IELTS Speaking Part 2 & 3 Topic: Describe a time when you were busy.

Describe a time when you were busy.

You should say:

– When was that time

– Why were you busy

– How did you handle it

Nowadays, with the incredibly fast-paced living, it’s not unusual to see how busy people are in their lives. Honestly speaking, I have found myself like thousands of time up to my neck in work, however, the time that is most memorable for me is the one of chasing the deadline to submit my final thesis paper for graduation. The allowed time for me to fulfill this task is 2 months, nevertheless, I spent almost three weeks struggling to figure out the topic. In addition, I was almost knockdown by the job pressure at the company where I was performing as an intern. Between working at the corporates, attending classes and completing the assigned thesis, I was, in fact, a busy little beaver for almost 2 months. I barely had time remaining for my personal stuff and I was really stressed out that I was falling behind my schedule for my thesis paper submission. It was indeed a complicated one that required me to do tons of research, both from libraries and the Internet. In addition, I had to visit some local companies to collect data for my thesis. Those days were so tough and I had been so busy that sometimes I slept for 3 hours only at night. However, at the end of the day, I completed the thesis with flying color and had it submitted in due time. Although it was extremely challenging for me at that time, I felt that all of my time and effort were truly rewarding. It also gave me some precious experience in time managing and dealing with stress in life.

QUESTIONS FOR PART 3

1. Do you like the fast pace of modern life?

Not really. Living life in the fast lane surely can be both mentally and physically draining. I can see people nowadays often struggle to juggle work commitments with the demands of the family and keeping up with friends. Besides, a hectic lifestyle can very easily take a toll on our overall well-being if we fail to take better care of ourselves.

2. How do you feel when you are really busy?

Sometimes, it does wear me out to be so busy with work and study but I don’t necessarily dislike it. When I’m busy, I actually feel a sense of satisfaction, knowing that I’m doing something productive. I used to be unemployed for a short period of time and it was seriously so frustrating to stay at home all the time, doing nothing while earning no money. I think that’s the reason why I now prefer being busy and I often try to occupy my time with as much work and activities as possible, provided that I’m given a holiday break or time off to look forward to.

3. What’s the best way to deal with stress?

As I am the type of people that cannot get anything done if I’m under too much stress, if I’m too busy to the point of getting stressed out, I would always try to squeeze in some quality relaxing time to do things that I love, like watching my favorite TV shows, going shopping or hanging out with friends. I found out that the best way for me to fight away stress often is to slow down, enjoy life more and fill my mind with only positive thoughts. Only then can I find peace within myself and gather more strength to fulfill my responsibilities at work and towards my family.

4. What kind of lifestyle is suitable for people in modern society?

I believe people of modern times should definitely strive for a more balanced lifestyle by making more mindful and healthier choices for the sake of their physical well-being. People can start taking charge of their life by being more active, enjoying hobbies and sharing time with friends and family. This, in my opinion, is the most important investment anyone can make in his or her life.

5. What relaxation techniques do you usually use?

As I mentioned earlier, some of the relaxation techniques for stress relief that work for me include getting a good belly laugh with some variety shows that I like or simply by surrounding myself with funny and cheerful friends; listening to slow and soothing music to calm my mind; savoring only the good experiences and trying to focus on the present and things that really matter in life, which are good health and having my loving family and friends by my side.

VOCABULARY

 Juggle (verb): to try to do two or more jobs or activities at the same time, because you do not have a lot of time

Flexible working hours help staff juggle work and family life.

 Commitment (noun): the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, etc.

He thanked them for their work on the book and their commitment to delivering a quality product.

 Hectic (adj): full of activity, or very busy and fast

The area has become a haven for people tired of the hectic pace of city life.

 To take a toll on: to cause damage or wear by using something or by hard living

Drug abuse takes quite a toll on the lives of people.

 To wear sb out: to make someone extremely tired

Walking around a museum all day really wears you out.

 Frustrating (adj): cause (someone) to feel upset or annoyed as a result of being unable to change or achieve something

It can be very frustrating to find that the size you want isn’t there.

 To squeeze sb/sth in: to manage to do something or see someone in a short period of time or when you are very busy

While we’re in Australia, we’re hoping to squeeze in a trip to the Barrier Reef.

 To gather (up) strength/courage: to prepare to make a great effort to be strong or brave I spent a week gathering the courage to say no.

 Mindful (adj): conscious or aware of something

It is also good to be mindful of those who have less than we do.

 To strive for sth: to try very hard to do something or to make something happen

We strive to ensure that all children are treated equally.

 For the sake of sb: in order to help or bring advantage to someone

Their parents only stayed together for the sake of the children.

 Soothing (adj): making you feel calm

I put on some nice soothing music.

 Savor (verb): enjoy or appreciate (something pleasant) to the full

As for herself, she is going to make sure she savors every moment.