Bad Habits: Warm-Up

Bad Habits: Vocabulary Matching

Match the words with their meaning as used in the article.

turn out (phrasal v) rationalize (v) move forward (phrasal v) procrastinate (v) at the expense of (expression) projection (n) insecure (adj) trivial (adj) neglect (v)

in a way that harms someone or something else fail to care for properly develop or end in a particular way justify, account for unimportant, of little value delay or postpone action, put off advance, make progress the presentation or promotion of something in a particular way not confident or assured

Vocabulary Homework

Circle the words that were new for you. Add them to your vocabulary notebook and make sentences for homework.

Habits: Five Good Habits (Group Work)

The article does not mention good habits. Consider the following categories:

• 
  good habits for academic success
  
• 
  good habits for career success
  
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  good habits for physical and mental health
  
• 
  good habits for happiness in life
  

Option 1: Each group should pick one category above and spend five minutes creating a list of five good habits together. When finished, students should present their list to the class. –or—

Option 2: Each group can create a general list of five good habits related to any category. When finished, students present their list to the class.

Habits: Famous Quotes on Habits (Group Work)

Discuss the below quotes. When finished, add your own quote.

• 
  “Nothing so needs reforming as other people’s habits” – Mark Twain
  
• 
  “Good habits formed at youth make all the difference.” – Aristotle
  
• 
  “Some rules are nothing but old habits that people are afraid to change.” – Therese Fowler
  
• 
  “Happiness is a habit—cultivate it.” – Elbert Hubbard
  
• 
  “Feeling sorry for yourself, and your present condition, is not only a waste of energy but the worse habit you could possibly have.” – Dale Carnegie
  
• 
  
  

Bad Habits: Discussion Questions

1. 
   The article argues that smartphones kill productivity. Is this true for personal life? What about the workplace?
   
2. 
   What are some strategies or expressions we can use to ‘say no’ politely?
   
3. 
   Does social media really make us discontent? Do you get benefits from its use?
   
4. 
   Many ‘good’ and ‘bad’ habits are about increasing our productivity. Is productivity the most important goal for people?
   
5. 
   Cultural Relativism: How does our culture influence our perceptions of good or bad habits? If you have experience living in another culture, what ‘good’ or ‘bad’ behaviours are viewed differently there?