Transcription
[Music] Hello everyone and welcome back to Mr. English Channel where learning English is easy and fun. I'm Emily.
>> Hello Emily. Hi everyone. It's great to be here again. How are you today?
>> I'm doing great Paul. I had a very busy week, but it was a good week. And you?
>> I'm very good, thank you. Busy is good sometimes. It means we are doing things.
>> Yes, exactly. It's better than being bored. That makes me think about our topic for today.
>> Oh, what are we talking about today?
>> We are talking about time and more importantly, how not to waste time. The title is don't waste your time.
>> Ah, that is a very, very important topic for learning English and for life.
>> It is. So before we start our conversation, we want to ask you for a little help.
>> Yes. If you like our podcast, please click the like button. It helps us a lot.
>> And subscribe to Mr. English channel. And please share this episode with your friends and family.
>> Yes, please do. Okay, Emily. So, let's talk. Don't waste your time. What does that mean?
>> Hm. Good question. To waste time is to use your time for things that are not important or not useful.
>> I see. So, like watching TV for 8 hours every day?
>> Yes, maybe. Or looking at your phone for hours and hours and doing nothing.
>> Ah, yes, the phone. It's very easy to waste time on the phone. You look for one minute and then, poof, one hour is gone.
>> I know that feeling. It happens. But we want to help our listeners use their time well, especially for learning English.
>> That's a great idea. So, what is the first tip? How can we not waste time when we learn English?
>> I think the first step is to have a plan. A small plan.
>> A plan. Okay. Tell me more. What kind of plan?
>> Well, you don't need a big, difficult plan. A small plan is good. For example, you can say, "Today I will learn three new words in English."
>> Oh, I like that. Just three, not 100.
>> Exactly. 100 words is too much for one day. It's impossible. You feel bad when you don't do it.
>> And then you want to stop learning. I understand. So a small, easy goal.
>> Yes. Or your plan can be, "Today I will listen to one song in English."
>> That's a fun plan. So the idea is to have a small goal for every day.
>> Yes. When you have a goal, you know what to do. You don't waste time thinking, "Hm, what should I study today?"
>> That is so true. I waste a lot of time just thinking about what to do. A plan helps. Good tip, Emily.
>> Thank you, Paul. So, what's another idea? What do you think?
>> H I think another idea is to use small moments of time.
>> Small moments like what?
>> You know, the little bits of time we have during the day. 5 minutes here, 10 minutes there.
>> Oh, like when you are on the bus.
>> Yes, exactly. Or when you are in a line at the supermarket, or when you are waiting for a friend.
>> That's very smart. We all have those small moments. So, what can we do in 5 minutes?
>> You can do a lot. You can open an app on your phone and do one quick English lesson. Yes, many apps have lessons that are only 5 minutes long. That's perfect.
>> Or you can look at the three new words from your plan. You can review them.
>> I love that idea. Using the small moments so you are not just standing and waiting. You're learning.
>> Right? It's a very good way to not waste that time. And those small moments, they add up.
>> What does "add up" mean?
>> It means that many small things become one big thing. Five minutes today plus 5 minutes tomorrow plus 5 minutes the next day becomes a lot of learning.
>> Wow, that is a fantastic tip, Paul.
>> Thank you. I think it's very useful for busy people.
>> It is. I am busy. You are busy. Many of our listeners are busy.
>> Yes, we don't have 2 hours every day to sit and study, but we have five minutes.
>> Okay, so we have two tips. Tip one, make a small plan.
>> Tip two, use your small moments. What is tip number three?
>> My next tip is to make learning fun.
>> Fun, of course, learning should be fun.
>> Yes. If learning is not fun, it feels like work and you don't want to do it. You waste time trying to start.
>> I agree 100%. So, how can we make learning English fun?
>> Well, you need to find what you like. For me, I love movies. So, I watch movies in English.
>> Oh, me too. It's a great way to learn. You hear real people talking.
>> Yes. At first, you can use subtitles in your language. Then later, you can use subtitles in English. And one day, no subtitles. [Laughter]
>> Yes, that is the big goal. What is a fun way for you to learn, Paul?
>> I love music. So, I listen to a lot of music in English.
>> Ah, that's a good one.
>> I try to read the lyrics, the words of the song. I learn many new words and expressions that way. And I sing.
>> You sing? Wow.
>> Yes. In my car or in my house. Singing helps with pronunciation. It helps your mouth make the English sounds.
>> That is such a wonderful idea and it's so much fun. See, learning doesn't have to be boring.
>> Not at all. You can play video games in English. You can read simple books or comics in English.
>> You can find a friend to talk with in English, even for 10 minutes a day.
>> Yes. The important thing is to find something you enjoy. If you enjoy it, you will do it. You won't waste your time.
>> That's the key. So, the three tips for learning English are: make a small plan, use your small moments, and make it fun.
>> I think those are excellent tips. And you know what? These tips are not just for learning English.
>> Oh, what do you mean?
>> They are good tips for life.
>> You're right. Tell me more. How can we use these tips in our daily life?
>> Well, think about tip one. Make a small plan. You can do that for your day.
>> Like a to-do list.
>> Exactly. But a small one. Don't write 20 things. Write three important things, like: one, go to the supermarket. Two, call my mom. Three, read one chapter of my book.
>> Ah, that's a good idea. A big list can feel scary. A small list is nice.
>> Yes. And when you finish the three things, you feel so good. You feel productive. You didn't waste your day.
>> I love that. And what about tip two? Using small moments.
>> We can do that in life, too. You are waiting for the bus. Instead of just scrolling on social media, you can read a news article. Or you could send a nice message to a friend you haven't talked to in a while.
>> What a great idea. Yes, using that small moment to connect with someone, that is not a waste of time.
>> It's a beautiful use of time. I see your point. All these little moments can be used for something good, right?
>> And tip three, make it fun. This is important for life, too.
>> How so?
>> Well, think about exercise. Many people think exercise is boring. It's hard work.
>> Yes, that's true for some people.
>> So, don't go to a boring gym if you don't like it. Find a fun exercise. You can dance. Dancing is great exercise.
>> Yes, it is. Or you can play a sport like soccer or volleyball with friends.
>> Exactly. If it's fun, you will want to do it. You won't see it as a waste of time. You will see it as a happy time.
>> Wow, Paul, this is really good advice. So the same ideas that help us learn English can help us live a better life.
>> I think so. It's all about being smart with our time. Being intentional.
>> Intentional. That's a good word. It means you do things for a reason, with a purpose.
>> Yes. You decide how to use your time. You don't let the time just disappear.
>> H But Paul, what about rest? Is resting a waste of time?
>> Uh, that is a very, very important question. No, resting is not a waste of time.
>> I agree.
>> Your body needs rest. Your brain needs rest. If you are always busy, busy, busy, you get tired. And when you are tired, you can't learn well, you can't work well.
>> Exactly. So taking a break is important. Sleeping well is very important.
>> It is. Sometimes the best thing you can do is just sit and do nothing for 10 minutes. Just breathe.
>> Yes, that is not wasting time. That is taking care of yourself. It's like charging your battery.
>> I like that. Charging your battery. My phone needs to charge, and my brain needs to charge, too.
>> Me, too. So, let's be clear. "Don't waste time" does not mean work every second, right?
>> It means use your time for good things. And good things include learning, working, having fun, and resting.
>> A good balance. That's the secret.
>> I think so, too. A little bit of study, a little bit of work, a little bit of fun, and a little bit of rest.
>> That sounds like a perfect day.
>> It does. Well, this has been a great conversation, Paul. I feel motivated.
>> Me, too. I'm going to make my small plan for tomorrow,
>> and I'm going to find a new English movie to watch for fun.
>> That's great. I hope our listeners feel motivated, too.
>> Yes, I hope so. We believe in all of you. You can do it.
>> You can. Learning English is a journey. Use your time well and you will get there.
>> That's a perfect way to end our discussion. So to all our amazing listeners,
>> what do you do to not waste time? Do you have any special tips for learning English or for life?
>> We want to know. Please leave a comment below this episode and share your ideas with us and the community. And if you enjoyed our conversation today, please subscribe to Mr. English Channel.
>> Yes. And share this podcast with someone you know. It helps our channel grow so we can help more people.
>> Thank you all so much for listening. It was fun talking with you, Emily.
>> It was fun talking with you, too, Paul. Until next time, everyone.
>> Goodbye. Take care.
>> Bye. [Music]