Why do we deliver decisions we regret later in our lives?

We make decisions. Sometimes we are happy later because we have decided so. More often we regret them. Why?

Before watching the video, match these words with their meanings:

to underestimate	Say that a specified thing will happen in the future.
to predict	Lasting for a very short time
unlikely	Understand a situation fully.
to appreciate	Estimate something to be smaller or less important than it really is.
fleeting, transient	To change in character.
to alter	Something doesn’t have a high chance to happen.

Watch this short video and answer the question: Why do we deliver decisions we regret later in our lives?

Need some help?

Look at these questions. By answering them one by one, the final conclusion folds out.

1. How do we experience the speed of change in our life concerning

(a) personal values
(b) personality
(c) preferences (favourite friends, vacations, hobbies, music)?

2. And how does the speed of change really changes in our life?

3. What are the five fundamental dimensions of personality?

4. Why don’t people think, when they don’t think, that something specific will change in their life?

5. Why can we say that time is a powerful force?

6. What do people mistakenly think about themselves?

7. What is the one constant in our life?

After answering the questions above, try to answer the question: Why do we deliver decisions we regret later in our lives?

Send your answer to ewalkmail(at)gmail.com.

WALK in English.

How to get a pay rise?

The end of the year is approaching and if you would like to get a 5-10 percent higher salary next year, it’s time to think over how to reach it.

For useful advice see this 90-second-long video and answer these questions:

1. How much do the salaries rise in the world on average this year according to the expectations?
2. How much was the average rate of pay rise in 2014?
3. How do employees have to demonstrate that they deserve more money?
4. Why do you have to send an email to a client who has acknowledged your work in person?
5. What do you have to do if your boss turns down your request?

Do you agree with the advice you have been given? 

Share your opinion with us.

Make connections to be happy at work

Are you happy at your workplace? Do you enjoy what you do there? Work is a very important field of our lives, it has a significant effect on our general mood. Read this short article and find a way to improve your work life. (Behind the article you can find the tasks to help you get the point.)

An excerpt from the article Positive Psychology and the Workplace: A Labor of Love, published on http://positivepsychologyprogram.com.

Make connections to be happy at work

Positive emotions have been linked with numerous positive outcomes including improved health and wellbeing, long life, and a greater quality of life. On the flip side anger, anxiety, depression, and worry have been shown to be related to poor health outcomes.

However, developing and maintaining a state of positivity and happiness is not as easy as it seems. Moreover, people do not always understand what truly lies at the roots of their own happiness.

Given that we spend on average half of our waking hours at work, many organizations and business leaders are increasingly starting to realize that using psychological techniques and know-how in the workplace is crucial.

Make Connections

Science tells us that the greatest way to influence our happiness is to make new connections with the people around us as well as strengthen old ones. Simply, the more social we are, the happier we become.

Evolution has ensured our survival is tied to our skills to connect with others. Our brains are literally wired to connect with those around us and to understand their feelings and intentions. These connections have the power to affect how we feel.

In a recent survey, almost 40 percent of the respondents named their colleagues as the top reason they enjoy their work. Furthermore, over two thirds of respondents reported that not only did those positive relationships increase their productivity, but it helped reduce stressful and difficult challenges at work.

Make an effort to eat lunch in the canteen. Organise a get together with your colleagues after work and get to know the people you are spending so much time with.

As a manager or team leader you need to be aware of how positivity and negativity can spread among your people. Be aware of the importance of managing morale because one unhappy person can make for an unhappy office.

Help your staff come together and connect by starting office-wide competitions or team building events that encourage people to work together and build meaningful relationships. Place your staff who are high in energy, satisfaction and performance strategically in your teams and watch their natural manners transform the atmosphere of the office.

An excerpt from the article Positive Psychology and the Workplace: A Labor of Love, published on http://positivepsychologyprogram.com.

Tasks to help you understand the article:

1.     Summarize the article in one sentence. 

2.     Answer these questions:

• Why do we have to make connections with people around us?

• How can you improve your connections at work?

• What can you do if you are a leader?

• Why is it important to manage morale at the company?

3.     You can find 4 orange words in the text. Find their synonymies in the list.

~ is connected to, is linked to

~ motivate

~ critical, very important

~ efficiency

4.     There are two pairs of synonymies among the underlined words. Can you find them?

Do you have meaningful connections at work? Are there opportunities to socialize with the others? Share your experience with us.

ToDoList

Are your days busy?

Do you find it difficult to complete your daily tasks?

How do you start your day? Do you stick to the routine?

Do you know the meaning of these words? If not, check them in the Oxford Dictionary by clicking on them or discuss them with your teacher.

entrepreneur, agenda, essential, punctual

Read this article to get the most out of your day. After the first reading, try to answer these questions:

1.     What are your tasks the night before?

2.     What are the advantages of morning sport activities?

3.     How long do you need to relax your brain in the morning?

4.     What advice is given to stay organized?

5.     What do you have to pay attention to concerning your eating habits?

6.     How do you have to arrange your working hours?

7.     Why is it a must to disconnect from work?

Do you know the meaning of these expressions? Try to find out the meaning from the context and explain them with your own words. In English of course J

1. densely packed schedule
2. stick to the routine
3. have an awareness of what’s on the agenda
4. be in the habit of doing sg
5. to adopt a practice that
6. Don’t fall victim to this trap.
7. batch your time
8. lifestyle practice
9. sg greatly contributes to sg

Are your ready? Then choose two of the expressions above. These two you DON’T have to use. Now write a short story with the rest. You have 7 minutes for that.

Ready? Send us your strory.

Positive emotions rooting in the present

This blog post was created based on the book of Alan Carr called Positive Psychology: The Science of Happiness and Human Strengths.

There are two distinct classes of positive emotions concerned with the present:

Momentary pleasures

The pleasures include both bodily pleasures and higher pleasures. Bodily pleasures come through the senses. Feelings that come from sex, beautiful perfumes and delicious flavours fall into this category. Higher pleasures come from more complex activities and include feelings such as bliss, glee, comfort, ecstasy and ebullience. 

More enduring gratifications

Gratifications differ from pleasures in that they involve states of absorption or flow that come from engagement in activities. Sailing, teaching and helping others are examples of such activities.

bliss - perfect happiness

glee - happiness, excitement

ebullience - being very energetic, positive and happy

This blog post was created based on the book of Alan Carr called Positive Psychology: The Science of Happiness and Human Strengths.

WALK in English

Conversations - How to start?

I don't know how you feel about starting a conversation with a stranger. Some people feel a bit awkward. So I decided to collect some good questions and tips that can help you out in those uncomfortable situations.

Hi. 

- Do you know anyone here?

- Where do you work?

- Which business are you into?

- How long have you known 'Peter'?

- What drink would you recommend me? / Can I help you to choose a drink?

Ask people about the things they want to be noticed by other people, for example a rose in a woman’s hair. ‘What a nice rose. Do you always wear hair like this?’

If you go to a business meeting, you can start the conversation by talking about the circumstances of your travel. There is almost always something happening on the roads. It’s easier if you are some minutes late. ‘Sorry for being late. The traffic was terrible because of slippery roads.'

Do you have any other ideas in your mind?

WALK in English

Can computer games change the world?

Most of us have preconceptions about computer games. They are usually regarded, mainly by teachers and parents, as waste of time. But children and young adults are obsessed with them and spend more time on playing computer games than on anything else. 

So what can we do? Restrictions don’t seem to work. How about making more meaningful games? Do you think it’s possible?

Read this BBC article about serious games.

While reading the article, try to answer these questions:

1. How are computer games generally regarded?
2. What is the concept behind serious games?
3. Describe the settings of World Without Oil. 
4. How did the players of WWO look at their gaming activity?
5. What roles can you choose in Peacemaker?
6. What was the result of playing the Peacemaker in terms of social relevance?
7. What is the expected outcome of playing Coventry and Warwickshire? Who is the target audience of the game?
8. Why is it important to use innovative techniques in the classroom?

Think through the article again by following the outline of the article:

Three billion hours a week are spent on playing games. -> Can it be given a social relevance?

Examples: 

Direct analysis of the results from a game is rarely fully carried out.

The evaluation of outcomes has been deficient.

Using innovative techniques in the classroom can increase the educational performance.


WALK in English