Work-Life Balance
Rahul feels stretched between his demanding job and family time, so he and Priya talk about finding a better balance.
Key words and phrases
Useful sentences
- Ask You've been working very late every night. Are you okay?
- Answer I've been feeling a bit overworked, honestly.
- Ask Can we set aside some quality time this weekend?
- Answer Yes, let's plan something for just the family.
- Ask Have you thought about setting boundaries at work?
- Answer Yes, I plan to stop checking emails after eight.
- Ask Does your company offer flexible hours?
- Answer Yes, I could start working from home twice a week.
- Ask How do you like to unwind after a long day?
- Answer A short walk usually helps me relax.
- Ask Could you delegate some of your workload to your team?
- Answer Yes, I've already started delegating a few tasks.
- Ask Have you used any of your vacation days this year?
- Answer Not yet, but I'm planning to take some next month.
- Ask Does meditation actually help you switch off?
- Answer Yes, ten minutes a day makes a real difference.
- Ask What compromise did you reach with your manager?
- Answer I agreed to stay flexible on Fridays in exchange for shorter days.
- Ask How is your well-being since you started prioritizing self-care?
- Answer Much better, I actually look forward to my downtime now.
Dialogue
PriyaYou've been coming home so late this month, Rahul.
RahulI know. I've been feeling overworked lately.
PriyaMaybe it's time to set some boundaries at work.
RahulYou're right. I'll talk to my manager about flexible hours.
PriyaThat would help. We miss having quality time with you.
RahulI miss it too. Let's plan a proper family weekend soon.
PriyaYou should also try to delegate more at the office.
RahulYou're right. My workload has been too much for me to handle alone.
PriyaMaybe some self-care too — even ten minutes of meditation could help.
RahulI'll try that. Thank you for pushing me toward this compromise.
Common mistakes
- Saying "I am over-worked" as two separate ideas instead of the compound word "overworked" used as one adjective.
- Saying "Give quality time to family" instead of "Spend quality time with family" (use "spend...with," not "give...to").
- Saying "I need to balance work and life" without the standard fixed phrase — say "I need better work-life balance."
- Saying "delegate someone a task" instead of "delegate a task to someone."
- Saying "take vacation" without "days" when referring to entitled leave — say "use my vacation days" or "take a vacation."
- Saying "switch off my mind" instead of the fixed phrase "switch off" alone, which already means to stop thinking about work.
Quick quiz
1. What word describes extreme exhaustion caused by overwork?
2. Complete: "His company offers ___ hours."
3. What word means to relax after a period of work or stress?
4. What does it mean to "delegate" a task?
5. The total amount of work assigned to a person is called their ___.
6. Complete: "It's hard for him to ___ after office hours."
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