This episode’s vocabulary
Structured
adj. — organized so that the parts relate well to each other; having a clear structure.
Refreshed
adj. — less hot or tired.
To-do list
noun — a list of the tasks that you have to do, or things that you want to do.
Multitasking
noun — a person's or product's ability to do more than one thing at a time.
To lay something out
phrasal verb — to arrange something on a flat surface.
Mains
phrase — the system of pipes or wires that carry water or electricity into a house, or the pipes that carry sewage away from a house.
To be good to go
idiom — to be prepared and ready to do something.
To sort something/someone out
phrasal verb — to deal successfully with a problem, a situation, or a person who is having difficulties.
Solitary
adj. — done alone.
At length
phrase — for a long time.
Questions and answers
Rory, give us your story.
I think the most structured part of my day is probably the mornings. Especially during the weekdays. I'm always at home then and by myself, but I never tire of it since it leaves me feeling refreshed and ready to start the day. To describe it in greater detail, I get up rather early and immediately start working my way down the to-do list I have ready for the day. First, I make my bed since it's a small win to start things off and show that the day is, well, started for lack of a better word. Then I get to work with my morning workout. The first part pretty much runs itself. So I can usually do things like check my emails while I'm working out. I don't think this is for everyone as multitasking isn't very healthy, but I've become used to it. After I do my revision and check my emails and notifications, I progress to the second part of my workout. So during breaks between sets, I lay my clothes out for going to the gym. And then for outside of it. And I make everything ready for classes if I have classes that day. And this goes on until I finish my workout and head for the kitchen and make a shake and hook my laptop up to the mains. Then I shower and refill all my glasses of water for the day and I'm good to go. To say more about where and when I do it. This takes place entirely in my room, though, well, almost entirely in my room. At the end, I start work in my office. This is usually between six and eight in the morning, so I have a lot of time to get stuff sorted out. As I said when it comes to who I do it with, I'm physically by myself, though sometimes I message my friends and people who have messaged me during the night and maybe have a few online conversations with them. That means it isn't quite as solitary as it sounds. In terms of why I enjoy it, I think the big reasons are that it gives me a series of successes to start the day from making my bed to finishing my workout to doing a few small tasks for work and cleaning my inbox. If I didn't have this routine, I'm not sure I'd be able to function well in the mornings. I really like the structure and hope it continues in some way, shape or form into the future.
And what do your friends say about it?
I don't really talk to them at great length about it.