Digital distractions: giving advice on focus
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Think about these questions before reading. Share your ideas with a partner.
- Think about your ideal work or study environment. What specific elements help you concentrate best, and what are the biggest distractions you try to eliminate?
- When you realize you've been procrastinating or getting sidetracked by your phone, what strategies, if any, do you use to get back on track?
- If a friend told you they were struggling to focus on their studies because of social media, what are two or three pieces of practical advice you might give them?
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Tips for Better Focus
Listen to the dialogue. Notice how the vocabulary and grammar from the lesson are used.
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Answer these questions in your own words based on the dialogue.
01What is Marco's main problem at the beginning of the dialogue?
Sample answerMarco is struggling to focus on his report because he is prone to procrastination and can't seem to 'get in the zone'.
02What is the first piece of advice Emma gives Marco?
Sample answerEmma suggests that Marco should try blocking out specific 'focus time' in his calendar, during which he avoids checking emails or his phone.
03Why didn't Emma's first suggestion work for Marco when he tried it in the past?
Sample answerIt didn't work for him because he would still get distracted by notifications on his devices.
04What two other strategies does Emma mention that have helped her personally?
Sample answerShe mentions that turning off all her notifications made a huge difference, and she also suggests using an app that blocks distracting websites.
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Key vocabulary for focus and productivity
Vocabulary
These expressions will help you communicate more naturally about this topic.
Examples
To get in the zone — to reach a state of perfect concentration where you can perform a task efficiently and effortlessly.
Usage note: This is an informal, idiomatic expression. It's often used with verbs like 'try to', 'help me to', or 'once I...'. For example: 'Listening to classical music helps me get in the zone.'
Deep work — a period of professional activity performed in a state of distraction-free concentration that pushes your cognitive abilities.
Usage note: This is a modern, semi-formal term popular in business and productivity circles. You can talk about 'doing deep work' or scheduling 'a deep work session'.
To be prone to procrastination — to have a natural tendency to delay or postpone tasks, especially important ones.
Usage note: The structure 'to be prone to + [noun]' is very useful for describing tendencies. You can also be 'prone to distraction' or 'prone to making mistakes'.
To buckle down — to start working seriously and with determination, especially after a period of not working hard.
Usage note: This is a phrasal verb, often used when a deadline is approaching. For example: 'The exams are next week, so I really need to buckle down and study.'
To streamline your workflow — to make a system or process, like how you complete your tasks, more effective and efficient by removing unnecessary steps.
Usage note: This is a common collocation in professional or academic contexts. It's all about improving efficiency. For example: 'Using a project management app can help you streamline your workflow.'
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Productivity advice
Complete the sentences with the best advice for staying focused and productive.
Match the beginning of each sentence on the left with the correct ending on the right.
Drag or click to match
Definitions
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Grammar: Modals for advice, obligation, and possibility
Grammar
Modal verbs like 'should', 'must', and 'might' help us express different levels of certainty and necessity. When discussing productivity, we use them to give advice on better work habits, state obligations to meet goals, or talk about possible outcomes of our actions.
Examples
You should try turning off your phone notifications while you work.
Use 'should' to give strong, but not obligatory, advice or a recommendation.
To meet the deadline, you must finish the report today; you have to submit it by 5 pm.
Use 'must' for strong personal obligation and 'have to' for an obligation based on an external rule or authority.
Implementing a 'no-meeting' morning could give you more time for deep work.
Use 'could', 'might', or 'may' to talk about possibilities or potential positive outcomes, not certainties.
Key points
- Use 'should' or 'ought to' for advice and recommendations.
- Distinguish between 'must' (strong personal obligation) and 'have to' (external rules).
- Common mistake: Do not add 'to' after most modal verbs (e.g., 'You must focus', not 'You must to focus').
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Spot the mistake
Read the sentences below. Each one has a small error related to grammar or vocabulary from the lesson.
Each sentence contains one error. Find and correct it.
01To improve your productivity, you need to be very discipline and avoid distractions.
Corrected version
To improve your productivity, you need to be very discipline disciplined and avoid distractions.
02You must to turn off your phone notifications if you really want to get in the zone.
Corrected version
You must to turn off your phone notifications if you really want to get in the zone.
03I find it hard to concentrate with my work when my colleagues are talking loudly.
Corrected version
I find it hard to concentrate with on my work when my colleagues are talking loudly.
04If we want to finish this project on time, we really need to buckle up and focus.
Corrected version
If we want to finish this project on time, we really need to buckle up down and focus.
05The ability to perform deep work are essential for knowledge workers in the 21st century.
Corrected version
The ability to perform deep work are is essential for knowledge workers in the 21st century.
06I'm prone to get sidetracked by social media, so I use an app to block those sites.
Corrected version
I'm prone to get getting sidetracked by social media, so I use an app to block those sites.
07Streamlining your workflow is a very productively way to get more done in less time.
Corrected version
Streamlining your workflow is a very productively productive way to get more done in less time.
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Useful phrases: Giving a colleague advice on managing distractions
Vocabulary
Imagine a colleague tells you they're struggling to concentrate with so many emails and messages. Here are some natural phrases you can use to offer advice without sounding bossy.
Examples
"I know what you mean, it can be a real challenge to stay on track." — Use this to show empathy and agree that the problem is real before offering advice.
Register: Neutral/Informal. Perfect for starting the conversation with a colleague you know reasonably well. It makes them feel understood.
"Have you ever considered blocking out specific 'focus time' in your calendar?" — A polite and indirect way to suggest a specific strategy.
Register: Neutral. This is a great way to introduce an idea without imposing it. You can replace the part after 'considered' with any other suggestion (e.g., '...using a different workspace?').
"What made a huge difference for me was turning off all my notifications." — Use this to share a personal experience, which makes your advice feel more like a friendly tip than a command.
Register: Neutral/Informal. Sharing what worked for you is often more effective than telling someone what they 'should' do.
"You might find it helpful to use an app that blocks distracting websites." — A soft way to offer a direct suggestion using a modal verb.
Register: Neutral. 'You might find it helpful to...' is a very common and polite formula for giving advice in a professional or friendly context.
"It takes a bit of getting used to, but it's worth it in the long run." — Use this to acknowledge that your suggestion requires effort and isn't a quick fix.
Register: Neutral. This phrase shows that you understand the challenges of forming new habits and manages the other person's expectations.
"Anyway, let me know if any of that helps!" — A friendly way to end the conversation and show you care, without putting pressure on them to follow your advice.
Register: Informal. Best used with colleagues you have a good relationship with. It signals a move to close the topic.
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Strategies for better productivity
Read the passage about improving focus and choose the best word for each blank.
Fill in each blank with the correct word from the word bank.
Word bank
If you're to procrastination, you know how hard it can be to start an important project. To truly improve your productivity, you try to your workflow by removing unnecessary steps. This might mean dedicating specific blocks of time for work, where you can fully concentrate. When you finally manage to down and get in the zone, the feeling of accomplishment is immense. You be surprised by how much you can achieve with a bit more discipline.
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Discuss these questions with a partner. Try to use vocabulary from the lesson.
- To what extent is the concept of 'deep work' becoming unrealistic in modern workplaces that demand constant collaboration? Should companies help employees 'get in the zone', or is it purely a matter of personal discipline?
- Consider the work or study culture in your country. Is there a strong respect for uninterrupted concentration, or are people expected to be constantly available? How might this affect someone who is 'prone to procrastination' and needs to 'buckle down'?
- Some people try to 'streamline their workflow' by scheduling specific times for distractions like social media, while others believe in strict digital minimalism. Which approach do you think is more practical for most people, and why?