📖 Key Vocabulary — Pre-teach Before Class
Introduce or review these words with students before starting the lesson so they can use them during speaking practice.
1work-life balancea healthy division of time between one's job and personal life
2to burn outto become physically or mentally exhausted from overwork
3overtimeextra hours worked beyond one's normal schedule
4to unwindto relax after a period of work or stress
5a flexible scheduleworking hours that can be adjusted to suit personal needs
6to prioritizeto treat something as more important than other things
7paid leavetime off work during which an employee still receives salary
8to switch offto stop thinking about work and relax mentally
9a workaholicsomeone who works excessively and finds it hard to stop
10remote workworking from home or outside a traditional office
11to take a day offto not go to work for one day
12stress managementtechniques used to control and reduce stress levels
13quality timetime spent giving full attention to someone you care about
14a deadlinethe latest time by which a task must be completed
15to rechargeto restore one's energy after being tired
16job satisfactionthe feeling of fulfillment one gets from their work
17downtimea period of rest when no work is being done
18to juggle responsibilitiesto manage multiple tasks or duties at the same time
19commutingtraveling regularly between home and workplace
20self-careactions taken to preserve or improve one's own well-being
✍️ Vocabulary Practice — Fill in the Blank
Complete each sentence below with the correct word or phrase from the 20 vocabulary words above. Use each word only once.
▼
a deadline
a flexible schedule
a workaholic
commuting
downtime
job satisfaction
overtime
paid leave
quality time
remote work
self-care
stress management
to burn out
to juggle responsibilities
to prioritize
to recharge
to switch off
to take a day off
to unwind
work-life balance
- Working sixty-hour weeks for months without a single break caused him completely.
- When her father fell ill, she was grateful that her company offered generous to care for him.
- After a long day at the office, she often goes for a walk before dinner.
- Even successful professionals need some each week to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
- The company introduced a workshop on to help employees cope with tight deadlines.
- Working parents often struggle while still making time for themselves.
- The manager set of Friday afternoon for submitting the final report.
- Colleagues often joked that Minh was because he never left the office before ten at night.
- Long hours spent every day can leave employees exhausted before they even start work.
- Although the salary was high, he left the company because he had very little .
- Many employees today prefer companies that offer so they can manage their personal errands more easily.
- Many people use their weekends before facing another busy week at work.
- When deadlines pile up, it's important the most urgent tasks first.
- Instead of scrolling through his phone, he tries to spend with his children every evening.
- Doctors increasingly recommend such as exercise, sleep, and relaxation to prevent burnout.
- Feeling completely drained, she decided and spend the day resting at home.
- After years of working late every night, she finally decided to find a better before her health suffered.
- Because the project deadline was so tight, the whole team had to work every night that week.
- Since the pandemic, many companies have allowed so employees can avoid long commutes.
- It can be hard mentally when you keep checking work emails at home.
1.to burn out
2.paid leave
3.to unwind
4.downtime
5.stress management
6.to juggle responsibilities
7.a deadline
8.a workaholic
9.commuting
10.job satisfaction
11.a flexible schedule
12.to recharge
13.to prioritize
14.quality time
15.self-care
16.to take a day off
17.work-life balance
18.overtime
19.remote work
20.to switch off
🕐 0'–10': Warm-up & Opening Question
Purpose
Help everyone relax, get comfortable speaking, and activate ideas.
Teacher asks👉 "Do you think it's possible to have a good work-life balance in today's world?"
Follow-up questions- Why do you think that?
- Can you give an example?
➡ Each student answers briefly (about 1 minute); the teacher asks 1–2 short follow-ups to keep it natural.
🗣️ 10'–45': IELTS Speaking – Part 2 Practice
Format: 1 minute preparation · 2 minutes speaking per student. Students choose or are assigned ONE of the topics below:
Topic 1
Describe a time when you felt stressed because of work or study.
You should say:
- When this happened
- What caused the stress
- How you dealt with it
- And explain how it affected your daily life
Topic 2
Describe a hobby you enjoy outside of work.
You should say:
- What the hobby is
- How often you do it
- Why you started doing it
- And explain how it helps you relax
Topic 3
Describe a person who has a good work-life balance.
You should say:
- Who this person is
- What their daily routine is like
- How they manage their time
- And explain why you admire this about them
➡ Timing suggestion: 1 minute for preparation, then start speaking.
💬 45'–55': Follow-up Discussion (Part 3 style)
The teacher chooses questions related to the topics above, for example:
Work and Well-being
- Why do you think stress at work has become more common in modern society?
- Should companies be responsible for their employees' mental health?
- What can governments do to help workers achieve a better work-life balance?
Time and Priorities
- Do you think technology makes it harder for people to switch off from work?
- Is it more important to enjoy your job or to earn a high salary?
- How might work-life balance change for future generations?
work-life balance – a healthy division of time between one's job and personal life
to burn out – to become physically or mentally exhausted from overwork
a flexible schedule – working hours that can be adjusted to suit personal needs
self-care – actions taken to preserve or improve one's own well-being
➡ Students discuss briefly; the teacher adds ideas, vocabulary, and useful structures.
🌟 55'–60': Wrap-up & Closing
- Quick recap of interesting or strong answers.
- One student summarizes what they learned today.
- Thank the teacher for joining.