Shadowing Practice: How Often Do You Relax? (And Why It's Important) | Easy English Conversation for Beginners - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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Hi, everyone.
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Hi, everyone.
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Welcome back to Everyday English Talk, the podcast where you can practice simple, everyday English with us.
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I'm Anna.
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And I'm Ben.
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Thank you for joining us today, wherever you are, maybe at home, on the bus, or taking a walk.
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We're really happy you're here.
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In our last episode, we talked about our favorite places to relax in our city, like a quiet park or a cozy cafe.
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Yes, it was a great topic, and today we're going to talk about something a little different.
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Today's topic is, how often do you relax, and why relaxing is so important for your health and happiness.
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That's right.
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Do you relax every day, or only on weekends, or maybe, honestly, not enough?
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It's a question many of us forget to ask ourselves, but it's really important, and today will help you think about it.
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You'll hear real conversations about relaxing, the problems, the habits, and the simple solutions.
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You'll also learn some very useful words and phrases in English to talk about how often you relax.
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And don't forget, we have a free PDF transcript and practice exercises for this episode.
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You can find the link in the description below.
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The PDF has today's full script, a list of key vocabulary, and practice activities for listening, speaking, and writing.
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So get it ready, open your notebook, and let's practice English together.
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At the end of the episode, we'll also give you a listening and speaking challenge to help you review everything.
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Alright, let's get started.
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Okay Anna, before we start, I have a question for you.
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A simple question.
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How often do you relax?
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Oh, that's a good question.
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Honestly, not enough.
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I think I'm one of those people who is always busy and forgets to relax.
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Forgets?
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You forget to relax?
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I know, I know.
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It sounds strange.
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But when I have a lot of work, I just keep going.
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I tell myself, I'll relax later.
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Just finish this one thing first.
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But then, one thing becomes two things.
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Two things become five things.
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And suddenly, the whole day is gone.
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Yes, I know that feeling.
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But here's the thing.
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I really believe that relaxing every day is important, not just on the weekend.
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Every.
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Single.
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Day.
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Every day?
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Even on your busiest days?
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Even on my busiest days.
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I don't take a long break, maybe just 10 or 15 minutes.
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But I make sure I do it.
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Wow, okay.
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So what do you actually do in those 10 or 15 minutes?
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Well, it depends on the day.
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Sometimes, I go for a short walk.
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I live near a quiet street with some trees, so after work, I just walk slowly for 10 minutes.
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No phone, no music.
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Just walking and looking around.
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At the trees, the sky, the people.
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That sounds really peaceful.
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Very simple, but peaceful.
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It really is.
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And other days, when I don't want to go outside, I just listen to music.
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I sit in my chair, close my eyes, and listen to calm music for 10 or 15 minutes.
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No screens.
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No notifications.
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Just the music and me.
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And after that, do you actually feel better?
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So much better.
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It's like my head feels lighter.
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All the stress and noise from the day gets quieter.
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I feel like I pressed a reset button on my brain.
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A reset button.
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I need that every day.
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We all do, and the good news is, it doesn't take a long time.
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You don't need one hour.
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You just need to take a short break, after work, or during your lunch hour.
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Even five minutes of doing nothing is better than zero minutes.
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I always feel guilty when I stop working, like I'm wasting time, like something bad will happen if i take a break i understand that but honestly the opposite is true when you don't take breaks you get tired you make more mistakes and you work slower but when you rest a little you come back with more energy and more focus that makes a lot of sense i think i know it but i forget it when i'm busy that's why we need to make it a habit relax every day not just every week.
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Small moments every day.
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That's the key.
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Okay, you convinced me.
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I'm going to try relaxing every day this week.
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Starting today.
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That's the spirit.
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And listeners, what about you?
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Do you relax every day?
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Or are you more like Anna, always saying, I'll relax later?
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Think about it.
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Okay, Ben.
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Can I be honest about something?
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Of course.
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Always.
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Last week was really difficult for me.
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I was so busy with work.
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Every morning, I woke up already thinking about my to-do list.
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And every night, I went to bed still thinking about work.
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Oh no.
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That sounds really hard.
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Did you feel tired a lot?
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Exhausted.
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By 2 or 3 in the afternoon, I had almost no energy left.
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My eyes felt heavy.
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I couldn't focus.
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I kept reading the same paragraph again and again and not understanding anything.
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That's a real sign your brain needs a rest.
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And did you also feel stressed?
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Yes.
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Stressed and tired at the same time.
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It's such an awful combination.
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I felt like I was running but going nowhere.
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My body was moving but my mind had already stopped working properly.
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And during all those busy days, did you take any breaks at all?
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No.
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That's exactly the problem.
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I had such a busy schedule that I thought I couldn't afford to stop.
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I thought, if I take a break now, I'll fall behind.
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I'll waste time.
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I need to keep going.
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And how did that work out?
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Terribly.
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I made more mistakes than usual.
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Small things that I normally do easily, I kept getting them wrong.
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And I felt worse and worse as the day went on.
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That's so common, Anna.
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And I think you already know the answer.
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You really needed a break.
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Your mind was telling you to stop, but you didn't listen.
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I know.
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But in that moment, stopping felt impossible.
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Like, how can I relax when there is so much to do?
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I think many people feel that way.
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But here's something important to understand.
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Small breaks don't slow you down.
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They help you move faster.
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When you give your brain a short rest, it comes back stronger.
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Really?
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How short are we talking?
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five minutes is enough.
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Stand up from your chair, walk to the window, look outside for a moment, drink a glass of water slowly, just stop for five minutes.
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Five minutes, that's nothing.
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I can definitely do five minutes.
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Yes, and those five minutes will change the rest of your day.
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You'll feel calmer, you'll think more clearly, and you'll actually get more done in the end.
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I wish I had done that last week.
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I think if I had taken small breaks, I would have felt so much better and probably made fewer mistakes too.
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Next time you feel overwhelmed, remember this conversation.
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You don't need a vacation.
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You don't need an hour off.
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You just need a break.
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A small one.
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That's enough.
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Small breaks.
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Okay.
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I'm going to write that on a sticky note and put it right next to my screen.
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Huh.
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Perfect.
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And listeners, does this sound familiar to you?
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Do you sometimes push yourself too hard and forget to stop?
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We'd love to hear your story in the comments.
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All right.
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So now let's get to the fun part.
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What can we actually do to relax?
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Simple things.
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Easy habits.
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Things that don't cost money and don't take a lot of time.
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Yes.
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Let's keep it practical.
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Real things that really work.
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You go first, Ben.
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Okay, my number one favorite is making a cup of tea.
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It sounds so simple, right?
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But let me explain.
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I don't just make tea and drink it while looking at my phone.
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I make the tea slowly.
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I boil the water, I watch the steam, I smell the tea, and then I sit down quietly and drink it.
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No phone, no laptop, nothing.
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Just me and my tea.
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That sounds so calming.
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like a little ceremony exactly it's my little ceremony and during those 10 minutes I really slow down think about it all day long we go fast fast fast we eat fast we walk fast we talk fast tea time is my moment to go slow and that That slowness, it feels really good.
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I love that.
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I think we forget how nice it feels to just slow down.
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Right.
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Another thing I do is take deep breaths.
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When I feel stressed or tired, I stop what I'm doing, close my eyes, and breathe very slowly.
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In through my nose, hold for a second.
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And out through my mouth.
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Just five or six times.
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And that actually helps?
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So much.
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It's like telling your whole body, calm down, everything is okay.
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Your shoulders drop, your heart slows down, your mind gets quieter.
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It's amazing for something so simple.
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And you can do it anywhere, right?
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At your desk, on the bus.
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Anywhere.
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It's free.
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It's always available.
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And nobody even knows you're doing it.
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Ha.
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I love that.
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Okay.
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My turn.
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One thing I really like is just sitting quietly.
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No music, no screen, no noise.
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I just sit and do nothing for a few minutes.
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That's harder than it sounds, isn't it?
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It really is.
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At first, my mind is still busy.
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I'm thinking about my emails, my schedule, what I need to cook for dinner.
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But after a minute or two, my mind starts to get quieter.
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And I start to feel better.
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It takes a little practice, but it's worth it.
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It is.
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And another thing I love, listening to calm music.
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I have a playlist of soft piano music and nature sounds.
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Rain, birds, gentle waves.
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I put it on, close my eyes, and just listen.
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I stop thinking about my to-do list.
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I stop planning.
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I just let my mind rest.
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That's beautiful.
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Music can really change your mood so quickly.
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It can.
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And Ben, you told me before that you like to look outside the window.
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Tell the listeners about that.
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Oh yes, one of my simplest habits.
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When I need a break, I just go to the window and watch the world go by.
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I watch the people walking on the street, the trees moving in the wind, a cat sitting on a wall, the clouds changing shape.
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It sounds like doing nothing, but it's actually very relaxing.
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Exactly.
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Your eyes are moving, but your brain is resting.
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It's a quiet kind of rest.
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And after a few minutes, I feel ready to go back to work.
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So, the message is really simple.
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Small things can help.
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You don't need a spa.
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You don't need a long vacation.
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You just need a few quiet minutes and a good habit.
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Take it easy, even for just a moment.
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Relax your mind.
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Let your body breathe.
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You'll feel the difference.
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And your work, your mood, your energy, everything gets better.
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Small habits, big difference.
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That's the lesson today.
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Now, it's time for your listening and speaking challenge.
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We invite you to listen to this episode again from the beginning.
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This time, try to write down all the sentences, where we talk about feeling tired, feeling stressed, and taking a break.
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Also, listen for the key phrases we used.
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Like, every day, take a short break, slow down, take a deep breath, and take it easy.
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After that, try this speaking challenge.
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Answer these two questions out loud.
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Question 1.
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How often do you relax?
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Question 2.
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What do you do to relax every day?
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Try to answer with two to four sentences.
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For example, I relax every evening after work.
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I usually listen to calm music and drink tea.
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Or, I don't relax enough.
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I have a very busy schedule, but I want to try taking short breaks every day.
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You can practice speaking out loud or write your answers in your notebook.
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Both are great ways to practice.
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And if you want to share, write your answer in the comments below.
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We love reading what you write.
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Let's quickly review today's conversation.
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Yes, today we talked about how often we relax and why it's so important.
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We learned that relaxing every day is better than waiting for the weekend.
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Even 10 or 15 minutes is enough.
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We also talked about the busy life problem, feeling tired, feeling stressed, and having a busy schedule with no time to stop.
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And we learned that small breaks are okay.
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You don't need a long vacation.
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Even five minutes can help you feel better and work better.
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And finally, we talked about simple habits to relax, making tea, taking deep breaths, Sitting quietly, listening to calm music, and looking outside the window.
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Remember these key phrases.
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Every day.
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Take a short break.
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Slow down.
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Take a deep breath.
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Relax your mind.
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Take it easy.
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Small things.
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Every day.
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That's all you need.
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Alright.
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That's the end of today's episode.
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We hope you enjoyed it, and we hope it reminded you to take a break today.
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You really deserve it.
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If you liked this episode, please subscribe to our channel and share it with a friend, especially a friend who is always too busy to relax.
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That really helps more people find our podcast and learn English with us.
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And don't forget, download the free PDF in the description below.
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It has the full transcript, key vocabulary, and practice exercises.
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Use it to review today's phrases and practice your English.
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In our next episode, we're going to talk about something very cozy.
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What do you do to relax at home?
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Ooh, I love that topic.
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So many simple and wonderful things to talk about.
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So make sure you subscribe so you don't miss it.
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Thanks so much for being here with us today.
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Keep practicing English every day.
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And remember, take it easy.
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See you next time.
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Bye.
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Bye everyone.
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About This Lesson
In this lesson, you will practice English speaking and listening skills through engaging conversations about relaxation. The discussion highlights the importance of taking breaks in our daily lives to enhance overall health and happiness. You will learn how to articulate your own relaxation habits while also reflecting on personal experiences. By the end of this lesson, you will have new vocabulary at your disposal and a deeper understanding of why finding time to relax is essential, even amidst a busy schedule.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Relax - to rest or take a break to reduce stress
- Every day - a phrase indicating something that happens daily, underscoring the importance of daily relaxation
- Busiest days - refers to days with a lot of activities or tasks to accomplish
- 10 or 15 minutes - a common time frame for short breaks
- Forget to relax - the tendency to neglect relaxation in favor of work or other obligations
- Coziness - the quality of being comfortable and inviting, often associated with comfortable places where one can relax
- Listening and speaking challenge - an exercise designed to improve skills through practice
Practice Tips
To make the most of this lesson, try using the shadowing technique as you listen. Shadowing involves repeating what you hear in real-time, which helps to improve English pronunciation and speaking fluency. Pay attention to the tone and rhythm of the speakers in the video. Here are some tips for effective practice:
- Listen to a short segment of the conversation and pause it. Then, repeat what you heard, mimicking the speakers' intonation and speed.
- Focus on the specific vocabulary and phrases introduced. Use them in your sentences to contextualize their meaning.
- Record yourself as you shadow the dialogue. Listening to your recordings can help you identify areas for improvement.
- Practice consistently, ideally daily, to develop fluency and confidence in English speaking. Utilize online shadowing sites to find additional content for extended practice.
By incorporating these tips into your routine, you will not only enhance your English speaking practice but also discover how regular relaxation can benefit your overall well-being. Happy practicing!
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.
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