Lesson 1

Vocabulary

1. Match the words with their definitions.

1. burnout, b. a situation where you can’t do anything because you’re so tired and stressed
2. exhausted, e. describing the feeling of being very tired
3. cope, a. to deal successfully with difficult situations
4. well-being, c. the state of being comfortable, healthy and happy
5. mental health, d. how we handle stress, relate to others and make choices
6. improve, j. to get better
7. promote, h. support and encourage the development of something
8. self-care, i. taking care of your body and how you feel
9. time management, g. organising when you do things and for how long
10. stress, f. a feeling of being very worried and scared

Reading

2. Read the article. What is burnout? How do you know someone is experiencing it?

1. Burnout is a situation where you can’t do anything because you’re so tired and stressed. It is caused by external factors, such as the amount of work you have to do, and internal factors, such as trying to do everything perfectly and struggling with time management; inding it dificult to say ‘no’.

2. Signs that someone is experiencing burnout include them feeling exhausted; not spending enough time on things they enjoy/giving up hobbies; becoming ill more often.

3. Read the article again. Make notes on the answers to these questions. Then discuss and compare your ideas in pairs.

1. What causes burnout?

It is caused by external factors, such as the amount of work you have to do, and internal factors, such as trying to do everything perfectly and struggling with time management; inding it dificult to say ‘no’.

2. What problems does burnout cause?

Burnout can cause problems such as stress, sleep problems, headaches, and shoulder/back pain.

3. How can you decide if a particular activity can help you to avoid burnout?

If you enjoy doing the activity, and it helps you to forget about everything else that is happening.

Language

4. Match the phrases from the article with the meaning of the modal verbs in bold.

1. You might stop doing hobbies. c. There’s a chance that this will happen.
2. the amount of homework you have to do, d. This is something that is necessary to do.
3. You could become ill. c. There’s a chance that this will happen.
4. decisions you make about things that you can control, b. It’s possible to do this.
5. These should be activities that help you forget. a. It’s a good idea to do this.