Welcome back to Brew and Boost!
Today, we are looking at the Productivity Brew newsletter to help you work smarter, not harder. Our hosts, Luna and Mimyo, discuss how to handle a busy schedule without losing your mind.
If you listened to the podcast, you know that Maya was feeling overwhelmed by her inbox. Here is the full transcript of the conversation, followed by a breakdown of the key expressions Alex used to help her get back on track.
🗣️ Dialogue Transcript
Maya: I am completely drowning in work; I spent the entire morning just clearing out my inbox!
Alex: You’ve got to stop multitasking. Flitting between apps is a massive time-suck that just kills your focus.
Maya: I know, but I’m trying to finish my main projects so I can work on my side hustle during the five-to-nine.
Alex: Just be careful. If you fill every spare minute with more work, you’re heading straight for burnout.
Maya: But I have to get it all done! Do you have a strategy that actually works?
Alex: Honestly? You should eat the frog. Tackle the most dreaded task first thing in the morning.
Maya: Ugh, that sounds painful. Is there a low-lift way to be productive instead?
Alex: Sure—just download an AI assistant. It’s a total game-changer for organizing your schedule.
💡 Expression Spotlight
1. Time-suck
An activity that consumes a large amount of time, usually in an unproductive or wasteful way. 시간을 낭비하게 만드는 일, (비생산적으로) 시간을 잡아먹는 활동.
This is a somewhat casual noun used to describe tasks that seem to act like a vacuum, sucking your time away before you realize it. It usually implies the activity has very little value compared to the time lost. In the podcast, Alex warns that constantly “flitting” (jumping quickly) between different apps is a major time-suck because it breaks your concentration.
“I deleted the TikTok app because it became such a massive time-suck.” (틱톡 앱이 엄청난 시간 낭비가 돼버려서 삭제했어.)
“Try to avoid administrative time-sucks like unnecessary meetings.” (불필요한 회의처럼 시간을 잡아먹는 관리 업무는 피하도록 해.)
2. Side hustle
A secondary job or project that brings in extra money, usually done in addition to one’s full-time job. 부업, 본업 외에 하는 일(주로 수익 창출이나 자기계발을 위한 프로젝트).
The word “hustle” historically meant to move fast or work aggressively. In modern business slang, a “side hustle” isn’t just a part-time job you do because you have to; it often implies a passion project or a small business you are building yourself during your free time (your “5-to-9”).
“She works in finance by day, but her side hustle is baking wedding cakes.” (그녀는 낮에는 금융업에 종사하지만, 부업으로는 웨딩 케이크를 굽는다.)
“He hopes to turn his photography side hustle into a full-time career next year.” (그는 내년에 사진 촬영 부업을 본업으로 전환하기를 희망하고 있어.)
3. Burnout
A state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. 번아웃, 소진, 극심한 피로(과도한 업무나 스트레스로 인한 탈진 상태).
Imagine a candle. When the wax is gone and the wick is black, it has “burned out” and can no longer give light. This metaphor is used for people who have worked too hard for too long without recharging. It is different from just being tired; it implies you have no motivation or energy left to function.
“If you don’t take weekends off, you are heading straight for burnout.” (주말에 쉬지 않으면 곧장 번아웃이 오게 될 거야.)
“Recovering from burnout can take months, so prevention is key.” (번아웃에서 회복하는 데는 몇 달이 걸릴 수 있으니 예방이 중요해.)
4. Eat the frog
To tackle your most difficult, dreaded, or important task first thing in the morning. 가장 하기 싫거나 힘든 일을 하루 중 가장 먼저 처리하다.
This famous productivity idiom comes from a quote often attributed to Mark Twain: “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning.” The idea is that the “frog” is the ugly, unpleasant task you are dreading. If you do it first, the rest of your day will be easy by comparison, and you won’t spend the day worrying about it.
“I have to make a difficult client call, so I’m going to eat the frog and do it at 9 AM.” (까다로운 고객에게 전화를 해야 해서, 눈 딱 감고 9시에 가장 먼저 처리하려고 해.)
“Stop procrastinating! Just eat the frog and finish that tax report.” (그만 좀 미뤄! 그냥 하기 싫은 거 먼저 딱 해치우고 세금 보고서 끝내버려.)
5. Low-lift
Something that requires little effort, energy, or resources to accomplish. 품이 적게 드는, 힘이 덜 드는, 손쉬운(노력이 많이 필요하지 않은).
This phrase comes from the physical act of lifting a weight. If a box is light, it is a “low lift.” In a corporate or productivity context, a “low-lift” solution is one that is easy to implement immediately without much stress or budget. It is the opposite of a “heavy lift” (a difficult project).
“Using an email template is a low-lift way to save time every morning.” (이메일 템플릿을 사용하는 건 매일 아침 시간을 절약할 수 있는 손쉬운 방법이야.)
“We need a low-lift marketing idea that we can launch by Friday.” (금요일까지 시작할 수 있는 품이 적게 드는 마케팅 아이디어가 필요해.)
