:50close and I had to work fast.
6:52>> Did you finish?
6:53>> I did, but I did not enjoy the journey.
6:57>> That is a good lesson.
6:59>> Now I try to start earlier, not because
7:01I became a perfect person,
7:03>> Of course.
7:04>> but because future Jake deserves peace.
7:08>> I love that. Future Jake deserves peace.
7:11>> He really does.
7:13>> I think many people at work are not
7:15lazy, they're just tired for making
7:17decisions all day.
7:19>> Ugh, that's true.
7:21>> Every email asks for a decision, every
7:23task asks, "When will you do me?"
7:26>> And every message feels urgent, even
7:28when it isn't.
7:29>> That is why prioritizing is hard.
7:33>> Yes, you have to decide what matters now
7:35and what can wait.
7:37>> And sometimes everything feels
7:39important.
7:40>> But not everything is equally urgent.
7:43>> That sentence should be printed near
7:45every desk.
7:46>> [laughter]
7:46>> It really should. You know who helps
7:48with this sometimes? A good colleague.
7:51>> Colleague means someone you work with.
7:54>> Yes, not necessarily your close friend,
7:56but someone at your workplace.
7:58>> Good colleagues can change your whole
8:00day.
8:01>> Absolutely. Yesterday, my colleague Maya
8:04saved me.
8:05>> What happened?
8:06>> I was trying to prepare something for a
8:08meeting and I couldn't find an old file.
8:10>> That is stressful.
8:11>> Very. I checked folders, emails, shared
8:15drives, nothing.
8:17>> The file disappeared into the workplace
8:19universe.
8:20>> It did. Then Maya calmly said, "Check
8:23the project archive."
8:25>> And it was there?
8:26>> It was there, sitting quietly like it
8:28had done nothing wrong.
8:31>> Files are always innocent.
8:33>> I told Maya, "You just saved my
8:35morning."
8:36>> That's a nice sentence.
8:37>> And true. Sometimes a colleague doesn't
8:39need to do something huge, just one
8:42helpful message can reduce your stress.
8:45>> I agree. A helpful colleague makes work
8:47feel less heavy.
8:49>> Have you had that?
8:50>> Yes. I once had a colleague who always
8:52noticed when people were overwhelmed.
8:54>> That's rare.
8:55>> Very rare. She would say, "Do you need
8:58help or do you just need five quiet
9:00minutes?"
9:01>> That is a beautiful question.
9:03>> Isn't it?
9:03>> Very thoughtful.
9:05>> And sometimes I didn't need help. I just
9:07needed someone to see that I was trying.
9:10>> That hits.
9:11>> Work is not only tasks, it's also
9:13people.
9:14>> That's the part we forget.
9:16>> You can have the same task, but the
9:18people around you change how the day
9:20feels.
9:21>> A kind colleague can make a hard day
9:23easier.
9:24>> And a difficult colleague can make an
9:26easy day feel long.
9:28>> Very long.
9:30>> Workplace energy is real.
9:33>> It is. Some people bring calm energy.
9:36>> Some people confusion.
9:39>> Some people bring meetings.
9:42>> The most dangerous kind.
9:44>> I knew you would understand.
9:46>> Speaking of meetings, how do you feel
9:49about them?
9:50>> I think meetings are like spices.
9:52>> Spices?
9:54>> A little can be useful. Too much ruins
9:56everything.
9:57>> That is surprisingly accurate.
10:00>> Thank you. Some meetings are helpful.
10:02You talk, decide, and move forward.
10:05>> And some meetings just create more
10:07meetings.
10:08>> Those are the meetings I fear.
10:11>> I think learners need language for that,
10:13too. Not to complain too much, but to
10:15describe it naturally.
10:17>> Like, I had back-to-back meetings today.
10:20>> Good phrase.
10:21>> Or my meetings took up most of my
10:24morning.
10:25>> Very natural.
10:26>> Or we had a useful meeting and finally
10:29made a decision.
10:30>> That one feels rare, but hopeful.
10:33>> Very hopeful.
10:34>> What makes a workday feel productive for
10:36you?
10:37>> Productive means you got useful work
10:40done, right?
10:41>> Yes, a productive day doesn't mean you
10:43were just busy. It means you actually
10:46finished important things.
10:48>> That distinction matters.
10:50>> It really does. You can be busy all day
10:53and not feel productive.
10:55>> I have had those days. So many emails,
10:59so many small replies. But at the end, I
11:02think, what did I actually finish?
11:05>> That is such a common feeling.
11:07>> A productive day for me is when I finish
11:10one important task.
11:12>> Just one?
11:13>> Sometimes, yes. One real task is better
11:16than 10 tiny movements.
11:18>> I agree. For me, a productive day is
11:21when I know what mattered most and I
11:23actually made progress on it.
11:25>> That sounds healthy.
11:26>> I try. I don't always succeed.
11:28>> Same. Some days I confuse activity with
11:31progress.
11:32>> That's a beautiful way to say it.
11:34>> Thank you. It came from pain.
11:37>> Most useful sentences do.
11:39>> And some days I feel productive in the
11:41morning and completely slow after lunch.
11:44>> Uh, the after lunch feeling.
11:46>> It's powerful.
11:48>> Your body says, "We are done."
11:50>> But your calendar says, "No, we have two
11:52more calls."
11:53>> That is unfair.
11:55>> Very unfair. I think the afternoon is
11:58when distractions become stronger.
12:00>> Because your energy is lower.
12:02>> Yes. In the morning, I can ignore small
12:04distractions. In the afternoon, I hear
12:06one chair move and lose focus.
12:09>> [laughter]
12:10>> That's too real.
12:11>> Sometimes I take a short walk to reset.
12:14>> Good idea.
12:15>> Even 5 minutes helps. I don't solve
12:17life, but I return to the desk as a
12:19slightly better person.
12:21>> A slightly better person is still
12:23progress.
12:24>> I'll take it.
12:26>> I also like writing down one clear task
12:28after lunch.
12:29>> Just one?
12:30>> Yes. If I write five, I feel tired
12:33before I start. If I write one, I can
12:36begin.
12:36>> That makes sense.
12:38>> And when I finish it, I feel a small
12:40win.
12:40>> Workdays need small wins.
12:43>> They do. A sent email, a finished
12:45report, a solved problem, a clean desk.
12:49>> A meeting canceled.
12:50>> [laughter]
12:51>> That may be the biggest win.
12:53>> Pure happiness.
12:55>> But sometimes, even after a busy day, it
12:58is hard to stop thinking about work.
13:00>> Yes, you close the laptop, but your
13:02brain keeps working.
13:03>> It starts reviewing everything.
13:06>> Did I reply to that email?
13:08>> Was my tone okay?
13:10>> What did my manager mean by, "Let's
13:12discuss tomorrow"?
13:13>> [laughter]
13:14>> That sentence can ruin an evening.
13:16>> It really can.
13:17>> That's why I think wrapping up the day
13:19is important.
13:20>> Wrap up means to finish something,
13:22right?
13:23>> Yes. At work, when you wrap up your day,
13:25you finish what you can, check what is
13:27left, and stop for the day.
13:29>> I like that. It's not the same as
13:31finishing everything.
13:32>> No. Sometimes you can't finish
13:34everything, but you can wrap up
13:36properly.
13:37>> Like making a small note for tomorrow.
13:40>> Yes, or writing "Continue this report in
13:43the morning."
13:43>> That helps your brain relax.
13:45>> It does, because your brain doesn't have
13:47to hold everything.
13:48>> I should do that.
13:49>> You should.
13:50>> My current system is remember everything
13:53and suffer.
13:54>> [laughter]
13:55>> That system needs improvement.
13:57>> I agree.
13:57>> A good wrap-up can be simple. Check your
14:00tasks, reply to anything urgent, write
14:02tomorrow's first step, then stop.
14:05>> That sounds peaceful.
14:06>> It is not always possible, but it helps.
14:09>> I think we should also say that not
14:11every workday needs to be amazing.
14:13>> Mm, very important.
14:15>> Some days are just okay.
14:16>> Some days are messy.
14:18>> Some days are productive.
14:19>> Some days feel long.
14:21>> And some days you only do your best with
14:23the energy you have.
14:24>> That is real life.
14:26>> When someone asks, "How was work?" you
14:29don't need a perfect answer.
14:30>> You can say, "It was busy, but I
14:32managed."
14:33>> Or, "I had a heavy workload, but my
14:35colleague helped me."
14:36>> Or, "I felt distracted in the afternoon,
14:39but I still wrapped up the main task."
14:41>> That sounds natural.
14:42>> Or, "I had a productive morning, but the
14:44afternoon was slower."
14:46>> Very real.
14:47>> And if it was a hard day, you can say
14:49that gently, too.
14:50>> Like, "It was a tough day, but I'm glad
14:52it's over."
14:53>> Yes, simple and honest.
14:55>> I use that sentence often.
14:57>> I believe you.
14:58>> Anna, what would be your ideal workday?
15:02>> Mm, a quiet morning, one important task,
15:07no unnecessary meetings, a good lunch,
15:10and enough time to finish without
15:12rushing.
15:14>> That sounds like a dream.
15:15>> It does.
15:17>> Mine is similar, but with one extra
15:19thing.
15:20>> What?
15:21>> Someone brings snacks.
15:22>> Of course.
15:24>> Snacks improve workplace morale.
15:27>> That is not wrong.
15:28>> Imagine a difficult afternoon. Then
15:31someone says, "There are cookies in the
15:33kitchen."
15:34>> Suddenly everyone is friendly.
15:36>> Actually, let's make it stronger.
15:38Suddenly the whole office has hope.
15:41>> [laughter]
15:42>> That was a good save.
15:44>> I'm learning.
15:45>> Food and work are closely connected.
15:48>> Very closely.
15:49>> But seriously, I think a good work day
15:51is one where you feel useful, but not
15:54completely drained.
15:55>> That is a lovely balance.
15:58>> You do meaningful work, but you still
16:00have energy for your life after work.
16:02>> That matters because your work day is
16:04only part of your day.
16:06>> Yes, you still need time to rest, eat,
16:09talk to family, go for a walk, or just
16:11be quiet.
16:12>> Sometimes just be quiet is the plan.
16:15>> A beautiful plan.
16:17>> I support it.
16:18>> So to our listeners, when you talk about
16:20your day at work, don't only say busy.
16:23>> Add one detail.
16:25>> Say what made it busy.
16:27>> Say who helped you.
16:29>> Say what distracted you.
16:31>> Say what you finished.
16:32>> Say how you felt at the end.
16:35>> That is how a simple work update becomes
16:38a real conversation.
16:39>> And now let's take the six useful words
16:42from today's conversation and practice
16:44them properly.
16:45>> Our first word is workload.
16:48>> Workload.
16:50Workload.
16:51>> Workload means the amount of work you
16:53have.
16:54>> If you have a heavy workload, you have a
16:56lot of work to do.
16:58>> Maybe you have many tasks, emails, and
17:01meetings in one day.
17:03>> You could say, "I have a heavy workload
17:05this week."
17:06>> Or maybe you do not have too much work
17:08right now.
17:09>> Then you could say, "My workload is
17:11lighter today." Our next word is
17:14deadline.
17:15>> Deadline. line.
17:18>> A deadline is the time or date when
17:20something must be finished.
17:22>> We use this word a lot at work, school,
17:25and in projects.
17:26>> Maybe you need to finish a report by
17:28Friday.
17:29>> You could say, "I have a deadline on
17:31Friday."
17:32>> Or maybe the deadline is very close.
17:34>> Then you could say, "The deadline is
17:36coming up."
17:38>> Our next word is colleague.
17:40>> Colleague.
17:42Colleague. A colleague is someone you
17:45work with.
17:46>> A colleague can be your teammate,
17:48someone in another department, or simply
17:50someone at your workplace.
17:52>> Maybe someone at work helps you with a
17:54task.
17:54>> You could say, "My colleague helped me
17:57solve a problem."
17:58>> Or maybe you have lunch with someone
18:00from work.
18:00>> Then you could say, "I had lunch with a
18:03colleague today." Our next word is
18:05productive.
18:06>> Productive.
18:09Productive.
18:10>> Productive means you got useful work
18:13done.
18:14>> It does not only mean busy. It means
18:16your time was useful.
18:18>> Maybe you finished an important task.
18:20>> You could say, "I had a productive
18:22morning."
18:23>> Or maybe you planned your day well and
18:25made good progress.
18:27>> Then you could say, "Today felt really
18:29productive."
18:30>> Our next word is distracted.
18:33>> Distracted.
18:36Distracted.
18:37>> Distracted means you cannot focus
18:40because something takes your attention
18:41away.
18:42>> Maybe your phone keeps buzzing while you
18:44were working.
18:45>> You could say, "I felt distracted by my
18:48phone."
18:49>> Or maybe people around you are talking
18:51loudly.
18:52>> Then you could say, "I was distracted by
18:54the noise." Our final phrase is wrap up.
18:58>> Wrap up. Wrap up.
19:01>> Wrap up means to finish something.
19:03>> At work you can wrap up a meeting, a
19:05task, or your whole work day.
19:08>> Maybe it is almost time to go home and
19:10you finish the last important thing.
19:13>> You could say, "I need to wrap up my
19:15work for the day."
19:16>> Or maybe a meeting is ending.
19:18>> Then you could say, "Let's wrap up the
19:21meeting."
19:22>> Beautiful. Today we learned six
19:24workplace words and phrases: workload,
19:27deadline, colleague, productive,
19:31distracted, and wrap up.
19:33>> Try to use one of these when you talk
19:36about your day at work.
19:37>> And if you want to practice these words
19:39more, visit the English Leap Club
19:42through the link in the description.
19:43>> You can review the transcript, practice
19:46with quizzes and games, and keep
19:48building your English step by step.
19:50>> Good. Now, let's take a few common work
19:53sentences.
19:54>> And say them better.
19:56>> Let's start with a very common sentence.
19:58I had many works today.
20:01>> Learners say this a lot, but in English,
20:03work is usually uncountable here.
20:06>> A better way is, "I had a lot of work
20:09today."
20:10>> Or using today's word tour word, "I had
20:14a heavy workload today."
20:16>> Much better. That sounds natural and
20:18mature.
20:19>> Here's one. My office friend helped me.
20:22>> We understand it, but office friend is
20:25not always the best phrase.
20:28>> You can say, "My colleague helped me."
20:31>> Or a colleague helped me with a task.
20:34>> Simple and professional.
20:36>> What about this one? I was not focusing.
20:40>> Clear, but we can make it smoother.
20:42>> You can say, "I couldn't focus."
20:45>> Or "I felt distracted today."
20:48>> Very useful, especially for work days.
20:50>> Here's another one. "I did many useful
20:53things today."
20:54>> That is understandable, but it sounds a
20:57little unnatural.
20:58>> You can say, "I had a productive day."
21:01>> Or I had a productive morning.
21:03>> Short, natural, and very common.
21:06>> Let's do one for finishing work. Some
21:08learners say, I finished my office.
21:11>> That sounds funny in English because it
21:13sounds like you finished the building.
21:15>> Yes. [laughter]
21:16A better sentence is I finished work.
21:19>> Or I wrapped up my work for the day.
21:22>> That sounds very natural.
21:24>> One more. A learner might say, the last
21:26date is tomorrow.
21:28>> We understand the idea, but at work we
21:31usually say deadline.
21:33>> You can say the deadline is tomorrow.
21:35>> Or the deadline is coming up.
21:37>> That is very useful workplace English.
21:40>> I like this because these are sentences
21:42people really need.
21:43>> Yes, when someone asks, how was work?
21:46You can answer with more than just busy.
21:48>> You can say, I had a heavy workload, but
21:51I managed.
21:52>> Or I felt distracted in the afternoon,
21:54but I still wrapped up my main task.
21:57>> Beautiful.
21:58>> So now we want to hear from you. How was
22:01your work day?
22:02>> Try to use one word from today's word
22:04tour. Workload, deadline, colleague,
22:07productive, distracted, or wrap up.
22:10>> And if you want to practice more, visit
22:12the English Leap Club through the link
22:15in the description.
22:16>> Thank you for learning with us today.
22:18>> Keep practicing, take care, and don't
22:20let your coffee get cold.
22:23>> Bye for now.
22:27>> Your progress doesn't end here. To
22:30continue advancing [music] your English
22:31skills, click on the next video or
22:33explore the additional videos we've
22:34thoughtfully selected for you.