WEBVTT FILE 1 00:00:05.840 --> 00:00:11.680 Hello. This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning  English. I’m Georgina. And I’m Neil. Neil, 2 00:00:11.680 --> 00:00:17.680 this may sound a bit personal, but have you ever taken your clothes off? Err, well, yes. Every 3 00:00:17.680 --> 00:00:23.199 day when I have a shower. Of course. I mean in  public – have you ever been naked in public? 4 00:00:23.840 --> 00:00:30.480 No! Stripping off – or getting naked - publicly,  is not my idea of fun. Who would enjoy doing 5 00:00:30.480 --> 00:00:36.159 that? Well, naturists would. That’s what we  call people who think not wearing clothes 6 00:00:36.159 --> 00:00:42.639 outdoors is a healthy way to live, and it makes  them feel good. We might also call them nudists, 7 00:00:42.640 --> 00:00:49.199 because they are nude. Right, so naturists feel  being naked is natural – it’s not about them being 8 00:00:49.200 --> 00:00:55.440 interested in nature?! Not necessarily, but we are  going to discuss why being naked in nature might 9 00:00:55.440 --> 00:01:01.120 be good for us. But how about a question first,  Neil? The act of swimming naked is informally 10 00:01:01.120 --> 00:01:08.880 called skinny dipping. The world’s largest skinny  dip took place in Ireland in 2018 - but do you 11 00:01:08.880 --> 00:01:16.540 know how many naked swimmers went into the  sea? Was it approximately… a) 250 people, 12 00:01:17.200 --> 00:01:27.760 b) 2,500 people, or c) 25,000 people? I’d have  to guess and say that only 250 people would be 13 00:01:27.760 --> 00:01:34.080 brave enough to run into the cold sea, naked! Well, as always, I’ll reveal the answer later. 14 00:01:34.080 --> 00:01:39.680 So, the idea of getting naked might fill you with  dread - it might seem embarrassing - but some 15 00:01:39.680 --> 00:01:46.160 people do sunbathe naked on the beach or in their  garden or they go to naturist holiday parks. But 16 00:01:46.160 --> 00:01:52.080 naked rambling – walking naked in the countryside  – might be taking it one step further. However,   17 00:01:52.080 --> 00:01:57.760 it’s something Donna Price, a volunteer at British  Naturism, is keen to advocate – or publicly 18 00:01:57.760 --> 00:02:04.960 support. Here she is, speaking on BBC Radio 4’s  Woman’s Hour programme, explaining why… We enjoy 19 00:02:04.960 --> 00:02:11.680 the feeling of being at one with nature. If you  haven't actually tried being naked in nature, and 20 00:02:11.680 --> 00:02:17.840 naked outdoors, when you can feel the skin, the  warmth air all over your skin, it's such a lovely 21 00:02:17.840 --> 00:02:24.000 feeling. There is a great feeling of liberation  and freedom once you actually try naturism - and 22 00:02:24.000 --> 00:02:28.639 I would never advocate for someone to actually go  out for a naked walk as the first thing they ever 23 00:02:28.639 --> 00:02:34.511 did - I just would not do that! You've got to be  comfortable in your own skin, so you do it at home, at ... 24 00:02:34.512 --> 00:02:39.840 you know, in your own garden maybe if you can - get  comfortable with yourself, actually start to 25 00:02:39.840 --> 00:02:47.280 feel that being naked feels normal, which, I mean, to me,  it does. So, for Donna, naked rambling means she 26 00:02:47.280 --> 00:02:53.360 has a connection with nature, she feels part of it  and it makes her feel good – that’s the feeling of 27 00:02:53.360 --> 00:02:59.360 being at one with nature. Hmm, but couldn’t you do  that with your clothes on? Well, she also mentions 28 00:02:59.360 --> 00:03:04.080 there’s a feeling of freedom and liberation – that’s being freed from something – here, 29 00:03:04.080 --> 00:03:09.760 it’s freed from your clothes. Donna also told the  Woman’s Hour programme that going for a naked walk 30 00:03:09.760 --> 00:03:14.639 shouldn’t be the first thing you attempt to do. You need to feel relaxed and confident with your 31 00:03:14.639 --> 00:03:20.159 actions first – or what we sometimes  say is ‘comfortable in your own skin’. 32 00:03:20.160 --> 00:03:25.360 Yes, she says we need to get to feel that  nakedness is normal. I suppose we were all   33 00:03:25.360 --> 00:03:31.440 born naked and it’s not something to be ashamed  of. And, in the UK at least, it’s generally not   34 00:03:31.440 --> 00:03:37.600 against the law to be naked in public. Hmm, I’m  still not convinced, but according to Donna Price,   35 00:03:37.600 --> 00:03:43.119 this freedom of expression is quite well received  when she’s out walking. Here she is speaking on   36 00:03:43.120 --> 00:03:49.440 the BBC’s Woman’s Hour programme again… A majority  of the responses that you actually encounter, if   37 00:03:49.440 --> 00:03:57.280 you do encounter the public, the general public,  are actually very encouraging. They're not shock,   38 00:03:57.280 --> 00:04:02.827 horror majority of the time, I can guarantee  that. A lot of people say just 'good morning'   39 00:04:02.827 --> 00:04:09.200 and carry on, some of them actually say 'gosh,  you're braver than I am’ if it’s a bit chilly.   40 00:04:09.200 --> 00:04:15.440 A lot of them just say, ' I really wish I could  do that' and usually we just say 'you can!'. So,   41 00:04:15.440 --> 00:04:20.959 the people Donna encounters – or meets – seem  to support what she’s doing. She says it's not   42 00:04:20.960 --> 00:04:25.839 shock, horror – this is usually said as an  informal way of actually saying something   43 00:04:25.839 --> 00:04:31.279 is not surprising, not shocking! Well, shock, horror, Neil, I won’t be taking my clothes off   44 00:04:31.279 --> 00:04:36.799 anytime soon – it’s too cold anyway and I don’t  want to be bitten by all those bugs you get in the   45 00:04:36.800 --> 00:04:42.560 countryside. But it’s good to hear that people are  open-minded to the idea. Yes, good luck to anyone   46 00:04:42.560 --> 00:04:47.520 who wants to give it a try and well done to those  brave people who took part in the world’s biggest   47 00:04:47.520 --> 00:04:54.000 skinny dip – a mass naked swim. Earlier, Georgina,  you asked me how many people took part in the   48 00:04:54.000 --> 00:05:01.920 event in Ireland in 2018. I did, and you said? I said about 250 people went for a dip. Was I right?   49 00:05:01.920 --> 00:05:09.279 No, Neil. According to Guinness World Records,  2,505 women took part in the largest charity   50 00:05:09.279 --> 00:05:15.039 skinny dip in Wicklow in Ireland. Well, well  done to them, and skinny dipping was one of the 51 00:05:15.040 --> 00:05:20.400 items of vocabulary we discussed today. This is  an informal way of describing the act of swimming 52 00:05:20.400 --> 00:05:25.919 naked. We’ve also been discussing naturists -  people who think not wearing clothes outdoors 53 00:05:25.920 --> 00:05:31.040 is a healthy way to live, and it makes them  feel good. The act of doing this is called 54 00:05:31.040 --> 00:05:37.200 'naturism'. And when you advocate something, like  naturism for example, you publicly support it.   55 00:05:37.200 --> 00:05:42.697 'Being at one with nature' means having a connection  with the natural world that makes you feel good. 56 00:05:42.697 --> 00:05:48.720 And 'liberation' means being freed from something.  And when we say ‘shock, horror!’, we actually mean   57 00:05:48.720 --> 00:05:53.760 the opposite and mean something in not shocking  or surprising – we’re being sarcastic, I guess.   58 00:05:53.760 --> 00:05:58.560 It’s not like you to be sarcastic, Neil!  But shock, horror – we’re out of time now.   59 00:05:58.560 --> 00:06:03.840 We only get 6 minutes and that’s the naked  truth! Thanks for listening and goodbye. Goodbye. 60 00:06:09.920 --> 00:06:15.040 Hello. This is 6 Minute English from BBC  Learning English. I'm Neil. And I'm Sam.   61 00:06:15.839 --> 00:06:21.679 When Neil and I record 6 Minute English  face-to-face in the BBC Learning English   62 00:06:21.680 --> 00:06:27.680 studio, which, I am happy to say, we are doing  right now, we look at each other as we speak.   63 00:06:27.680 --> 00:06:33.600 We smile and use hand gestures and facial  expressions in a type of communication called   64 00:06:33.600 --> 00:06:39.279 'body language'. But during the Covid pandemic,  everyday meetings with work colleagues, teachers   65 00:06:39.279 --> 00:06:45.679 and friends, and 6 Minute English recordings -  all moved online. Video meetings using software   66 00:06:45.680 --> 00:06:50.720 like Zoom and Skype became the normal way  to communicate with family and friends.   67 00:06:50.720 --> 00:06:56.239 And whatever happens with Covid in the future,  it seems they're here to stay. In this programme,   68 00:06:56.240 --> 00:07:02.080 we'll be asking: how has body language changed  in the world of online video meetings? We'll   69 00:07:02.080 --> 00:07:08.720 meet the person who wrote the rulebook for clear  communication in the digital age - Erica Dhawan,   70 00:07:08.720 --> 00:07:14.480 author of a new book, 'Digital Body Language'.  But before that, I have a question for you, Sam,   71 00:07:14.480 --> 00:07:20.320 and it's about Erica Dhawan. She may be a  communications expert now, but growing up in   72 00:07:20.320 --> 00:07:26.800 Pennsylvania she was a shy and quiet schoolgirl.  So how did Erica beat her shyness and become the   73 00:07:26.800 --> 00:07:32.640 confident communicator she is today? Did  she: a) attend public speaking classes?,   74 00:07:32.640 --> 00:07:38.880 b) copy the body language of the cool kids at  school? or, c) raised her hand to answer the   75 00:07:38.880 --> 00:07:45.040 teacher's questions, even if she didn't know the  answer? I'll guess 'c' - she raised her hand   76 00:07:45.040 --> 00:07:50.880 to answer the teacher's questions. OK, Sam. We'll  reveal the correct answer later in the programme.   77 00:07:51.520 --> 00:07:57.440 In face-to-face meetings, we immediately see  someone's reaction to what we've said through eye   78 00:07:57.440 --> 00:08:03.600 contact, where two people look into each other's  eyes as they talk. Unfortunately, using a web   79 00:08:03.600 --> 00:08:10.000 camera to make eye contact is almost impossible in  online meetings and this often creates a kind of   80 00:08:10.000 --> 00:08:16.000 'distancing' effect. Erica Dhawan makes several  suggestions to help with this. See if you can   81 00:08:16.000 --> 00:08:22.320 hear the final suggestion she makes to Michael  Rosen as part of BBC Radio 4's Word of Mouth.   82 00:08:23.360 --> 00:08:29.919 And last but not least, slow down. Remember when  it was completely normal to have a one-minute   83 00:08:29.920 --> 00:08:33.920 pause in a room with one another because we  knew when we're thinking and brainstorming.   84 00:08:33.920 --> 00:08:38.960 If we don't hear someone speak on video, we  ask them if they're on mute. Practise what I   85 00:08:38.960 --> 00:08:43.600 call the five-second rule - wait five seconds  before speaking to make sure that individuals   86 00:08:43.600 --> 00:08:48.880 have time to process the ideas, especially if  there may be technology or accessibility issues.   87 00:08:50.400 --> 00:08:56.959 Did you hear Erica's last piece of advice, Neil?  Yes, she recommends slowing down, something we do   88 00:08:56.960 --> 00:09:02.000 naturally face-to-face when we're thinking or  brainstorming - that's discussing suggestions   89 00:09:02.000 --> 00:09:08.880 with a group of people to come up with new ideas  or to solve problems. Slowing down gives us time   90 00:09:08.880 --> 00:09:14.880 to process new information - to understand it  by thinking carefully and reflecting on it.   91 00:09:14.880 --> 00:09:21.360 Erica compares online body language to learning  a new language - it takes practice, especially   92 00:09:21.360 --> 00:09:27.360 when it comes to smiling and laughing, something  Michael Rosen finds hard to do in video meetings.   93 00:09:27.360 --> 00:09:31.840 Listen to him discussing this problem  with Erica Dhawan for BBC Radio 4's,   94 00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:37.520 Word of Mouth. Do you think it's killing off  people laughing and smiling in the way we do when   95 00:09:37.520 --> 00:09:43.520 we're altogether in the live situation? I would  say that it is much less likely that we laugh and   96 00:09:43.520 --> 00:09:50.079 smile on camera for a few reasons. Number one,  laughing is often done in unison where we can   97 00:09:50.080 --> 00:09:55.680 quickly pick up the energy of someone smiling or  laughing and feed off of that and laugh ourselves.   98 00:09:56.320 --> 00:10:00.720 When it comes to screen delays, the fact that  it's not natural to see our own camera - being   99 00:10:00.720 --> 00:10:06.480 distracted by that - we are much less likely to  laugh and smile. One of the ways we can overcome   100 00:10:06.480 --> 00:10:12.320 this is by creating intentional moments in  our meetings for the water cooler effect.   101 00:10:13.760 --> 00:10:20.559 Erica points out that laughing often happens  in unison - together and at the same time.   102 00:10:20.559 --> 00:10:25.519 Yes, if someone starts laughing it makes me  laugh too. She also thinks it's important   103 00:10:25.520 --> 00:10:31.679 to make time for employees to chat informally  about things unrelated to work - their weekend   104 00:10:31.679 --> 00:10:38.639 plans or last night's TV show. And she uses the  expression, 'the water cooler effect' which comes   105 00:10:38.640 --> 00:10:43.893 from the United States where office workers  sometimes meet at the water fountain to chat.   106 00:10:44.160 --> 00:10:49.600 So, the water cooler effect refers to informal  conversations that people have in their office or   107 00:10:49.600 --> 00:10:56.400 workplace, maybe in the lift, the office kitchen  or, if there is one, by an actual water cooler.   108 00:10:56.400 --> 00:11:01.919 Erica Dhawan seems very comfortable communicating  online, but she's had lots of time to practice   109 00:11:01.920 --> 00:11:07.920 since her schooldays. Ah yes, Neil, in your  quiz question you asked how Erica conquered her   110 00:11:07.920 --> 00:11:13.600 shyness at school. I guessed that she raised  her hand to answer the teacher's questions.   111 00:11:13.600 --> 00:11:17.679 It was a good guess, Sam, but the  correct answer is b - she copied the   112 00:11:17.679 --> 00:11:25.039 body language of her cool teenage classmates,  so probably lots of rolled eyes and slouching!   113 00:11:25.040 --> 00:11:31.120 OK, let's recap the vocabulary from this programme  about online body language - non-verbal ways of   114 00:11:31.120 --> 00:11:37.040 communicating using the body. Eye contact is  when two people look at each other's eyes at   115 00:11:37.040 --> 00:11:43.360 the same time. Brainstorming involves a group  discussion to generate new ideas or solutions.   116 00:11:43.360 --> 00:11:49.679 When we process information, we think about it  carefully in order to understand it. 'In unison'   117 00:11:49.679 --> 00:11:56.079 means happening together and at the same time. And  finally, 'the water cooler effect' is an American   118 00:11:56.080 --> 00:12:02.000 expression to describe informal conversations  between people at work. Neil is looking at his   119 00:12:02.000 --> 00:12:07.843 watch, which is body language that tells me our  six minutes are up! Goodbye for now! Goodbye!   120 00:12:13.986 --> 00:12:20.800 Hello. This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning  English. I'm Sam. And I'm Neil. Sleep - we all   121 00:12:20.800 --> 00:12:27.280 need it - some more than others. I can usually get  by with around seven hours a night but I do like   122 00:12:27.280 --> 00:12:32.799 to have a nap - a short sleep - in the afternoon,  when I'm not working of course. How about you,   123 00:12:32.800 --> 00:12:38.960 Neil? I'm always tired and as soon as my head hits  the pillow, I'm out like a light - meaning I go   124 00:12:38.960 --> 00:12:44.320 to sleep very quickly. Well, Neil, you might  not survive in South Korea then. Apparently,   125 00:12:44.320 --> 00:12:50.400 it's one of the most stressed and tired nations on  earth - a place where people work and study longer   126 00:12:50.400 --> 00:12:56.559 hours and get less sleep than anywhere else. We'll  find out more later and teach some sleep-related   127 00:12:56.559 --> 00:13:01.999 vocabulary. But before we do, you need to  give me a question to keep me awake and alert!   128 00:13:02.960 --> 00:13:10.640 Of course I do, and here it is. In the 1960s,  American man, Randy Gardner, set the world record   129 00:13:10.640 --> 00:13:19.040 for staying awake for the longest period. Do you  know what that time was? Was it: a) 64 hours, b)   130 00:13:19.040 --> 00:13:29.440 164 hours, or c) 264 hours? All sound impossible  but I'll guess a) 64 hours - that's nearly 3   131 00:13:29.440 --> 00:13:35.360 days! I'll give you the answer later  in the programme - assuming you don't doze off!   132 00:13:35.360 --> 00:13:40.400 But let's talk more about sleep now. As I  mentioned, we all need it to help our mind   133 00:13:40.400 --> 00:13:46.919 and body rest and relax. And going without sleep  - or sleeplessness - is bad for our health.   134 00:13:46.919 --> 00:13:54.080 Many things can stop us sleeping and some of them  are pressure, anxiety and stress caused by your   135 00:13:54.080 --> 00:14:00.800 job. And in South Korea research has shown it's  become increasingly difficult to switch off - stop   136 00:14:00.800 --> 00:14:07.040 thinking about work and relax. South Koreans sleep  fewer hours and have higher rates of depression   137 00:14:07.040 --> 00:14:12.960 and suicide than almost anywhere else. Se-Woong  Koo has been reporting on this for the BBC World   138 00:14:12.960 --> 00:14:19.733 Service Documentary podcast. He met one worker  who explained why she never got time to relax.   139 00:14:21.120 --> 00:14:27.040 Separating work and rest time has been a recurring  issue for Ji-an - in her last job her office hours   140 00:14:27.040 --> 00:14:33.200 were long. Like most Korean firms, her employer  didn't think about any boundaries. They encroached   141 00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:42.080 on almost all her time. They told me 'you need  to be contactable 24/7' - there will always be   142 00:14:42.080 --> 00:14:45.639 someone from work reaching out to me, like  needing to get something done right now.   143 00:14:45.854 --> 00:14:51.920 Even just thinking about it, I get really  agitated. So, that stressed out worker got   144 00:14:51.920 --> 00:14:58.800 agitated just thinking about the situation - she  got worried or upset. That's because office hours   145 00:14:58.800 --> 00:15:06.080 in South Korea are long and some employers expect  their workers to be contactable all the time. Yes,   146 00:15:06.080 --> 00:15:12.160 there are no boundaries - so no limits or rules  about when employers can contact their employees.   147 00:15:12.160 --> 00:15:18.400 Therefore, as this employee said, work encroached  - it gradually took over - her leisure time.   148 00:15:19.040 --> 00:15:24.160 Stress like this can lead to insomnia - a  condition where you are unable to sleep.   149 00:15:24.160 --> 00:15:29.679 The BBC Discovery podcast goes on to explain  that offering a cure for this sleeplessness   150 00:15:29.680 --> 00:15:36.320 has become big business. There are sleep clinics  where doctors assess people overnight, and sleep   151 00:15:36.320 --> 00:15:42.000 cafes that offer places to nap in the middle of  the working day. One other issue in South Korea   152 00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:48.080 that's affecting sleep is the 'bali bali' culture,  meaning 'quickly, quickly' or 'hurry, hurry'.   153 00:15:48.080 --> 00:15:54.000 People are constantly in a rush. Doctor Lee  spoke to the World Service's Discovery podcast   154 00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:59.440 about the effects of this and how even  trying to take medication to help sleep,   155 00:15:59.440 --> 00:16:09.040 has its problems. People take like, ten or  twenty pills per one night, and because they   156 00:16:09.040 --> 00:16:15.520 cannot fall asleep even with the medication, they  drink alcohol on top of that, and they experience   157 00:16:15.520 --> 00:16:23.280 side-effects of the medication. People  can sleepwalk, and go to the refrigerator,   158 00:16:23.280 --> 00:16:30.000 eat a lot of things unconsciously - uncooked  food, and they don't remember the next day. There   159 00:16:30.000 --> 00:16:36.000 were cases of car accidents in the centre of  Seoul which has been sleepwalking patients.   160 00:16:37.600 --> 00:16:42.480 So, some people are taking lots of pills to  help them sleep but they're not working so   161 00:16:42.480 --> 00:16:47.760 they're drinking alcohol as well. This leads  to side-effects - unpleasant and unexpected   162 00:16:47.760 --> 00:16:53.600 results from the medication. It seems, one of  these side-effects is sleepwalking - moving   163 00:16:53.600 --> 00:16:58.080 around and doing things while still asleep.  Well, if sleeping pills aren't working,   164 00:16:58.080 --> 00:17:03.760 there's always meditation - or working less.  At least South Koreans are getting some sleep,   165 00:17:03.760 --> 00:17:07.840 unlike Randy Gardner who I asked you  about earlier. Yes, he holds the record   166 00:17:07.840 --> 00:17:13.449 for staying awake the longest. And I thought  he stayed awake for 64 hours. Was I right?   167 00:17:13.765 --> 00:17:23.759 No, Neil. Not long enough. Randy Gardner stayed  awake for an incredible 264.4 hours - that's 11   168 00:17:23.760 --> 00:17:31.840 days and 25 minutes - in January 1964. That's  one record I really don't want to beat. Well,   169 00:17:31.840 --> 00:17:36.399 before you nod off Neil, let's recap some  of the vocabulary we've been discussing,   170 00:17:36.400 --> 00:17:42.000 including 'go out like a light', which means  you go to sleep very quickly. When you switch   171 00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:45.840 off you stop concentrating on one thing  and start thinking about something else.   172 00:17:46.400 --> 00:17:53.200 A lack of sleep or rest can make you 'agitated'  - you get worried or upset. 'Encroach' means   173 00:17:53.200 --> 00:17:59.440 gradually take over. When you take medication and  it gives you an unpleasant and unexpected results,   174 00:17:59.440 --> 00:18:05.760 we call these side-effects. And sleepwalking  describes moving around and doing things while   175 00:18:05.760 --> 00:18:12.170 still asleep. That's our six minutes up. Goodbye  and sweet dreams! Goodbye! 176 00:18:17.806 --> 00:18:23.157 Hello and welcome to 6 Minute English, I'm Neil. And joining me it's Rob. Hello! 177 00:18:23.157 --> 00:18:28.877 Now Rob, would you say you're someone who is quite organised? I'd like to think so. What's the best way 178 00:18:28.878 --> 00:18:35.280 to organise everything? You need a 'to-do' list - a list of all the jobs you need to do that you can work your   179 00:18:35.280 --> 00:18:39.920 way through. That's a good idea and something  we can include in today's discussion about   180 00:18:39.920 --> 00:18:45.119 life admin. Admin is short for administration  - that describes the activities and tasks you   181 00:18:45.119 --> 00:18:50.959 have to do to make a business or organisation  run smoothly - but life admin is administration   182 00:18:50.960 --> 00:18:56.320 you have to do to make your day-to-day life run  smoothly - like doing housework, or paying a   183 00:18:56.320 --> 00:19:00.879 bill. And the first thing on my 'to-do' list  is to ask you and the listeners, a question.   184 00:19:01.520 --> 00:19:06.560 Yes, you wouldn't want to forget that. So, the  website Hotels.com commissioned some research   185 00:19:06.560 --> 00:19:12.640 about how much time young adults - that's  millennials - spend doing life admin. Do you   186 00:19:12.640 --> 00:19:18.560 know what proportion of their free time they spend  doing life admin tasks? Is it... a) a quarter of a   187 00:19:18.560 --> 00:19:25.040 day, b) a third of a day, c) half a day? Based  on my personal experience, I would say about a   188 00:19:25.040 --> 00:19:29.840 quarter of a day. Well, we'll see if you're the  same as other people at the end of the programme.   189 00:19:29.840 --> 00:19:35.280 But as we all know, life admin is necessary  but it can be a bit of a chore - a boring,   190 00:19:35.280 --> 00:19:41.040 ordinary task you do regularly. Experts have  studied the subject and looked at how we do it   191 00:19:41.040 --> 00:19:46.240 and how we can make it less boring. One of them  is Elizabeth Emens, Professor of Law at Columbia   192 00:19:46.240 --> 00:19:52.560 University and author of The Art of Life Admin.  She's been speaking to the BBC Radio 4 programme,   193 00:19:52.560 --> 00:19:58.000 Woman's Hour, and described what she thought life  admin is. Life admin is the   194 00:19:58.000 --> 00:20:03.840 office work of life, it's the invisible layer  of work that is the kind of thing that managers   195 00:20:03.840 --> 00:20:10.560 and secretaries, aka admins, do for pay in  the office but that everyone does in their   196 00:20:10.560 --> 00:20:18.400 own lives for free. She calls life admin the  invisible layer of work - so it's work, tasks   197 00:20:18.400 --> 00:20:23.600 or chores we carry out that people don't notice  we're doing - or don't realise we have to do them   198 00:20:23.600 --> 00:20:29.040 it's extra work in our life. And we don't get paid  for it - unless we're at work when it is the role   199 00:20:29.040 --> 00:20:37.119 of someone to do it - such as secretaries or aka  admins - aka is short for 'also known as' - so   200 00:20:37.119 --> 00:20:43.279 secretaries might also be known as admins - that  is short for people who do administration. Right,   201 00:20:43.280 --> 00:20:48.960 so we know life admin is boring and we don't get  paid for it - and also, trying to renew your house   202 00:20:48.960 --> 00:20:54.800 insurance or trying to query a bill with a utility  company can be frustrating and feels like a waste   203 00:20:54.800 --> 00:21:00.080 of time. A utility company by the way, is one  that supplies something such as electricity,   204 00:21:00.080 --> 00:21:05.840 gas, or water to the public. My problem is I  never get round to doing my life admin - there   205 00:21:05.840 --> 00:21:11.119 are better things to do - so you could say I  procrastinate - I delay doing things until later,   206 00:21:11.119 --> 00:21:14.799 probably because I don't want to do  them. You are what Elizabeth classifies   207 00:21:14.800 --> 00:21:20.720 as an 'admin avoider'. So this is where my to-do  list comes in handy, Neil. You have a written   208 00:21:20.720 --> 00:21:26.160 record of tasks that can be quite satisfying to  cross off as you do them. This is something   209 00:21:26.160 --> 00:21:31.760 Elizabeth Emen has found to work, at least for  some people. Let's hear from her again. What   210 00:21:31.760 --> 00:21:36.960 type of people did she find get most satisfaction  from completing a to-do list? 211 00:21:36.960 --> 00:21:41.440 If you've ever made a list and put things on  it you've already done, just to cross them out,   212 00:21:41.440 --> 00:21:45.920 then you know the kind of 'done it' pleasure that  goes with that. But actually I interviewed people,   213 00:21:45.920 --> 00:21:51.520 especially the super-doers that I interviewed,  actually can find real pleasure in the actual   214 00:21:51.520 --> 00:21:57.280 doing of it - and, so, trying to understand how we can  get to that when we have to do it - how we can   215 00:21:57.280 --> 00:22:03.520 make it so that there is some meaning in it and  some texture and there're ways of doing it that   216 00:22:03.520 --> 00:22:10.720 please us. So, she was describing the super-doers  - these are the people who love admin and would   217 00:22:10.720 --> 00:22:15.440 spend an evening putting their book collection  into alphabetical order! Elizabeth mentioned   218 00:22:15.440 --> 00:22:21.280 that we should learn from the super-doers and get  some 'done it' pleasure in doing our life admin.   219 00:22:21.280 --> 00:22:25.600 We need to find a meaning for doing it - in  other words, what is represents - so we can see   220 00:22:25.600 --> 00:22:31.680 the benefit of completing our to-do list. How we  find pleasure from doing life admin is different   221 00:22:31.680 --> 00:22:36.480 for different people - so personally, I think  I'll stick with being an 'admin avoider' - but   222 00:22:36.480 --> 00:22:42.080 that might explain why I just got charged extra  for not paying my credit card bill on time!   223 00:22:42.080 --> 00:22:46.720 Well, please don't avoid giving us the answer  to the quiz question you asked us earlier.   224 00:22:46.720 --> 00:22:51.920 Yes. Earlier I asked, researchers,  commissioned by Hotels.com, polled 2,000   225 00:22:51.920 --> 00:22:58.240 young professionals about their lives. How much  of their free time do they spend doing life   226 00:22:58.240 --> 00:23:05.200 admin? Is it... a) quarter of a day, b) a third of  a day, c) half a day? And I said a) a quarter of   227 00:23:05.200 --> 00:23:10.320 a day. Yes, they spend a quarter of their days  carrying out tasks like doctor's appointments,   228 00:23:10.320 --> 00:23:16.800 waiting in for packages to be delivered and doing  household chores. Boring! Unlike this programme   229 00:23:16.800 --> 00:23:22.400 Neil, which is not a chore - one of the words  we discussed today. Yes, our vocabulary today   230 00:23:22.400 --> 00:23:28.640 included chore - a boring, ordinary task you do  regularly. We also mentioned admin, short for   231 00:23:28.640 --> 00:23:34.080 administration - the activities and tasks you have  to do make a business, organisation or just your   232 00:23:34.080 --> 00:23:42.080 life, run smoothly. We heard aka - meaning 'also  known as' - so for example, Rob aka The master of   233 00:23:42.080 --> 00:23:47.599 6 Minute English! Thanks very much, Neil. Next  we heard utility company. That's a company that   234 00:23:47.600 --> 00:23:53.680 supplies something such as electricity, gas, or  water to the public. And we also heard how Neil   235 00:23:53.680 --> 00:23:59.119 likes to procrastinate - that's delay doing things  until later, probably because he doesn't want to   236 00:23:59.119 --> 00:24:03.919 do them. Finally, we mentioned super-doers -  an informal term to describe people who get   237 00:24:03.920 --> 00:24:10.320 satisfaction out of doing life admin and do lots  of it. Like me. Well, it's time to go now but   238 00:24:10.320 --> 00:24:15.839 there's plenty more to discover on our website at  bbclearningenglish.com. Goodbye for now. Bye bye.   239 00:24:22.000 --> 00:24:27.760 Hello. This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning  English. I'm Neil. And I'm Rob. Do you enjoy your   240 00:24:27.760 --> 00:24:32.720 own company, Rob? Do you like being alone?  Or do you prefer spending time with friends?   241 00:24:32.720 --> 00:24:38.080 Well, recently I haven't seen my friends much  because of coronavirus - in fact, I've hardly   242 00:24:38.080 --> 00:24:44.400 seen anyone this past year! It sounds like Rob has  become a bit of a hermit - someone who lives alone   243 00:24:44.400 --> 00:24:50.320 and apart from society. Yes, I've been forced to  spend time alone - but it wouldn't be my choice.   244 00:24:50.320 --> 00:24:55.520 I'd much rather be socialising and visiting  friends. If, like Rob, the idea of being   245 00:24:55.520 --> 00:25:01.600 alone does not appeal to you, it might be hard to  understand why anyone would choose to be a hermit.   246 00:25:01.600 --> 00:25:05.920 But some people do - and in this programme  we'll be hearing some of the reasons why.   247 00:25:05.920 --> 00:25:11.200 Throughout history and across all cultures, there  have been people who choose to leave behind the   248 00:25:11.200 --> 00:25:17.040 life and people the know to live in isolation  and silence. People like Christopher Wright - an   249 00:25:17.040 --> 00:25:22.880 American man who lived in complete isolation  in the forests of Maine for nearly 30 years!   250 00:25:22.880 --> 00:25:29.040 When hikers discovered his tent all they found  was an alarm clock. So, my quiz question is this:   251 00:25:29.040 --> 00:25:33.760 why did Christopher Wright, the hermit of  the Maine woods, need an alarm clock? Was it:   252 00:25:33.760 --> 00:25:40.880 a) to remind him when to hide his tent?, b) to  frighten away wild animals?, or c) to wake him up   253 00:25:40.880 --> 00:25:45.920 at the coldest part of the night so he didn't  freeze to death? Well, if he wanted to be alone   254 00:25:45.920 --> 00:25:52.495 so much, I guess he needed to be invisible, so  I'll say a) to remind him to hide his tent.   255 00:25:52.960 --> 00:25:58.080 OK, Rob, we'll find out the answer later.  Christopher Wright may be an extreme example   256 00:25:58.080 --> 00:26:03.200 of someone seeking solitude, but there are  many other motivations for becoming a hermit.   257 00:26:03.200 --> 00:26:08.640 Some people are looking for peace and silence,  and for others it's about being closer to God,   258 00:26:08.640 --> 00:26:15.199 focusing on what's inside and finding a sense of  joy. Meng Hu is a former librarian who now runs a   259 00:26:15.200 --> 00:26:21.600 website all about hermits. He says that in ancient  times, many Chinese hermits seeking solitude were   260 00:26:21.600 --> 00:26:27.280 followers of the philosopher, Confucius. Here's  Meng Hu talking about Confucius to BBC World   261 00:26:27.280 --> 00:26:35.600 Service programme, The Why Factor: His dictum  was something like, 'When the Emperor is good,   262 00:26:35.600 --> 00:26:43.200 serve. When the Emperor is evil, recluse'. And  so over a thousand years at least there were   263 00:26:43.200 --> 00:26:49.920 a lot of recluses, there were a lot of educated men who  simply couldn't tolerate any more evil - they   264 00:26:49.920 --> 00:27:00.480 simply dropped out and they would migrate to small  villages, to farms. Meng Hu mentions Confucius's   265 00:27:00.480 --> 00:27:05.999 dictum. A dictum is a short statement or saying  which expresses some wise advice or a general   266 00:27:06.000 --> 00:27:12.080 truth about life. Confucius's dictum advised that  when the Emperor was evil, people should become   267 00:27:12.080 --> 00:27:18.080 recluses - people, like hermits, who live alone  and avoid contact with others. In the interview,   268 00:27:18.080 --> 00:27:24.240 Meng Hu uses 'recluse' as a verb - to recluse  - but this is very uncommon. A more modern way   269 00:27:24.240 --> 00:27:29.920 of saying this is, to drop out - to reject the  normal ways society works and live outside the   270 00:27:29.920 --> 00:27:35.680 system. A bit like the hippies in the 1960s, you  mean? Right. Although most hippies weren't looking   271 00:27:35.680 --> 00:27:41.040 for isolation, they did have something in common  with hermits - the desire to challenge society's   272 00:27:41.040 --> 00:27:47.280 rules and conventions. Someone who combines  the hippie and the hermit is Catholic writer,   273 00:27:47.280 --> 00:27:52.880 Sara Maitland. Part of a long tradition of  Christian hermits, Sara spent forty days and   274 00:27:52.880 --> 00:27:58.926 nights alone on the Isle of Skye, seeking God  in the silence of the remote Scottish island.   275 00:27:59.600 --> 00:28:04.800 For her, the magic of silence is something to be  embraced and taught to children. Here she explains   276 00:28:04.800 --> 00:28:11.920 more to BBC World Service's, The Why Factor. Most  people first encounter silence in bereavement,   277 00:28:11.920 --> 00:28:20.240 in relationship breakdown and in death and that  seems to be about the worst place to start.   278 00:28:20.240 --> 00:28:25.759 People say, 'But what should we do?' Never, ever  use 'Go to your room on your own' as a punishment.   279 00:28:25.760 --> 00:28:31.119 You use it as a reward - 'Darling, you've been so  good all day, you've been so helpful, why don't   280 00:28:31.119 --> 00:28:38.559 you go to your room for half an hour now and be on  your own?' A treat! A reward! Sara says that most   281 00:28:38.560 --> 00:28:44.720 people experience silence after a bereavement  - the death of a relative or close friend. She   282 00:28:44.720 --> 00:28:49.200 also thinks that parents should never tell their  children, 'Go to your room!' as a punishment.   283 00:28:49.200 --> 00:28:55.280 Instead, being alone should be a treat - a reward  or gift of something special and enjoyable.   284 00:28:55.280 --> 00:29:00.560 That way, children learn that being alone can  actually be enjoyable. I'm still wondering about   285 00:29:00.560 --> 00:29:05.600 that American, Christopher Wright - I suppose  living alone in the woods was a treat for him...   286 00:29:05.600 --> 00:29:11.680 I suppose so - but why did he need an alarm clock?  Ah yes, your quiz question, Neil. I thought maybe   287 00:29:11.680 --> 00:29:17.280 it was to remind him to hide his tent. Was I  right? Well incredibly, Rob, the answer was c)   288 00:29:17.280 --> 00:29:22.960 to wake him up at the coldest part of the night  so he didn't freeze to death! That's someone who   289 00:29:22.960 --> 00:29:29.040 really wants to be left alone! A 'hermit' in other  words, or a 'recluse' - two ways of describing   290 00:29:29.040 --> 00:29:34.400 people who live alone and avoid others. OK,  let's recap the rest of the vocabulary, starting   291 00:29:34.400 --> 00:29:40.828 with 'dictum' - a short saying often giving wise  advice or expressing a general truth about life.   292 00:29:40.828 --> 00:29:46.960 People who 'drop out' reject the normal rules of  society and live outside the system. Many people   293 00:29:46.960 --> 00:29:52.800 experience solitude after a bereavement - the  death of a close friend or relative. And finally   294 00:29:52.800 --> 00:29:59.359 'a treat' is reward or gift of something special and  enjoyable. That's all for now, but whether you're   295 00:29:59.360 --> 00:30:04.323 listening alone or with others, we hope you'll  join us again soon, here at 6 Minute English.   296 00:30:04.640 --> 00:30:10.640 Don't forget - you'll find us on our website or  you can download our free app, so you won't miss   297 00:30:10.640 --> 00:30:17.280 any of our programmes. And we are on all the  main social media sites. Bye bye! Bye for now!