Routine Example

So now that we know the phrases to use to describe a routine we can actually get into it.

We can actually look at it in real life.

OK.

This is not my daily routine just so you know it’s not real but it’s like a real one.

OK.

I usually get up at six thirty a.m. We don’t have to say and wash my face and brush my teeth brush my teeth OK.

My workplace is far away from from my home.

So it takes me about an hour takes me about an hour to get there by subway.

Could say an hour to get there on foot an hour to get there by bicycle.

Whatever.

I don’t have time to make breakfast myself I don’t have time to actually sit down and make it to make breakfast myself typically.

But luckily sounds a little weird typically and luckily but they’re used very differently so it’s OK.

But luckily there is a really good convenience store on the way to the subway a convenience store as a little shop that maybe sells snacks sandwiches drinks coffee on the way to the subway so I can grab a sandwich or something.

Maybe it’s a sandwich or something else.

That means probably it’s usually a sandwich.

Ok.

I get to my office by around 730.

So again we have by around here that means probably before or.

Up to and then 730 maybe it’s 720 maybe it’s 725 which is before the rest of the staff the staff has everybody in the company.

Right.

It’s called the staff.

A staff member or staff member one of the staff.

So the staff is this whole group of people who work at the company because work doesn’t actually start until 8:00.

I’ve got free time to relax.

So what does work mean here.

Well this place must have some sort of rule that says everybody has to begin at 8:00.

OK maybe there’s a punch in clock punch in means that you actually need to push a button or scan a card or tap your finger on something to begin your work hours.

Maybe you’re paid by the hour an hourly wage so that’s when work starts.

So I’ve got 30 minutes I’ve got free time to relax have a cup of tea and watch videos or read.

So this is a pretty normal routine of somebody who’s getting ready for the day getting dressed washing their face and then going to work pretty normal.

It helps me center myself before the busy day ahead.

What is center myself mean so to center yourself means to calm down to keep your mind quiet to relax a little bit so that you’re able to deal with maybe stress pressure.

Stress is usually something that’s inside a feeling that we have inside.

I have so much stress pressure is usually from the outside giving me a lot of pressure everybody around me is giving me so much pressure so I feel a lot of stress.

I feel stressed OK so centering myself watching some videos relax tea.

OK so then I need to start my daily responsibilities.

OK.

I am in charge of making sure that everyone in the office has a checklist.

We know the phrase I’m in charge of making sure everybody who works here needs to have a list.

You need to do this this this this and this.

And when you finish it you need to check it off.

That’s why it’s called a check list a checklist of things to finish by the end of the day before the end of the day if the day means for example from 8:00 if it starts exactly at 8:00.

If it’s a very strict office and everybody has to punch in at 8:00 and then finish at maybe five or six or whatever that is when work finishes.

That is the end of the day.

OK.

So that means before or up to that time.

OK.

I also need to I also need to send out e-mails to different departments to remind them of monthly events and various deadlines.

OK.

So to remind somebody is to help them remember.

I’m just reminding you I’m reminding you that we have an appointment tomorrow.

I’m reminding you that we have a meeting tomorrow so please don’t forget.

Oh that reminds me I need to buy some chocolate at the store.

Thank you for reminding me.

Thank you for reminding me.

It’s different than remember to remind us something outside.

Another thing makes you remember something that reminds you or a person reminds you.

OK.

I also need to send out e-mails to different departments.

Departments are the different groups within a company.

I mentioned H.R.

before a normal company may have H.R.

human resources.

They might have.

Administration they might have maybe a purchasing department many different types of departments nowadays a lot of companies have maybe a social media department or of course a marketing department to advertise to customers or clients.

So there are a lot of different types of departments of monthly events and various deadlines remember deadlines are things we need to finish the deadline is the time the deadline is tomorrow.

Tomorrow is the deadline.

We have to finish before tomorrow.

Various means.

It doesn’t matter which ones we’re not really focusing on which deadlines we use the word various right various articles.

Just read some some various articles on the Internet various deadlines various ideas.

We’re not really focused on which ones and the idea is that they’re all a bit different.

That’s what various means.

I’m usually done with that.

That means the stuff I just mentioned all of my responsibilities by 11:00 which is about lunchtime it’s about lunch time since there is no cafeteria in the building cafeteria is the place where everybody eats at a school or at an office.

Since there is no cafeteria in the building I go out to a restaurant near or nearby the office.

Everybody gets a one hour lunch break.

Remember one half an hour.

We can make an adjective gets a one hour lunch break.

Honestly I prefer eating alone.

My personal feeling.

We often begin this kind of sentence with honestly.

Honestly I prefer eating alone.

But sometimes I eat with some of my colleagues colleagues colleagues.

What’s the difference between colleagues and coworkers.

There isn’t really a difference.

Sometimes colleagues might be a little bit higher level right.

So maybe business people will talk about their their associates or people they work with as colleagues and maybe co-workers are just people in your office right.

People who work in the same office as you so colleagues.

This word is a bit more general but sometimes I eat with some of my colleagues.

If I’m really busy and don’t have time for lunch I may just get a snack snack is small amounts of food chips and apple candy bar something very small a snack.

Usually we eat that between meals.

It’s not a full meal a full meal or a snack full meal snack.

It may just get a snack from the vending machine vending machine the machine where you would buy the snacks push the button.

Take the snack.

I know it’s not healthy but you’ve got to do what you gotta do.

You’ve got to do what you gotta do.

This is a really common phrase you’ve got to do what you gotta do.

You’ve got to do what you gotta do.

It basically means that sometimes you can’t really choose what you’d really like.

What I’d really like is a nice lunch in a restaurant.

Mexican food by myself.

Listening to maybe a podcast sounds great but I don’t have time.

I’m too busy today.

So you’ve got to do what you gotta do.

I don’t really have a choice.

You’ve got to do what you gotta do means what we do.

What we have to do when we don’t really have a choice or when somebody is limiting us or when we don’t have enough time or we don’t have enough money.

Basically we have no other option.

So we use this phrase.

So we’ve talked about the phrases and the words you can use to describe your routine things you need to do.

How we can explain time and our actions related to time as well as how we describe our responsibilities.

Then we looked at an example and now I want you to actually try it yourself.

You should feel pretty comfortable with these words and phrases by now and hopefully you’ve listened to or gone through the example a couple times.

Try it describe your routine in as much detail as you can record yourself doing it.

Don’t just write it down.

In fact don’t write it down at all.

Just record yourself describing your routine.

Try to use the words and phrases from this lesson.

Don’t copy my example but draw inspiration from it.

Follow the basic structure.

Start with your the beginning of your day right.

Start with the breakfast maybe and your morning routine then get into work or school and describe some of your responsibilities in work or school.

That’s a pretty good structure to use.

Record yourself and then listen to it again.

And if you’re not happy with it record yourself doing it again until you’re happy with it.

Pick out some of the things that you’re saying that maybe sound a little odd until it sounds natural and smooth.

Do it again and again and you’ll get used to it.

You’ll get comfortable with it and that’s how you gain confidence.

Go for it.