Finding Balance in Daily Activities
Modern life can be extremely demanding, and people often struggle to manage time in a way that allows them to meet responsibilities while still enjoying moments of rest. Adults frequently commute long distances, which may already feel exhausting, and students need to prioritise carefully between schoolwork, part-time jobs, and their social life. To stay productive, it is essential to organise a personal timetable, schedule important tasks, and sometimes reschedule or even postpone less urgent ones. In addition, many people must carry out duties at home and run errands, such as shopping or paying bills, which adds another layer of pressure.
Daily routines often begin with technology. Most people set the alarm, but not everyone gets up immediately. Some snooze several times before finally rising to freshen up and prepare for the day. If they happen to oversleep, the whole schedule may collapse, leading to stress. Evenings, on the other hand, show greater variety: some prefer to chill out after work or study, while others are willing to stay up late in order to finish tasks or simply hang out with friends. After particularly long days, it is not unusual to doze off in front of the television.
Work and study routines also shape people’s lives. Professionals often attend meetings that require concentration and problem-solving, while students are expected to participate actively in lessons and projects. They must submit assignments on time, revise thoroughly before exams, and catch up on anything they have missed. These responsibilities are demanding, yet they are part of developing independence and skills for the future.
Although routines may sometimes feel repetitive, a balanced lifestyle is possible. When individuals plan effectively, adapt when circumstances change, and allow time for rest, daily activities can become not only manageable but also personally meaningful.
Key vocabulary:
1. General Verbs & Expressions
carry something out — [ˈkær.i] — to complete a task or duty; realizēt, veikt
commute — [kəˈmjuːt] — to travel regularly between home and work or school; regulāri braukāt
manage — [ˈmæn.ɪdʒ] — to plan how you use something (for instance, time) effectively; vadīt, pārzināt, pārvaldīt
organise — [ˈɔː.ɡən.aɪz] — to arrange tasks, activities, or objects in a structured way; organizēt
postpone — [pəʊstˈpəʊn] — to delay doing something until a later time; atlikt uz vēlāku laiku
prioritise — [praɪˈɒr.ɪ.taɪz] — to decide which tasks are most important and deal with them first; prioritizēt
reschedule — [ˌriːˈʃedʒ.uːl] — to change the time of a planned event or activity; pārplānot, pārcelt uz citu laiku
run an errand (also: do an errand) — [ˈer.ənd] — to do short, practical tasks outside the home, such as shopping or paying bills; doties ārā no mājas, lai veiktu dažādus pienākumus (piemēram, iepirktos, maksātu rēķinus)
schedule — [ˈʃedʒ.uːl] — to plan something for a particular time; paredzēt, ieplānot
commute — [kəˈmjuːt] — to travel regularly between home and work or school; regulāri braukāt
manage — [ˈmæn.ɪdʒ] — to plan how you use something (for instance, time) effectively; vadīt, pārzināt, pārvaldīt
organise — [ˈɔː.ɡən.aɪz] — to arrange tasks, activities, or objects in a structured way; organizēt
postpone — [pəʊstˈpəʊn] — to delay doing something until a later time; atlikt uz vēlāku laiku
prioritise — [praɪˈɒr.ɪ.taɪz] — to decide which tasks are most important and deal with them first; prioritizēt
reschedule — [ˌriːˈʃedʒ.uːl] — to change the time of a planned event or activity; pārplānot, pārcelt uz citu laiku
run an errand (also: do an errand) — [ˈer.ənd] — to do short, practical tasks outside the home, such as shopping or paying bills; doties ārā no mājas, lai veiktu dažādus pienākumus (piemēram, iepirktos, maksātu rēķinus)
schedule — [ˈʃedʒ.uːl] — to plan something for a particular time; paredzēt, ieplānot
2. Morning and Evening Routines
chill out — [tʃɪl] — (informal) to relax and do nothing stressful; atslābināties, atpūsties, neko nedarot
doze off — [dəʊz] — to fall asleep, often for a short time; iesnausties
freshen (someone/something) up — [ˈfreʃ.ən] — to wash and get ready, usually in the morning or before going out; atsvaidzināties, atspirdzināties
hang out — [hæŋ] — to spend time in a relaxed way, often with friends; pavadīt laiku
oversleep — [ˌəʊ.vəˈsliːp] — to sleep longer than you intended; nogulēt, aizgulēties
set the alarm — [set] — to arrange for a clock or phone to wake you at a certain time; uzlikt modinātājpulksteni
snooze — [snuːz] — to sleep lightly or for a short time, often after waking up; snaust
stay up (late) — [steɪ] — to go to bed later than usual; būt ilgi nomodā
doze off — [dəʊz] — to fall asleep, often for a short time; iesnausties
freshen (someone/something) up — [ˈfreʃ.ən] — to wash and get ready, usually in the morning or before going out; atsvaidzināties, atspirdzināties
hang out — [hæŋ] — to spend time in a relaxed way, often with friends; pavadīt laiku
oversleep — [ˌəʊ.vəˈsliːp] — to sleep longer than you intended; nogulēt, aizgulēties
set the alarm — [set] — to arrange for a clock or phone to wake you at a certain time; uzlikt modinātājpulksteni
snooze — [snuːz] — to sleep lightly or for a short time, often after waking up; snaust
stay up (late) — [steɪ] — to go to bed later than usual; būt ilgi nomodā
3. Work and Study Routines
attend — [əˈtend] — to be present at a meeting, lesson, or event; apmeklēt
catch up on — [kætʃ] — to do something you had not done earlier, such as homework or emails; panākt, iespēt, izdarīt to, kas iepriekš nav izdarīts
participate — [pɑːˈtɪsɪpeɪt] — to take part in an activity; piedalīties
revise — [rɪˈvaɪz] — to study again in order to prepare for an exam or improve knowledge; pārskatīt, atkārtot
submit — [səbˈmɪt] — to hand in or send work to someone in authority; iesniegt
catch up on — [kætʃ] — to do something you had not done earlier, such as homework or emails; panākt, iespēt, izdarīt to, kas iepriekš nav izdarīts
participate — [pɑːˈtɪsɪpeɪt] — to take part in an activity; piedalīties
revise — [rɪˈvaɪz] — to study again in order to prepare for an exam or improve knowledge; pārskatīt, atkārtot
submit — [səbˈmɪt] — to hand in or send work to someone in authority; iesniegt
4. Descriptive Adjectives
balanced — [ˈbæl.ənst] — giving the right amount of time to different activities; nosvērts, līdzsvarots
demanding — [dɪˈmɑːn.dɪŋ] — requiring a lot of time, effort, or attention; grūts, prasīgs
exhausting — [ɪɡˈzɔː.stɪŋ] — making someone extremely tired; nogurdinošs
productive — [prəˈdʌk.tɪv] — achieving a lot in a given time; produktīvs, ražīgs
demanding — [dɪˈmɑːn.dɪŋ] — requiring a lot of time, effort, or attention; grūts, prasīgs
exhausting — [ɪɡˈzɔː.stɪŋ] — making someone extremely tired; nogurdinošs
productive — [prəˈdʌk.tɪv] — achieving a lot in a given time; produktīvs, ražīgs
Practice: now that you have learned the key vocabulary, it is time to use it in practice. Answer the discussion-type questions, which will help you develop the ability to give longer answers and practise expressing opinions — just as in an English exam or real conversation. For each question, an answer prompt is available to guide you. Revise the phrases used to express opinion you covered in the previous theoretical chapter: Insights into Family Relationships
Discussion-Type Questions
1. How do you usually manage your time on a busy weekday?
"In my view, managing time well is essential for being productive. I usually prioritise my tasks by making a schedule. First, I attend my classes, then I catch up on homework in the afternoon. As far as I’m concerned, having a clear plan helps me feel less exhausted."
2. Do you think it’s better to have a strict routine or a flexible one? Why?
"As I see it, a balanced routine works best. On the whole, I would say that a strict schedule makes me more organised, but to some extent, I agree that flexibility is important. For example, sometimes I need to reschedule tasks or chill out in the evening if I feel tired."
3. What part of your daily routine do you find the most demanding?
"It seems to me that commuting is the most demanding part of my day. I would argue that it wastes too much time, because I could be revising or carrying out other responsibilities instead. I am convinced that long commutes reduce my productivity."
4. How do you usually spend your evenings?
"I believe that evenings should be a time to relax and recharge. On the whole, I would say that I prefer to chill out, hang out with friends, or watch something entertaining. Still, I firmly believe that staying up late to revise is sometimes necessary if I want to manage my time well."
"In my view, managing time well is essential for being productive. I usually prioritise my tasks by making a schedule. First, I attend my classes, then I catch up on homework in the afternoon. As far as I’m concerned, having a clear plan helps me feel less exhausted."
2. Do you think it’s better to have a strict routine or a flexible one? Why?
"As I see it, a balanced routine works best. On the whole, I would say that a strict schedule makes me more organised, but to some extent, I agree that flexibility is important. For example, sometimes I need to reschedule tasks or chill out in the evening if I feel tired."
3. What part of your daily routine do you find the most demanding?
"It seems to me that commuting is the most demanding part of my day. I would argue that it wastes too much time, because I could be revising or carrying out other responsibilities instead. I am convinced that long commutes reduce my productivity."
4. How do you usually spend your evenings?
"I believe that evenings should be a time to relax and recharge. On the whole, I would say that I prefer to chill out, hang out with friends, or watch something entertaining. Still, I firmly believe that staying up late to revise is sometimes necessary if I want to manage my time well."