どうも。

さっそく行きます。

Work Smarter, Not Harder (5)

SUMMARY

Lyons cites research on a certain activity that refreshes the mind. And Ueda relates an important lesson he was taught by a former boss. Grace recommends thinking carefully before offering to help other people with their work. And Lyons and Collins support reading to stimulate the brain.

VIGNETTE

Steve Lyons: There are many studies that show taking a 20-minute nap in the afternoon can increase your productivity. It recharges, refreshes and re-energizes the body and the brain. That's why we've added sleep pods to our work spaces.

Alyce Collins: That was a great idea.

Ueda Shota: Another valuable lesson my old boss in Japan taught me was when and how to say "no". That can be very difficult in a hierarchical society like Japan, but my boss was very firm on that point.

Lidia Grace: That's a very useful insight. I've seen lots of people fritter away their time and lose sight of their priorities because they can't turn anyone down when they ask them for help. If it doesn't relate directly to what you're working on, you really need to think TWICE. There are only so many hours in the day.

Steve Lyons: I find that reading books is a good way of instilling and reinforcing mental discipline. At the risk of sounding pretentious, that enriches me intellectually, and helps me to work smarter.

Alyce Collins: That makes perfect sense to me. I try to read as much as I can. I try to stick with solid stuff like literary classics and thought-provoking non-fiction. Reading keeps the old noggin in good shape ― which is what you need to work smart, after all.

[NOTES]

lose sight of 〔見えにくくなって〕～を見失う - 英辞郎 on the WEBより

only so many 限られた［少しの］数の - 英辞郎 on the WEB

WORDS AND PHRASES

sleep pod スリープポッド/仮眠スペース

This is a sleep space; a contained sleep space, usually looks like a capsule. You know, all those tiny little spaceships you see in science fiction movies. In the movies you'd hear them talk about "escape pods" and such. I wish I had a sleep pod on the train to work. I'd pay extra for that.

sleeping pod とも言う

pod 豆のさや

企業によってはenergy pod とよぶところもある

hierarchical society 階層社会

Ueda says, "That can be very difficult in a hierarchical society like Japan".

firm on that point その点に関しては毅然とした

He was unyielding on that point, he said; this is the way it must be or the way it must be done. We also say "firm about", like "He is very firm about punctuality. He insists everyone be on time". Or my parents were firm about good manners ― you know, always saying "please" and "thank you".

insight 見識/洞察/知見

fritter away ～を少しずつ浪費する

think TWICE よく考える

Consider very carefully before doing something; reconsider whether doing something is really a good idea. We also say "don't think TWICE about", which means do something without hesitation. Like "He didn't think TWICE about admitting his mistake. He just did it right away".

「よく考える」という意味のイディオム。「考え直す」という意味ではない。

on second thought 考え直してみると

don't think TWICE 躊躇なく～をする/二度と考えない

instill 植え付ける/染み込ませる

Lyons says, "Reading books is a good way of instilling and reinforcing mental discipline."

reinforce 強化する/促進する

mental discipline 自制心

at the risk of ～を承知のうえで/～を覚悟のうえで

pretentious 偉そうな/尊大な

A pretentious person acts arrogantly superior to others. There's a conscious attitude of "I'm so special"; "I'm so great". You could also say things are pretentious. A product name might be pretentious, or an ad campaign.

enrich 豊かにする/強化する

stick with ～にこだわる/～を手放さない

literary classic 古典的な文学作品

A classic of literature like "The Tale of Genji" or "Jane Eyre". And if we say someone is a literary person, then they're very interested in literature. They know a lot about it.

日本語では「クラッシク音楽」、英語ではclassical music

thought-provoking 深く考えさせられる/示唆に富む

Here provoke means give rise to; induce. As far as I know, "thought" is the only word we use in this hyphenated style. When we use provoke alone, it can mean stir anger or resentment. "Vivien was very rude but she was provoked". We also have the noun "provocation", which means incitement; something that provokes or stimulates some feeling or behavior. He gets angry at the least provocation. You know at just a little incitement he gets angry.

incitement 刺激、鼓舞、扇動、誘因、動機 - 英辞郎 on the WEB

ハイフンを入れてthought-provokingだと「深く考えさせられる/示唆に富む」。

provokeだけだと別の意味になる

be provoked 怒らせる/憤慨させる

keep the old noggin in good shape 自分の頭脳を良好に保つ

My dictionary dates the word noggin to 16th century. But it says the origins are unknown. And it means head; brain. You could say, "That door is pretty low. Don't bang your noggin on it". Or "These brain teasers are good for the old noggin".

brain teaser 〔パズル・クイズなどの〕頭の体操、難問 - 英辞郎 on the WEB

nogginはbrainという意味。

Use your noggin. 頭を使いなさい

turn down 拒否する

Grace says she's seen lots of people waste their time because they can't turn anyone down when they ask them for help. To turn down is to refuse an offer; refuse a request. You could turn down a job offer, or turn down a request to translate something.

WORD WATCH

recharges, refreshes and re-energizes

英気を養って、気分をすっきりさせ、活力を回復させる

ゴガクルの解説より:「r から始まる3つの単語をつらねた表現だが、初等教育(basic education program）において強調される3つの R は、reading,'riting and' rithmetic(reading, writing and arithmetic）で、sustainability(資源を枯渇させない開発の持続可能性）の分野においては、reduce、reuse、recycle である」

SAY WHAT YOU MEAN

fritter

If we waste something bit by bit, we fritter that thing away. For example, "He has frittered away his inheritance on cars and designers clothes".

bit by bit 少しずつ、ぼちぼち、次第に、小出しに、段々に- 英辞郎 on the WEB

inheritance 相続、相続財産［物件］- 英辞郎 on the WEBより

instill

Implanting a certain feeling or quality on someone is to instill that feeling or quality. Things like "He has instilled his love of baseball on his son from a young age".

enrich

The verb enrich means to make more meaningful or fulfilling. As in "Travel is a great way to enrich our lives".

QUOTE UNQUOTE

If you do not think about your future, you cannot have one. - John Galsworthy (English novelist and dramatist)

将来について考えないのなら、将来はない - ジョン・ゴールズワージー (イギリスの劇作家で小説家)

[NOTES]にもあげておきましたが、放送での解説がなかった語句がありましたね。グレイスのセリフThere are only so many hours in the day.は、「1日の時間は限られている」という意味になるかと思います。