THE PEAK TIME FOR EVERYTHING

By: Sue Shellenbarge

Published: The Wall Street Journal, September 26, 2012; http://online.wsj.com Alternatively, just google the title and author’s name

Level of Difficulty: ** (This is an easy level** but a tough level* to be quite honest)

BEFORE YOU READ

-          Are there particular times of the day when you are at your best?

-          At what time of the day do you prefer to be doing mentally taxing work?

-          Do you think there is a reason for this?

-          What time is best for sports in your view?

-          Is there a reason for this?

-          Do you think your body clock affects your activities online? If so how?

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST AND CONSIDER
  A peak time for everything
http://www.wnyc.org/story/245487-peak-time-everything/

QUESTIONS

1. What does “its” in the phrase “and its effects on energy and alertness” refer to?
2. What do people plan their lives according to?
3. What is the up side of planning our lives acc to our body clocks?
4. Why can taking a shower in the morning “jump start the process”?
5. Why do a majority of people have trouble concentrating from noon to 4p.m.?
6. What surprising discovery was made as a result of the 2011 study with 428 students?
7. What is the reason for this positive correlation between tiredness and creativity?
8. Why is it especially hard to adapt our body clocks to our working lives?
9. Why is it better to send emails early in the morning?
10. What surprising discovery about the nature of early morning tweets was made as a result of the study with 2.4 million Twitter users?
11. What is the reason for the above?
12. Why do posts made in the evening on Facebook get more likes?
13. For what two reasons do the tweets sent before bed time involve strong feelings?
14. For what two reasons is it better to schedule a game of tennis or squash sometime in the afternoon?
15. The experiment with 25 experienced swimmers proved that...................................................

THE PEAK TIME FOR EVERYTHING KEY AND TEACHER’S NOTES

This activity has turned out to be a tough level* but an easy level**; it sometimes happens. If you use it early on, be prepared to provide help and guidance. If, on the other hand, you use it later on, time them 40 minutes. The text does come up with some revelations which should lead to a healthy discussion. I haven’t got a writing task for this one so if you think of something creative, get back to me.

1. The body clock’s
2. Workday demands, community social events and kids’ schedules
3. It gives us an edge in life.
4. Because it raises body temperature
5. Because alertness tends to slump after eating a meal.
6. Fatigue boosts creative powers; or, students’ performance on tasks involving novel thinking was best at non-peak times of the day.
7. Fatigue may allow the mind to wander more freely, to explore alternative solutions.
8. Because everyone’s body clock is different.
9. They are most likely to be read.
10. Users are most likely to tweet upbeat, enthusiastic messages between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m.
11. Sleep is refreshing and leaves people alert and enthusiastic.
12. Because people are less stressed at that time of the day.
13. People are tired out by the workday; they are freed from the workday’s stresses and demands.
14. Muscle strength tends to peak between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.; eye hand coordination is better.
15. Body rhythms hold true regardless of how much you have slept or how recently you have eaten.