Under Pressure

Before we read the text named Multi-Tasking Madness, we listened to the song: Under Pressure by the Queen. This activity was intended to act as a motivation.

The students listened to the song and filled in the gaps with the correct word.

Under Pressure - Queen

Mm ba ba de
Um bum ba de
Um bu bu bum da de
Pressure …………………………………….down on me
Pressing down on you no man ask for
Under pressure - that burns a ……………………… down
Splits a family …………………………………….
Puts people on streets
Um ba ba be
Um ba ba be
De day da
Ee day da - that's o.k.
It's the terror of …………………………………..
What this world is about
Watching some good friends
Screaming …………………………………………
Pray tomorrow - gets me ………………………….
Pressure on people - people on streets
Day day de mm hm
Da da da ba ba
O.k.
Chippin' around - kick my …………….. around the floor
These are the days it never ………………… but it pours
Ee do ba be
Ee da ba ba ba
Um bo bo
Be lap
People on streets - ee da de da de
People on streets - ee da de da de da de da
It's the terror of …………………………………….
What this world is about
Watching some good friends
Screaming ………………………………………………..
Pray tomorrow - gets me higher high high
Pressure on people - people on streets
Turned away from it all like a …………………………….
Sat on a fence but it …………………………………
Keep coming up with love
but it's so ………………………………….. and torn
Why - why - why ?
Love love love love love
Insanity laughs under pressure we're …………………………….
Can't we give ourselves one more chance
Why can't we give love that one ………………………………………
Why can't we give love give love give love give love
give love give love give love give love give love
'Cause love's such an ………………………………… world
And love dares you to …………………………….
The people on the ……………………………of the night
And love dares you to change our way of
Caring about ourselves
This is ………………………………………………….
This is ourselves
Under pressure
Under pressure
Pressure

Multi- tasking and technostress

We are presently reading a text whose title is: Multi-tasking madness. This problem affects many people nowadays because technology allows us to do so many things simultaneously. We can work from anywhere at any time; consequently we never feel disconnected from work. As time goes by, we will feel more and more tired and unable to enjoy life.
Be aware of technostress and multi-tasking madness!


Now Have a look at a text I 've found in the web about technostress.

A Conversation with TechnoStress Authors
Michelle M. Weil, Ph.D. and Larry D. Rosen, Ph.D.
________________________________________
Q: What is TechnoStress?
A: TechnoStress is our reaction to technology and how we are changing due to its influence. Over the past 15 years, as technology has become an increasingly prevalent part of our lives, we have watched TechnoStress develop and impact people in their personal lives, their family and their work environment. We are changing both internally and externally due to technology and these changes are not in our best interests physically, socially or emotionally.
Q: What is TechnoStress doing to us?
A: Some of the ramifications of the rapid influx of technology in our world are blatant, while others are quite subtle. Today, people diminish their own intelligence in comparison to technology, feeling less able and less capable in comparison to "the machine." Because technology lets us do so much, today we take on too much and end up feeling overwhelmed and never "finished." We feel invaded by technology on all fronts, by the beeps of our pagers, cell phones, incoming faxes and those of others around us. We tote our laptops on vacation and our bosses expect us to carry sky pagers. Our personal and work boundaries are blurred and we never feel true "down time" any more.
Q: What are the symptoms of TechnoStress?
A: There are many signs of TechnoStress. For example, technology allows us to do many things simultaneously. If we work at home, we can cook our dinner in the microwave oven, talk on our cellular phone, send e-mail, do a load of laundry, and be printing a document all at the same time. However, even though technology enables us to do many things at the same time, our brains become overloaded. We call this "Multitasking Madness" and we are seeing more and more of it every day. We have fallen into the trap of, "Because we can, we do." We can find ourselves unable to think clearly and we become forgetful and incapable of having a restful sleep as the stimulation from the overload keeps our brain working overtime.

A photo of our group in London

Last week we had the chance to exchange some of the photos we took in London. Some of my students proudly wore the t-shirts and sweats they bought with the sayings: I love London and Hard Rock Cafe.
Those were great days, no one of us will forget them. However, there was something we didn’t like; it was the food in the hotel, which was really awful. Portuguese food is so tasty, so succulent, so wonderful ...

P.S- I am the one in yellow.

Vocabulary related to the world of work

Hello!

I have found a site where you can test some vocabulary related to the world of work.

Try it the following! If you have many difficulties, then you can see the worksheet with the Portuguese translation

Worksheet: The world of work-vocabulary

The world of work - vocabulary (with Portuguese translation)

Telework: pros and cons...

Today's technologies allow people to work whenever and wherever they feel like it. Work has become more flexible and accessible. However, telework also has disadvantages. Workers need to manage their time very well, and learn to separate their personal life from professional life. Moreover, they may feel isolated and lonely.


I found many more arguments for and against telework in the site, http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/telework.html#_1_2,

Pros

For the Individual

• less distractions from co-workers
• more flexibility with organization of daily tasks (better personal time management)
• savings in time and commuting costs
• higher job satisfaction

For the Company

• improved employee retention
• often higher productivity
• less lost hours due to traffic problems
• reduced absenteeism
• savings in energy, office space requirements, maintenance and housekeeping.
• increases number of potential candidates for a job

Cons

For the individual

• isolation
• lack of separation between home and work
• more distractions from family
• potential for excessive working hours
• less awareness of changes in company
• fear of being under-managed or 'out of sight, out of mind'

For the company

• contacting employee
• maintaining adequate communication between other employees or with customers
• possible delay in customer service

An immortal song- Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody

The musical I watched in London, We will rock You, ended with this song, which is my favourite one.

I wish I could see it again.

Work-related quotes!

You can find here some work-related quotes. I like them a lot because they summarize some of my opinions about work, happiness, success and life, in general.
In the site, http://www.quotesdaddy.com/tag/Work%2C/1, you can find many more.


“Inspiration exists, but it has to find us working.” Pablo Picasso

“Oh, you hate your job? Why didn’t you say so? There’s a support group for that. It’s called everybody and they meet at the bar.” Drew Carey

“Work like you don’t need the money, love like your heart has never been broken, and dance like no one is watching.” Aurora Greenway

“Three rules of work: out of clutter find simplicity; from discord find harmony; in the middle of difficulties lies opportunity.” Albert Einstein

“If A equals success, then the formula is: A equals X plus Y and Z , with X being Work, Y Play and Z keeping your mouth shut.” Albert Einstein

“Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Confucius

“The best way to appreciate your job is to imagine yourself without one.” Oscar Wilde

“The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.” Donald Kendall

“Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.” Aristotle

“Minds are like parachutes; they work best when open.” Thomas Waldo

“How do I work? I grope.” Albert Einstein

“Man was made at the end of the week’s work, when God was tired”. Mark Twain

“Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable, or happy or strong. The amount of work is the same.” Francesca Reigh

A new school term is about to start ... as well as a new school (well, part of it)

Hello!
It’s nice to rest for a while, but the Easter break is almost finishing and a new school term is about to start. Are you ready? I can guess your answer, but do not forget that the summer holidays are not far away…

Part of our new school, in Vila Nova de Famalicão, is ready, so we are going to have some new classrooms and new materials. I am looking forward to having more access to technologies ...

I am preparing a new topic: The World of Work! I’m already searching for good texts, videos, songs, games and whatever may arise your interest.

I will welcome any suggestion that you may want to present.