A lot has been written about Zoom fatigue. And now a study by Virtual Human Interactive Lab Stanford University suggests four simple strategies on how to combat this phenomenon.

1. Switch from gallery to speaker view to reduce the amount of close up eye contact. (This is a strategy I’m going to try out more!)

2. Hide the self-view option. (I find it unnatural to see myself, so I’ve been doing this for months.)

3. Rather than statically sitting and staring at the screen, keep a distance so you can move more as you might do in an in-person meeting.

4. Take a break after 30 minutes (not later than 60 minutes!!). And try audio only now and again.

For a link to the study have a look here:

https://news.stanford.edu/2021/02/23/four-causes-zoom-fatigue-solutions/

Do you have any tips for coping with video-conferencing strain?

 

A New Year’s resolution is a personal goal to change unwanted behaviour, make a life improvement or try something completely new.

Perhaps you’ve decided to start a new activity or hobby, or to develop a new skill. Or you’ve decided to end a bad habit or let go of something that is no longer serving you.

Even if you don’t believe in making New Year’s Resolutions, it’s still a good time to reflect on what’s working well and what isn’t, and to set goals. (Remember the Six-P Formula: “Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance.”)

My wish for you?

May the New Year bless you with health, wealth, and happiness.

It’s not been an easy year. I’m sure we can all agree on that.

Today is New Year’s Eve and time to reflect. But it’s also a good time to cast a vision for the coming year.

This poem, written by Nadine Stair, an 85-year-old woman from Louisville, Kentucky, when asked “How would you have lived your life differently if you had a chance?” might be able to inspire us.

“If I had my life to live over again,
I’d dare to make more mistakes next time.
I’d relax.
I’d limber up.
I’d be sillier than I’ve been this trip.
I would take fewer things seriously.
I would take more chances,
I would eat more ice cream and less beans.

I would, perhaps, have more actual troubles but fewer imaginary ones.
you see, I’m one of those people who was sensible and sane,
hour after hour,
day after day.

Oh, I’ve had my moments.
If I had to do it over again,
I’d have more of them.
In fact, I’d try to have nothing else- just moments,
one after another, instead of living so many years ahead of each day.

I’ve been one of those persons who never goes anywhere without a thermometer, a hot-water bottle, a raincoat, and a parachute.
If I could do it again, I would travel lighter than I have.

If I had to live my life over,
I would start barefoot earlier in the spring
and stay that way later in the fall.
I would go to more dances,
I would ride more merry-go-rounds,
I would pick more daisies.”

So let’s leave our thermometers, hot-water bottles, raincoats and parachutes at home—and remember to enjoy as many moments as we can.

Perhaps that’s something that can go on our New Year’s Resolutions list tomorrow.

Wishing you a happy and healthy New Year!

(Poem found in:  Chicken Soup for the Soul 20th Anniversary Edition)

What do you say when …

1. you know the word, but you just can’t remember it?
2. you need help with the  pronunciation of a word?
3. you are looking for a specific word?

1. It’s on the tip of my tongue. I just can’t think of it at the moment.
2. How do you say that word again?
3. What’s the word again for … ?

We can keep our sentences fairly simple.

 

What can you do when you find yourself in a difficult situation?

Take a look at this short, humorous video from Irish sketch trio  ‘Foil Arms and Hog’ entitled ‘Misslungenes Skype Interview‘ to see how a Skype interview can go wrong.

It’s a great exercise to test how well you understand an Irish accent. And remember, you can always listen with subtitles switched on!

Have you ever experienced anything remotely similar to what Hog (poor guy!) experienced?

—–
remotely = im Entferntesten

Rhyming can be an important technique to help us remember things—even grammar points!

Here’s a grammar point that even some native speakers of English struggle with!

‘With me’ versus ‘with I’
You must never even try
Saying, “Come with Greg and I”,
For it’s always – you will see –
Always, “Come with Greg and me”.

All clear now?

(Thanks to Anna Nolan for this tip.)