ESL商务英语: ESL Podcast 272 – Time Management

ESL Podcast 272 – Time Management

GLOSSARY 1

to be snowed under – to have too much work to do; to be very busy* During finals week, students are snowed under with exams and essays.

efficient – able to do things very well and very quickly, without wasting time* Ike is very efficient, so he’s able to do twice as much work as anyone else in aday.

time management – the practice of planning one’s activities during a day tomake good use of the time that is available* Susana must have exceptional 2 time management skills, because she’s going toschool, working full-time 3, and raising two children.

tool – a thing or idea that helps people do something better, more quickly, ormore easily* Many websites give people tools for saving their money, such as specialcalculators and ideas for spending less.

to keep track of (something) – to monitor something; to know what is happening with something at all times* Makiko keeps track of how she spends her money by writing all her purchases in a small book that she carries with her.

deadline – the day or time when something is due; the day or time whensomething has to be finished * People who write for daily newspapers have deadlines every afternoon.

definitely – certainly; without a doubt; a word used to show that something is true* Arturas and his wife definitely want to have children soon.

to-do list – a list of the things that one has to do; a piece of paper with the things that one needs to do written on it.

* What’s on your to-do list for today?

task – something that needs to be done; a small activity or project that needs tobe finished* My task for the project is to call the health department, and Janie’s task is toread about the diseases we’re researching.

high-priority 4, low-priority – the very important (high-priority) and less important(low-priority) important things that need to be done before or after other things* A high-priority for Jean this week is to finish moving into her new apartmentbefore her new job begins, and going out with friends has to be low-priority untilthat’s done.

to assign – to say that something should be done by a specific person orfinished at a specific time* The director assigned Sibyl to head new project.

urgent – very important and needing to be finished very quickly* When Kaur broke his leg, it was urgent that we get him to the hospital.

to slip through the cracks – to be forgotten or overlooked 5 because one was paying attention to other things* My highest priority as your new mayor is to make sure that the poor do not slipthrough the cracks.

to check off – to put a check mark (!) next to one line in a list to show that thatthing has been finished and no longer needs to be considered* The airline employee had a list of all the passengers’ names and he checkedthem off as they got on the plane.

to cross off – to draw a line through one line in a list (example) to show that thething has been finished and no longer needs to be considered* There are only three weeks until my vacation and I’m crossing off each day onthe calendar as I get closer.

reminder 6 – something that is written or said to make one remember something* Can you please send everyone a reminder that our group will meet in front ofthe museum before the tour?

to schedule – to decide when things will happen in the future; to decide thatsomething will happen at a certain time and date in the future* Many businesspeople have secretaries or assistants to help them with theirscheduling.

to allocate 7 – to give time, money, or something else to someone or somethingfor a specific purpose* Every month, Sean allocates 8 $350 for food, $100 for entertainment, and $100for transportation.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS1. Why does Ruby 9 say that she’s snowed under with work? a) Because it is snowing too much to work.

b) Because she works only when it snows.

c) Because she has a lot of work to do.

2. What does Ian check off and cross off?

a) Reminders 10.

b) Tasks.

c) Cracks.

______________WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN?

toolThe word “tool,” in this podcast, means a thing or idea that helps people dosomething better or more quickly or easily: “Knowing how to listen well is awonderful tool for making new friends.”  The word “tool” is also a small thing,usually made of metal, plastic, or wood, that is used for a specific purpose: “You’ll need some tools to make a table: a saw, a hammer, and a screwdriver 11.” Or, “The garden tools, like shovels 12 and spades, are stored in the outdoor shed.” When we talk about a person being a “tool,” we mean that he or she is beingcontrolled and used by another person: “The new secretary of the Department ofEnergy is a tool of the president.”

to check offIn this podcast, the phrase “to check off” means to put a check mark (!) next toone line in a list to show that a thing has been finished and no longer needs to beconsidered: “Hal made a list of all the Christmas presents he wanted to buy andchecked them off as he found them.”  The phrase “to check out” means to look atsomething interesting: “Hey, check out what Camilo is wearing today!”  Thephrase “to check out” also means to take a book from a library, or to get a videoor DVD from a rental 13 store: “Yesterday they went to the library and checked outbooks about George Washington.”  The phrase “to check on (someone)” means to make sure that someone is okay and not having problems: “Can you pleasecheck on the children sleeping upstairs?”

CULTURE NOTEIn the United States, “punctuality,” or not being late, is very important.  Peopleare expected to be “punctual” and arrive “on time,” or when things are scheduled. In the world of business, if you have a meeting or an interview, it is a good ideato get there a few minutes early.  If you are late, it is very rude or impolite.  Many people view “tardiness,” or being late, as a sign that one does not take his or herwork seriously, or as a sign that one is lazy.  If you are going to arrive late to abusiness meeting, perhaps because you are “stuck in traffic” (driving slowly because there are too many other cars on the road), it is a good idea to call to letthe other people know that you will be late, the reasons why, and an “estimate,”

or guess, of when you will arrive.

For social events, being punctual is not as important as in the world of business,but it is still important.  When friends agree to meet each other somewhere at acertain time, they try “to show up” (arrive) exactly at that time.  The friends willusually wait for each other for 10 or 15 minutes, but probably not any longer thanthat.  After that, friends will feel like they have been “stood up” (made to wait forsomeone who does not plan to arrive). Sometimes people like to arrive “fashionably late” at a party.  They might come30 or even 60 minutes late “to make a grand entrance” so that everyone notices them when they enter the building.  But in almost all other “circumstances,” orsituations, it is a good idea to arrive at events on time.

______________Comprehension Questions Correct Answers:  1 – c; 2 – b

COMPLETE TRANSCRIPTWelcome to English as a Second Language Podcast number 272: TimeManagement.

This is English as a Second Language Podcast episode 14 272.  I'm your host, Dr.

Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development inbeautiful Los Angeles, California.

Remember to visit our website at eslpod.com and download a Learning Guide forthis episode.  It contains all of the vocabulary, sample sentences, additionalvocabulary we don't talk about on the podcast, cultural notes, and a completetranscript of this episode.

This episode is called “Time Management.”  It's going to talk about something weall need to do, which is figure out how we're going to spend our time every day. Let's get started.

[start of story]

Ruby:  I’m snowed under with work!  I can’t seem to keep up with everything Ihave to do.  You’re always so organized and efficient.  How do you do it?

Ian:  I’m not always organized and efficient, but I’ve gotten better since I read abook about time management.  I use a few tools that the book recommends,which help me to plan and to keep track of deadlines. Ruby:  Do you think it would help me?

Ian:  Definitely.  This is what I do.  I keep a to-do list of all of the things I need todo.  Then, I decide which tasks are high-priority and which have low-priority.  Iwrite down the deadline I’m given for the task or I assign a deadline of my own,and I make a note of the most urgent tasks. Ruby:  That seems pretty simple, but how do I keep track of the progress I makeon a task?  Sometimes things just slip through the cracks for me. Ian:  I do a couple of things.  First, I keep my list updated.  I check off or cross offthose that I’ve done.  I also put reminders for myself on my computer to help mewith scheduling.  It helps me to remember my appointments and to allocate my time better.

Ruby:  That sounds like a great system.  All I need now is some extra time so Ican start doing some time management!

[end of story]

Our dialogue between Ruby and Ian begins by Ruby complaining that she is snowed under with work.  “To be snowed under” means to have too much work to do; to be very busy.  “Snow,” of course, is the white stuff that falls from the sky when it's cold in the wintertime in the northern or mountainous climates.

Ruby says she's snowed under with work.  She says, “I can’t seem to keep upwith everything.”  “To keep up with” means to get everything done.  Ruby says toIan, “You’re always so organized and efficient.  How do you do it?”  “To beefficient” (efficient) means to be able to do things very well and very quickly without wasting time.  The opposite of efficient is inefficient 15.  I, for example, amvery inefficient!

Ian says that “I’m not always organized and efficient, but I’ve gotten better since Iread a book about time management.”  “Time management” is the name of this episode; it's a practice of planning your events – your activities – so that youmake good use of your time.  Ian says he uses a few tools that the book recommends.  Here “tool” (tool) is a thing or an idea that helps people dosomething better, more quickly, or more easily.  There are other meanings of this word “tool,” take a look at our Learning Guide for additional definitions.

The tools that Ian uses help him keep track of deadlines.  The expression “tokeep track (track) of something” means to monitor something; to know what is happening with something at all times.  “I need to keep track of my money,” thatmeans I need to know where I am spending my money every day.  Ian uses these tools to keep track of deadlines.  A “deadline” (deadline – one word) is when you have to complete something; it's the time or day that you have to havesomething done.

Ruby asks if these tools would help her, too, and Ian says, “Definitely.”  Here,“definitely” means certainly, without a doubt.  We use it to show that something is true.  We really agree with a person; we're saying, “Definitely, that is true.”  Ianthen explains what he does.  He has a to-do list.  A “to-do list” is a list of thingsthat you have to do.  It could be on a piece of paper; it could be on yourselfphone or on your computer.  It's a list of the things that you have to do. Ian says after he puts everything on his to-do list, he decides which tasks arehigh-priority and which are low-priority.  A “task” (task) is something that needs to be done; anything that you have to do is a task.  Tasks can be “high-priority,”

meaning they're very important, or “low-priority,” meaning they're less important,not things you have to do right away.

Ian writes down the deadline for the task – when he has to have it completed – orhe assigns a deadline of his own.  “To assign” (assign) means to say somethingshould be done at a certain time.  Here, it could also mean to give yourself adeadline; to assign a deadline.  We also use this word in school.  The teacherassigns homework to the students, she says to the students, “You must read this book,” or, “You must write this paper.”  She gives them a task – she gives themhomework – she assigns them homework.

Ian says that he makes a note, or he indicates on his list, the most urgent tasks. “Urgent” (urgent) means something that is very important that has to get doneright away.  It's something that you must do immediately; it's urgent.  If someonesays, “I have an urgent message for you,” they mean you must look at this rightaway.

Ruby says to Ian, “That seems pretty simple, but how do I keep track of theprogress I make on a task?”  How does she know how well she is doing?  Shesays, “Sometimes things just slip through the cracks.”  The expression “to slip(slip) through the cracks (cracks)” means to be forgotten; to forget something; tonot do something because you were paying attention to something else; to forgetabout something.  That's to slip through the cracks.

Ian says he does a couple of things so that his important tasks don't slip throughthe cracks.  First, he keeps his list “updated,” meaning he makes sure that it is current; it is up to date.  He checks off or crosses off the tasks that he'scompleted.  “To check off,” (check) off, means to put a check mark, which is aline.  It looks like a “V” that has one side of it much longer than the other; that's acheck mark.  So, “to check off” means to put a check mark next to something toindicate that you have completed it.  The other possibility is to cross off.  “Tocross (cross) off something” means to draw a line through it, usually one line toshow that you have completed it.  So, it is used the same as a check mark.  Ishould mention the verb “to check off” has a couple of different meanings.  Again,take a look at the learning guide for more explanations.

Ian says he also puts reminders for himself on his computer to help him withscheduling.  A “reminder” is something that is written down or said that makes you remember something.  It could be a piece of paper you put on your computerscreen: “Call the dentist.”  That would be a reminder; it's helping 16 you remember to do something.  I need lots of reminders because as I get old, I forget things. Not too old, but I'm getting there!

“Scheduling” is from the verb “to schedule,” and that means to decide when youare going to do things in the future:  what time or what day are you going to dosomething.  We all try to schedule time to relax, for example, at the end of theday or on the weekend.

Finally, Ian says these reminders help him remember his appointments and toallocate his time better.  “To allocate” (allocate) means to give time or money orsomething to someone for a specific purpose.  So here, he is allocating 17 his time. He's saying, “I'm going to spend one hour doing this; I'm going to spend twohours doing that.”  You could also allocate your money, decide how much money you are going to spend on each specific thing.  If you go on vacation, you may decide to allocate $50 every day for your lunch and dinner; that would be toallocate.

Now let's take a listen to the dialogue, this time at a native rate of speech.

[start of story]

Ruby:  I’m snowed under with work!  I can’t seem to keep up with everything Ihave to do.  You’re always so organized and efficient.  How do you do it?

Ian:  I’m not always organized and efficient, but I’ve gotten better since I read abook about time management.  I use a few tools that the book recommends,which help me to plan and to keep track of deadlines. Ruby:  Do you think it would help me?

Ian:  Definitely.  This is what I do.  I keep a to-do list of all of the things I need todo.  Then, I decide which tasks are high-priority and which have low-priority.  Iwrite down the deadlines I’m given for the task or I assign a deadline of my own,and I make a note of the most urgent tasks. Ruby:  That seems pretty simple, but how do I keep track of the progress I makeon a task?  Sometimes things just slip through the cracks for me. Ian:  I do a couple of things.  First, I keep my list updated.  I check off or cross offthose that I’ve done.  I also put reminders for myself on my computer to help mewith scheduling.  It helps me to remember my appointments and to allocate my time better.  

Ruby:  That sounds like a great system.  All I need now is some extra time so Ican start doing some time management!

[end of story]

The script for this episode was written by Dr. Lucy Tse. From Los Angeles, California, I'm Jeff McQuillan.  Thanks for listening.  We'll seeyou next time on ESL Podcast.

English as a Second Language Podcast is written and produced by Dr. Lucy Tse,hosted by Dr. Jeff McQuillan.  This podcast is copyright 2007.