Time for Yourself: Why It’s Important – English Podcast
🌿 Do you ever feel overwhelmed, exhausted, or like you have zero minutes for yourself? In this episode of the Context English Podcast, we explore how to talk about stress in English and why taking time for yourself is essential — not selfish.
This English podcast A2-B1 episode is built around a real life English conversation about stress, busy schedules, and emotional burnout. Through honest storytelling and natural dialogue, you’ll learn useful English phrases for stress that you can immediately use in daily life.
✨ You’ll discover how to say “I am overwhelmed” in English with confidence, how to describe mental pressure, and how to ask for a break in English without feeling guilty. We focus on natural English phrases for daily life like “I need some me-time,” “I need to recharge my batteries,” and “I want to clear my head.”
As you listen, you’ll improve your English listening practice A2-B1 skills while expanding your mental health English vocabulary in a way that feels authentic and supportive — not academic or robotic.
💬 This episode is perfect for:
✔️ intermediate learners who want to speak English confidently about feelings
✔️ professionals discussing work-life balance English topics
✔️ students improving emotional vocabulary
✔️ anyone who wants deeper daily life English conversation skills
More than just language learning, this is a safe space to practice confident English speaking while understanding your own needs. You’ll learn that talking about stress in English is not weakness — it’s clarity.
By the end of the episode, you won’t just know English vocabulary for self care — you’ll feel empowered to use it in real conversations.
🎧 Take a breath. Listen. Repeat. And give yourself permission to recharge.
DIALOGUE
Anna: Okay… okay… answer the email… now, where is my to-do list? Oh! I need to buy milk. And call the doctor. And… wait… is that the phone ringing again? Oh, no! Not now! Stop. Just… stop. I feel like I am running, and running, and running… but I am going nowhere. I am so tired. My head is so full of “must do” and “should do.” When was the last time I just… sat down? Does your life feel like this too? Like you have zero minutes for yourself?
GREETING & INTRODUCTION
Mike: Hello everyone! Take a deep breath. You are safe here. Welcome back to the show.
Anna: Hi there! I am Anna. And yes… I really needed that deep breath, Mike.
Mike: I’m Mike. This is the Context English Podcast.
Anna: Today, we are talking about something very important for all of us: Time for Yourself – Why It’s Important and How to Find It.
Mike: That’s right. By the end of this episode, you will know how to talk about your stress in English and, more importantly, how to ask for the break you deserve.
RECENT EVENT / RELATABLE ANECDOTE
Mike: You know, Anna, I had a very difficult week last week. Everything happened at the same time.
Anna: Oh no, what happened?
Mike: Well, my car broke down on Monday. Then, my boss asked me to finish a big project two days early. And on top of that, my cat was sick! I was working, then cleaning, then worrying… I felt like a robot. Just “work, eat, sleep, repeat.”
Anna: Mmm… I know that feeling. You forget who you are, right?
Mike: Exactly! On Wednesday night, I was sitting on the floor, looking at my sick cat and my broken computer, and I felt like I wanted to cry. I realized I hadn’t listened to music, or read a book, or even walked in the park for ten days. I was “empty.”
Anna: “Empty.” That is a very strong word, Mike. I think many people feel “empty” because they give all their energy to other people and other tasks.
Mike: I agree. I realized that if I don’t stop for a moment, I cannot be a good teacher, or a good friend, or even a good “cat-dad.” I needed to find a way back to myself.
Anna: It’s like a phone, right? If you don’t charge the battery, it just… stops working.
SMOOTH TRANSITION
Mike: Exactly! My battery was at one percent.
Anna: So, how do we fix this? Is it really possible to find time when our lives are so crazy and busy?
Mike: It is possible, Anna. But we need to change our thinking. And we need the right English words to describe our feelings and our needs.
Anna: So, let’s learn how to take that power back. What phrases can we use to talk about our busy lives and our need for rest?
MAIN TOPIC: REAL-LIFE STORY
Anna: You know, Mike, your story about being empty is so real. I think I lived like that for almost a year. I was working a full-time job, and after work, I was always cleaning the house, or cooking, or helping my sister with her kids. I thought… well, I thought that if I stopped for one minute, everything would fall apart.
Mike: Mmm… that is a lot of pressure to put on yourself, Anna.
Anna: It was too much. One day, I looked in the mirror and… honestly? I didn’t recognize myself. I looked so tired. I looked so… sad. I realized I was living for everyone else, but I was not living for me. I was a stranger to myself.
Mike: That’s a very scary feeling. So, what was your “wake-up call”?
Anna: It was a Saturday morning. I woke up and I just… I couldn’t get out of bed. I wasn’t sick, but my body felt like it was made of lead. Heavy. Very heavy. I stayed there for two hours, just staring at the ceiling. And I decided right then: things must change.
Mike: Did you make a big change? Like moving to a desert island?
Anna: Oh, I wish! But no. I started small. I decided to find fifteen minutes every single morning. Just fifteen. I told my family, “Please, do not talk to me between seven and seven-fifteen. This is my time.”
Mike: And… did they listen? Or did they ask for their socks anyway?
Anna: Haha, at first, they were very confused! My sister would knock on the door and ask, “Anna, where is the milk?” or “Can you help me?” And I had to say, “No. Not now. In ten minutes.” It was hard to say “no,” Mike. I felt guilty.
Mike: Guilt is a very common feeling when we start taking time for ourselves. We feel like we are being selfish.
Anna: Exactly! But after one week, something happened. I sat in my room with my coffee and my journal. No phone. No news. Just… me. And I started to feel like “Anna” again. I wasn’t just a worker or a sister. I was a person with my own thoughts.
Mike: And did the world fall apart because you took fifteen minutes?
Anna: No! The world was fine. The milk was in the fridge, the kids were okay, and the house didn’t burn down. I learned that when I take care of myself, I am actually a much better sister and a much better worker. I have more love to give because I am not “empty” anymore.
Mike: That is such an important lesson for all of us.
BREAKDOWN OF 5 USEFUL PHRASES
Anna: It really is. Now, Mike, let’s look at the words we can use to talk about these feelings. We have five very useful phrases for our listeners.
Mike: Let’s start with phrase number one. This is how I felt last week: I am overwhelmed.
Anna: I am overwhelmed. … I am overwhelmed.
Mike: Use this when you have too much work, too many problems, and you feel like you cannot breathe. It’s more than just “busy.”
Anna: For example: “I have five meetings and a lot of housework today… I am totally overwhelmed.”
Mike: Phrase number two. This is what Anna asked for: Me-time.
Anna: Me-time. … Me-time.
Mike: This is a very common, informal expression. It means time that you spend doing things only for yourself. Not for work, not for family.
Anna: Like this: “I need some me-time this weekend. I’m going to have a long bath and read a book.”
Mike: Phrase number three. This is my favorite idiom: To recharge my batteries.
Anna: To recharge my batteries. … To recharge my batteries.
Mike: Just like your phone, Anna! When you are tired and have no energy, you need to do something to feel strong again.
Anna: For example: “A quiet walk in the forest helps me recharge my batteries.”
Mike: Phrase number four. This is what happens to your brain: To clear my head.
Anna: To clear my head. … To clear my head.
Mike: When your brain is full of “to-do” lists and worries, you need to “clear” it. It means to stop thinking about problems.
Anna: You can say: “When I feel stressed, I go for a run to clear my head.”
Mike: And finally, phrase number five. This is for the end of the day: To wind down.
Anna: To wind down. … To wind down.
Mike: This means to slowly relax after you finish work or before you go to sleep. It’s the opposite of “winding up” like a clock.
Anna: For example: “I like to listen to a podcast to wind down after a long day at the office.”
Mike: Five perfect phrases to help you take your time back!
Anna: These are great, Mike. But I think it is even better to hear them in a real conversation. Should we show our listeners how friends can use these phrases?
Mike: That is a great idea. Let’s do it. Everyone, imagine I am having another one of those stressful days, and Anna is here to help.
PRACTICE DIALOGUE
Anna: Hey Mike, you look a bit… tired today. Is everything okay?
Mike: Oh, Anna… to be honest? Not really. I have three different projects at work, the house is a mess, and I haven’t slept well for two days. I’m just… I’m so overwhelmed.
Anna: Oh, Mike. I can see it in your eyes. You are working too hard! You really need to stop for a moment.
Mike: I know, I know. But there is so much to do! How can I stop?
Anna: Listen to me. If you don’t stop, you will get sick. You need some me-time, Mike. Even if it is just twenty minutes.
Mike: Hmm… maybe you are right. I feel like my brain is full of noise.
Anna: Exactly. You should go for a short walk after work. Don’t take your phone. Just walk and breathe. It will help you clear your head.
Mike: That actually sounds… really nice. I need to recharge my batteries. I feel like a phone with zero percent power.
Anna: We all feel like that sometimes. And tonight, promise me you won’t check your emails before bed. Do something to wind down. Read a book or listen to some music.
Mike: Okay, Anna. I promise. No emails tonight. Just a book and some quiet time. Thank you… I really needed to hear that.
Anna: Anytime, Mike! Now, everyone, let’s listen to those key phrases one more time. Try to repeat them after me.
Anna: I’m… so… overwhelmed.
Mike: I need some… me-time.
Anna: I want… to… clear… my head.
Mike: I need to… recharge my batteries.
Anna: I want… to… wind… down.
Mike: That felt good. And remember, everyone at home, you can listen to that dialogue many times to practice.
CONCLUSION & KEY TAKEAWAY
Mike: Great job today! You just learned how to talk about stress and the importance of taking care of yourself
Anna: We hope you understand now that taking time for yourself is not selfish. It is necessary. If you are happy and rested, you can help others so much more.
Mike: That is our big message for today. And here is your “tiny habit” for this week: Find just five minutes today. Only five! Sit quietly, drink a tea, or look out the window. If someone asks you for something, just say: “I’m taking a short break now. I’ll help you in five minutes.”
Anna: It’s a small step, but it’s a great way to start taking your power back. You deserve those five minutes!
OUTRO & CALL TO ACTION
Mike: Thank you so much for spending your time with us today. It means a lot to us.
Anna: We want to know: What is your favorite way to wind down after a long, busy day? Do you cook? Do you listen to music? Tell us in the comments!
Mike: If you enjoyed this episode, please give us a like, subscribe to the channel, and share it with a friend who looks a bit overwhelmed.
Anna: We love our community, and we love learning with you.
Mike: Have a beautiful, calm day. Take care of yourself!
Anna: Goodbye for now! See you in the next video!
Mike: Bye-bye!