1.

The author calls his job "awesome" because he genuinely enjoys almost
every aspect of his work career, finding it meaningful and fulfilling. He has
a sense of purpose in his work, takes pride in his accomplishments, and
values the positive relationships he has with colleagues and clients.
2. Yes, a mundane job can be viewed as an uplifting career if individuals can
find meaning in what they do. Even seemingly routine or unexciting jobs,
like customer service, can be seen as having meaning when employees focus
on how they help clients and create positive customer experiences. Finding a
higher purpose in one's work can make any job more fulfilling.
3. The author takes pride in several accomplishments, including publishing
papers, giving engaging lectures, and completing blog posts. The source of
his pride is the positive feedback he receives from readers and students who
appreciate his work. For example, readers and students comment favorably
on his achievements, and he often celebrates them, such as with a glass of
wine.
4. It is important to have positive relationships with colleagues and clients
because these relationships can significantly enhance one's career
satisfaction. Positive relationships at work can bring pleasure and support,
making the job more enjoyable and fulfilling. Conversely, negative
relationships can lead to stress and torment, making the job an ordeal.
Building strong and rewarding relationships can contribute to a more
awesome career experience.
5. Your job can become an ordeal if you have bad relationships with
colleagues, bosses, or clients. These negative relationships can lead to stress,
unhappiness, and self-doubt. Dealing with difficult colleagues or bosses can
make the workplace a challenging and unpleasant environment, affecting
your overall job satisfaction.
6. If people's jobs consume all of their time and energy, they may become
unhappy and experience burnout. Having no work-life balance can lead to
stress, strained relationships with family and friends, and a lack of time to
pursue non-work-related interests. Achieving a work-life balance is crucial
for long-term career satisfaction.
7. Each element that makes up an "awesome work career":
Meaning: Finding meaning in your job is crucial for job satisfaction. It's about
understanding the higher purpose or significance of your work. Even in
seemingly routine or unglamorous jobs, you can find meaning by focusing on
how your contributions impact others. For example, a customer service
 representative can see their role as helping clients and providing excellent
customer experiences, which adds value to people's lives.
Accomplishment: Feeling a sense of accomplishment is essential for personal
and professional growth. It involves setting goals, accomplishing tasks, and
taking pride in your achievements. The author gives examples of publishing
papers, delivering engaging lectures, or finishing blog posts. These
accomplishments not only boost personal satisfaction but also contribute to
your professional reputation.
Positive Relationships: Your work environment and the people you interact
with play a significant role in your job satisfaction. Positive relationships with
colleagues, clients, and collaborators can be a great source of pleasure. These
relationships can provide support, encouragement, and networking
opportunities. In contrast, negative relationships, such as dealing with difficult
colleagues or bosses, can lead to stress and negatively impact your career.
Balance: Achieving work-life balance is essential for overall well-being. If your
job consumes all your time and energy, it can lead to burnout and negatively
affect your personal life. Striking a balance between work, family, friends, and
pursuing non-work-related interests is vital for long-term career satisfaction.
The author suggests that while there may be trade-offs in terms of money or
prestige, many people who achieve this balance have no regrets.
The article discusses the elements that make a work career "awesome" like the
importance of finding meaning in your job, even in seemingly mundane roles, by
focusing on the higher purpose of your work. Accomplishment is highlighted as a
key factor, with the author taking pride in achievements like publishing papers and
giving lectures. Positive relationships with colleagues and clients are seen as a
significant source of career satisfaction, while negative relationships can lead to
stress. Lastly, achieving work-life balance is crucial for overall well-being, as a job
that consumes all your time and energy can lead to burnout. Thus, the article
concludes that individuals often need to make strategic decisions and work hard to
create a fulfilling and satisfying career.
Rat race a way of life in modern society, in
which people compete with each other for power and money

Робота - джерело стресу чи щастя для більшості людей?

Гонка за багатсвом приносить користь чи шкоду нашому щастю?
У статті блогерки Forbes Дженни Ґудро під назвою "Чому робота - це секрет
щастя" вона стверджує, що життя без стресу не є прямим шляхом до щастя;
навпаки, такий спокій і тиша можуть зробити нас нещасними. На
підтвердження цього твердження пані Ґудро цитує економіста Тодда
Бухгольца, який стверджує, що "ідея про те, що все наше суспільство має
позбутися стресу, є підступною". За словами Бухгольца, наш мозок
налаштований на процвітання в умовах "щурячих перегонів", і як тільки ми
виходимо з них, наш мозок, по суті, перетворюється на кашу. Нарешті, він
стверджує, що поспіх і часта активність перетворюються на енергію і
відроджують нас.
Робота як джерело щастя
Я розумію, що пан Бухгольц говорить про роботу. Задоволеність своєю
роботою є критично важливим компонентом щастя, як стверджує відомий
дослідник щастя Ед Дінер (Ed Diener). Дінер пояснює, що те, люблять люди
свою роботу чи ненавидять її, може збільшити їхнє психологічне багатство
або звести нанівець (Diener, & Biswas-Diener, 2008). Крім того, дослідниця
Емі Вжесневскі припускає, що різниця між задоволеністю і незадоволеністю
роботою полягає в тому, як працівники ставляться до своєї роботи. Деякі
люди вважають за краще просто " відсиджувати години", в той час як інші
знаходять спосіб віднайти те, що є значущим у їхній роботі. Ті, хто розглядає
свою роботу як покликання, захоплені тим, що роблять. Вони люблять
відпочивати, але також із задоволенням повертаються до роботи після
відпустки. За даними Вжесневського, приблизно третина людей у будь-якій
професії розглядають свою роботу як покликання (Wrzesniewski, 2003).
Хороші робочі місця пропонують своїм працівникам більше, ніж просто
хорошу зарплату та соцпакет. Чудові робочі місця дають працівникам
можливість особисто контролювати деякі або всі аспекти їхнього дня; вони
дають їм постійно цікаву роботу; вони поважають людей і винагороджують
за добре виконану роботу; і вони встановлюють чіткі очікування. Якщо ви не
працюєте в такій компанії, а я підозрюю, що багато хто не працює в такій
компанії, для кожної людини стає вкрай важливим розвивати навички,
необхідні для процвітання на роботі.
Робота як джерело стресу
Дослідження Gallup Organization показує, що лише третина людей повністю
погоджується з твердженням: "На роботі я маю можливість щодня робити те,
що у мене виходить найкраще" (Rath, 2007). За даними Ґеллапа, понад 300
мільярдів доларів щорічно втрачається через розслабленість на робочому
місці, а 55% працівників відчувають стрес до такої міри, що почуваються
вкрай втомленими та неконтрольованими (2009 р.). Дженніфер Робісон,
старший редактор журналу управління Gallup, повідомляє, що серед
працівників з найнижчими показниками благополуччя щорічна вартість
втраченої продуктивності через лікарняні становить $28 800 на людину
(Robison, 2010). Крім того, USA Today нещодавно повідомила, що лише 45%
американців були задоволені своєю роботою (2010). Це найнижчий показник
відтоді, як Конференційна рада почала досліджувати це питання в 1987 році.

Нарешті, дослідження показують, що приблизно 20% від заробітної плати

компанії йде на вирішення проблем, пов'язаних зі стресом. Американці
називають роботу найбільш значним джерелом стресу через великі робочі
навантаження, непевні очікування від роботи та довгий робочий день (Avey,
Luthans & Jensen, 2009). Крім того, менеджери та роботодавці шукають
найкращих працівників, які можуть процвітати в умовах непевності, активно
навчатися та розвиватися, незважаючи на труднощі. Суть полягає в тому, що
працівники повинні не лише виживати, справлятися з неминучими
труднощами, але й процвітати, і робити це швидше, ніж їхні конкуренти
(Luthans, Youssef, & Avolio, 2007).
Заключні думки
Тиск посилюється! Я сподіваюся, що в якийсь момент ми зможемо знайти
золоту середину. Робота, яка вас приваблює і робить вас щасливими, без
необхідності відчувати, що ви готові відрізати собі ліву руку, аби взяти два
дні вихідних для відпочинку, разом з розумінням і усвідомленням того, що
стрес сам по собі - це добре, але без належного управління він може швидко
стати згубним для вашого здоров'я і благополуччя. Поспіх і часта активність
можуть бути корисними, якщо вони цілеспрямовані та енергійні, але
підніміть руку всі ті мами, які хотіли б відпочити від щоденної рутинної
роботи, відводячи своїх дітей на різні заняття і з них.
Колишній футбольний тренер коледжу Лу Хольц якось сказав: "Ніхто ніколи
не тонув у поті". Осмислена робота з достатнім навантаженням, щоб зробити
життя цікавим, має вирішальне значення для вашого щастя, але світ, повний
людей, які закопали себе в землю, не є відповіддю на це питання.
Lexical assignments:

Task 1
 beneficial - корисний "Is the rat race beneficial or detrimental to our happiness?"
 detrimental - шкідливий
 to de-stress - розслаблятися, знімати стрес " In support of that statement, Ms.
Goudreau cites economist Todd Buchholz, who states that "The idea that our entire
society needs to de-stress is treacherous."
  to thrive (on sth.) - процвітати (на чомусь) "According to Buchholz, our brains
are wired to thrive in the rat race, and once we leave it, our brains essentially turn to a
state of mush."

 to convert into sth. - перетворити в щось "rushing around and frequent activity
converts into energy and revives us."

 benefits package - пакет соціальних вигід "Great workplaces offer their

employees more than just a good salary and benefits package."

 imperative (adj.) - невідкладний, надзвичайно важливий "it becomes

imperative for each individual to build the skills he or she needs to thrive on the job."

 payroll - виплата зарплати Finally, studies show that approximately 20% of a

company's payroll goes toward dealing with stress-related issues.

 heavy workload - велика робоча навантаженість "Americans cite work as their

most significant source of stress due to heavy workloads, uncertain job expectations, and
long hours."

 job expectations - очікування щодо роботи

 the bottom line - кінцевий результат, суть в тому, що The bottom line is that
employees need to not only survive, cope and recover through the inevitable difficulties,
but also thrive and flourish, and they need to do it faster than their competition

 engaging - цікавий, привабливий Work that is engaging and makes you happy without
the need to feel like you'd cut off your left arm just to take two days off to relax, along with an
understanding and appreciation that stress in and of itself is a good thing, but without proper
management, can quickly turn detrimental to your health and well-being.

Ex 2
1. stress-free living
2. to add to one’s psychological wealth or bankrupt it
3. to punch the clock
4. to view one’s work as a calling
5. to set clear expectations
6. significant source of stress
7. to learn and grow through hardships
8. to strike a middle ground
9. to turn to a state of mush
1. життя без стресу
2. примножити своє психологічне багатство або розорити його
3. відсиджувати свою зміну
4. розглядати свою роботу як покликання
5. встановлювати чіткі очікування
6. значне джерело стресу
7. вчитися і розвиватися, долаючи труднощі
 8. знаходити золоту середину
9. перетворюватися на кашу

Task 3
Find English equivalents of the following collocations in the text, use them in
sentences of your own:
• жорстока конкуренція – rat race The corporate world can often feel like a
relentless rat race, with employees constantly competing for promotions and
recognition.
• біганина- rushing around In her hectic schedule, she was always rushing
around from one meeting to another, rarely finding a moment to relax.
• концентруватися на чомусь- to tap into smth
• почуватися надзвичайно втомленим і не здатним володіти собою- to
feel extremely fatigued and out of control After weeks of non-stop work, she
began to feel extremely fatigued and out of control, realizing the importance
of taking a break.
• низький рівень добробуту- the lowest scores in well-being Employees who
reported the lowest scores in well-being often struggled with job satisfaction
and mental health.
• проблеми, спричинені стресом- stress-related issues The company's HR
department launched initiatives to address stress-related issues, such as
employee burnout and anxiety.
• найкращий працівник- top performer Sarah consistently exceeded her sales
targets and was recognized as a top performer within the sales team.
• невідворотні труднощі- inevitable difficulties In the world of
entrepreneurship, facing inevitable difficulties is part of the journey to
success, and perseverance is key.
• повсякденна важка, нудна праця- a daily grind For many, the daily grind
of commuting and working long hours can become monotonous and
draining.
• довести себе до виснаження- to run oneself into the ground John's
relentless ambition to climb the corporate ladder led him to run himself into
the ground, neglecting his personal life and health.

Ex.4
1. A business will not thrive without capable management.
2. Clean air and good food are beneficial for health, but working overtime is
detrimental.
3. The top performers are usually those people who consider their work a
calling.
4. If you want to be promoted and succeed, you must be prepared to cope with
a heavy workload.
5. His plans for his work forced him to learn and grow, overcoming inevitable
difficulties.
6. According to psychologists, a stress-free life makes people unhappy because
their brains degrade, while intense activity, on the contrary, converts into energy
and revives people.
7. Jack's day-to-day grind made him extremely fatigued and out of control.
8. Working overtime, he run himself into the ground.
9. Rushing around and rat racing is a significant source of stress in modern
society.
10. It is important to strike a middle ground/happy medium and find a
meaningful job that is challenging enough to keep life interesting, but not to the
point of running yourself into the ground.

THE DIALOGUE
Prospective Employer: Thank you for coming in today. We're looking for a
courtroom translator, and I see you're interested in the position. Can you tell me a
bit about your career plan and what factors you think would make this job
"awesome"?
You: Thank you for considering me for the position. I've always been passionate
about languages and communication, and I see a career as a courtroom translator as
an uplifting career choice. I embrace challenging work as it keeps me engaged and
motivated, making courtroom translation an ideal fit. The constant demand for
precision and the complexity of legal terminology create an environment where I
thrive. I find immense reward in knowing that my work can influence the outcome
of legal proceedings, and each successful interpretation feels like a significant
accomplishment. The flexibility offered by courtroom translation aligns with my
desire for a balanced work-life approach while pursuing my passion. Building
positive relationships with legal professionals, including judges and lawyers, is a
crucial aspect of my plan to enhance my skills and reputation. Starting with an
internship, I aim to gain hands-on experience and an in-depth understanding of
courtroom procedures while maintaining a commitment to continuous learning and
staying updated with legal changes. I am fully aware that the job may present
occasional challenges, such as handling emotionally charged testimonies, but I am
prepared to accept these as part of the tradeoff for a fulfilling and rewarding career.
Prospective Employer: It sounds like you've put a lot of thought into this career
plan. Can you tell me more about how you see your career revolving around the
responsibilities of a courtroom translator?
You: Certainly. As a courtroom translator, my primary responsibility is to facilitate
communication between non-English speaking individuals and the legal system.
This means translating accurately and impartially in various legal contexts, such as
trials, hearings, and depositions. It also involves preparing legal documents and
maintaining confidentiality. Moreover, I see my role as an opportunity to take
pride in my work by contributing to a fair and just legal process.
Prospective Employer: That's a well-rounded perspective. It's clear that you're
passionate about this career. Is there anything you'd like to ask me about the
position or our organization?
You: Yes, could you tell me more about the team dynamics and how the
organization supports its courtroom translators in their career development?
Prospective Employer: At our organization, we highly value and prioritize our
courtroom translators and strive to foster a collaborative environment. We provide
ongoing training and development opportunities, with a strong focus on
establishing positive relationships with legal professionals. Our dedication to
avoiding repetition is demonstrated through our regular presentation of diverse and
challenging cases to our translators. We firmly believe that the role should be both
demanding and personally and professionally rewarding.
You: That's exactly the type of environment I'm looking for. This conversation has
been very insightful, and I'm excited about the possibility of contributing to your
team as a courtroom translator.
Prospective Employer: It's been a pleasure speaking with you. We'll be in touch
soon with our decision. Thank you for your interest in the position.

Is the rat race beneficial or detrimental to our happiness?

In an article by Forbes blogger, Jenna Goudreau, entitled "Why Working is the
Secret to Happiness," she argues that stress-free living is not a clear path to
happiness; instead, such peace and stillness might be making us miserable. In
support of that statement, Ms. Goudreau cites economist Todd Buchholz, who
states that "The idea that our entire society needs to de-stress is treacherous."
According to Buchholz, our brains are wired to thrive in the rat race, and once we
leave it, our brains essentially turn to a state of mush. Finally, he argues that
rushing around and frequent activity converts into energy and revives us.
Work as a Source of Happiness
I get what Mr. Buchholz says about work. Being satisfied with your work is a
critical component of happiness, according to noted happiness researcher, Ed
Diener. Diener explains that whether people love or hate their jobs can add to their
psychological wealth or bankrupt it (Diener, & Biswas-Diener, 2008). In addition,
researcher Amy Wrzesniewski suggests that the difference between work
satisfaction and dissatisfaction is the way employees view their work. Some people
elect to just "punch the clock" while others find a way to tap into what is
meaningful about their work. These people who view their work as a calling are
passionate about what they do. They like their time off, but are also excited to
return to work post-vacation. According to Wrzesniewski, approximately one-third
of people in any given occupation view their work as a calling (Wrzesniewski,
2003).
Great workplaces offer their employees more than just a good salary and
benefits package. Great workplaces give employees opportunities for personal
control over some or all aspects of their day; they give them consistently
challenging work; they give people respect and reward a job well done; and they
set clear expectations. If you aren't working for such a company, and I suspect that
many people are not, it becomes imperative for each individual to build the skills
he or she needs to thrive on the job.
Work as a Source of Stress
Research by the Gallup Organization shows that only one-third of people
strongly agree with the statement, "At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do
best every day" (Rath, 2007). Over $300 billion dollars is lost annually due to
disengagement in the workplace according to Gallup, and 55% of employees are
stressed to the point of feeling extremely fatigued and out of control (2009).
Jennifer Robison, a senior editor for the Gallup Management Journal, reports that
among those workers with the lowest scores in well-being, the annual cost of lost
productivity due to sick days is $28,800 per person (Robison, 2010). In addition,
USA Today recently reported that only 45% of Americans were satisfied with their
work (2010). This is the lowest level reported since the Conference Board research
began researching the issue in 1987.
Finally, studies show that approximately 20% of a company's payroll goes
toward dealing with stress-related issues. Americans cite work as their most
significant source of stress due to heavy workloads, uncertain job expectations, and
long hours (Avey, Luthans & Jensen, 2009). Further, managers and employers are
looking for top performers who can thrive in uncertain environments and
proactively learn and grow through hardships. The bottom line is that employees
need to not only survive, cope and recover through the inevitable difficulties, but
also thrive and flourish, and they need to do it faster than their competition
(Luthans, Youssef, & Avolio, 2007).
Final Thoughts
The pressure is on! My hope is that at some point we can strike a middle
ground. Work that is engaging and makes you happy without the need to feel like
you'd cut off your left arm just to take two days off to relax, along with an
understanding and appreciation that stress in and of itself is a good thing, but
without proper management, can quickly turn detrimental to your health and well-
being. Rushing around and frequent activity can be beneficial if it's purposeful and
energizing, but raise your hand all you mom's out there if you would appreciate
some time off from the daily grind of shuffling your kids back and forth to and
from multiple activities.
 Former college football coach Lou Holtz once said, "No one has ever drowned
in sweat." Meaningful work with enough stress to make life interesting is critical
for your happiness, but a world full of people who have run themselves into the
ground is not the answer.