AEE 2356: Learn Some New English While You're At It

Summary

All Ears English Podcast: Episode AEE 2356 - "Learn Some New English While You're At It"

Release Date: February 12, 2025
Hosts: Lindsay McMahon and Michelle Kaplan

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Introduction

In Episode 2356 of the All Ears English Podcast, hosts Lindsay McMahon and Michelle Kaplan delve into the nuances of everyday English expressions that enhance productivity and conversational flow. Titled "Learn Some New English While You're At It," this episode offers listeners valuable insights into the expression "while you're at it" and explores different productivity styles—piecemeal versus all-at-once approaches.

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Productivity Styles: Piecemeal vs. All At Once

The episode kicks off with Lindsay and Michelle discussing their personal approaches to getting tasks done. Lindsay identifies herself as someone who prefers to tackle multiple tasks simultaneously, especially when working online. She shares:

Lindsay McMahon [02:01]: "If I have to wait... I have to go to another window and start something else. It's crazy."

Michelle, on the other hand, leans towards a piecemeal approach, handling tasks in smaller, more manageable segments. This contrast sets the stage for a deeper exploration of productivity styles and their impact on language usage.

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Exploring "While You're At It"

The core focus of the episode is the expression "while you're at it." Lindsay and Michelle dissect its meaning, usage, and versatility in everyday conversations.

Michelle Kaplan [04:40]: "What does it mean? While we're at it? It means while we're doing something, we might as well do something else. Get something else done."

They emphasize that this phrase is not only useful for adding tasks but also serves as a smooth transition in conversations, making dialogues flow naturally without the abruptness of phrases like "and then" or "next, I'm going to."

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Usage and Examples

To solidify understanding, the hosts provide multiple examples demonstrating how "while you're at it" can be seamlessly integrated into various contexts:

1. Household Tasks:

   Lindsay McMahon [07:09]: "I could say, 'Let's wash our hands. Oh, and wash the tomatoes while we're at it.'"

2. Cooking:

   Michelle Kaplan [08:58]: "I'll boil the water, and while I'm at it, I'll preheat the oven."

3. Combining Activities:

   Lindsay McMahon [10:59]: "I did my cardio at the gym and I figured while I was at it, I should also lift weights."

These examples illustrate the phrase's flexibility across different tenses and scenarios, enhancing both spoken and written English proficiency.

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Related Expressions

The discussion naturally extends to expressions with similar meanings, such as "might as well" and "kill two birds with one stone."

Michelle Kaplan [05:01]: "It's convenient, so it would be a good idea. We've talked about that expression, kill two birds with one stone."

Lindsay McMahon [05:14]: "Two birds with one stone feels violent. It feels like what I said naturally... this is a much better go-to option for our listeners."

While "kill two birds with one stone" emphasizes achieving two objectives with a single effort, "while you're at it" focuses on adding tasks to those already being performed, often with a more casual and less forceful connotation.

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Interactive Poll for Listeners

Engaging listeners, the hosts introduce a Spotify poll related to productivity styles:

Michelle Kaplan [13:25]: "Our poll for today... Are you a piecemealer, or a get-it-done-at-once person?"

This interactive segment encourages audience participation, fostering a sense of community and personalized learning. Lindsay further muses on whether productivity styles might be influenced by cultural or personality factors, adding depth to the discussion.

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Role-Play Demonstration

To demonstrate the practical application of the discussed expressions, Lindsay and Michelle engage in a role-play scenario centered around building a DIY bookcase.

Michelle Kaplan [15:34]: "Can you go in the other room and grab the instructions?"

Lindsay McMahon [15:56]: "Sure."

Michelle Kaplan [15:56]: "Oh, and you might as well grab the hammer while you're at it."

This exercise not only showcases the natural incorporation of "while you're at it" and "might as well" but also highlights how these phrases facilitate multitasking and streamline instructions in real-life situations.

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Conclusion and Next Steps

As the episode wraps up, Lindsay and Michelle encourage listeners to reflect on their own productivity styles and consider which approach aligns best with their personal and professional lives. They also promote an upcoming episode, "What Do Birds and Efficiency Have in Common?" (Episode 2326), which further explores related expressions and their applications.

Listeners are reminded to participate in the Spotify poll and to leave reviews, fostering ongoing engagement and community building.

Lindsay McMahon [18:03]: "Are you a piecemealer, or do you prefer to get everything done at once? That is our poll for today."

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Notable Quotes

• Lindsay McMahon [02:01]: "If I have to wait... I have to go to another window and start something else. It's crazy."
• Michelle Kaplan [04:40]: "While you're at it means while we're doing something, we might as well do something else."
• Lindsay McMahon [05:14]: "Two birds with one stone feels violent."
• Michelle Kaplan [13:25]: "Our poll for today... Are you a piecemealer, or a get-it-done-at-once person?"

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Final Thoughts

Episode 2356 of the All Ears English Podcast serves as a comprehensive guide to understanding and utilizing the expression "while you're at it," while also providing listeners with introspection into their personal productivity styles. Through engaging discussions, practical examples, and interactive elements, Lindsay and Michelle create an enriching learning experience for intermediate to advanced English learners aiming to speak American English more naturally and confidently.

Join Lindsay and Michelle in their journey to mastering English with connections, not perfection. Subscribe to the All Ears English Podcast to continue enhancing your language skills and cultural understanding.

Transcript

[Michelle Kaplan]

This is an All Ears English podcast. Episode 23:56. Learn some new English while you're at it.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Welcome to the All Ears English podcast, downloaded more than 200 million times. Are you feeling stuck with your English? We'll show you how to become fearless and fluent by focusing on connection, not perfection, with your American hosts, Lindsay McMahon, the English adventurer, and Michelle Kaplan, the New York radio girl, coming to you from Colorado and New York City, usa. And to get your transcripts delivered by email every week, go to allearsenglish.com subscribe. Do you like to complete tasks in a peace bill manner or do you like to get everything done all at once? Today, learn a useful natural phrase to talk about getting things done when it makes sense.

[Narrator]

Do you struggle when new topics come up in conversation? Not sure how to transition to the next idea? Or jump in when a group of native speakers are having a conversation? These are all skills you build right here on All Ears English. Plus, we believe in connection, not perfection when it comes to learning English. So we should show you how to connect in English in any situation. Hit the follow button now to make sure you don't miss a single episode of Allers English. Thank you.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Hey there, Michelle. How's it going today? Good.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Lindsay. Lindsay, do you try to get multiple things done at once?

[Lindsay McMahon]

Oh, I absolutely do. Especially when I'm working online. I. If I have to wait, if the thing is, you know, the little wheel is moving, I have to go to another window and start something else. It's crazy.

[Michelle Kaplan]

That's funny. Yeah. Well, I'm glad to talk to you today. I mean, should we record a podcast episode while we're at it?

[Lindsay McMahon]

I think we might as well since we're on the phone. Hey, while we're chatting. While we're at it. Let's go. Let's do a episode two. Might as well.

[Michelle Kaplan]

All right. Yes, might as well. All right. So today we are going to talk about a very useful expression used to talk about productivity in English. Lindsay, we just said it. What is it?

[Lindsay McMahon]

We said it. The phrase is while we're at it. And I love that this came up in your real life, real English with your native speaking friends. What were you doing when this came up?

[Michelle Kaplan]

I think she, I, I think my friend was talking to my daughter and she said, oh, should we take our shoes off while we're at it? Something like that. And I just realized that this was a very. I said, that's a good one. A lot of, A lot of these, A lot of my recent episodes have come from this One friend speaking pattern.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Oh, that's so funny. Does she know she's such a great source of ideas.

[Michelle Kaplan]

I told her. I said. I said, you're. I said, you've given me a few ideas, but. But it's true. They're all good. So I don't know. It's. It's. You know, I don't walk into it. It's not like I walk into my conversations with my friends saying, okay, I'm listening for ideas, but when they come.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Up, that would be creepy, Michelle, that would be crazy if you did. All right, I have my notepad.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Let's talk about it. No, it's just that sometimes all of a sudden, I'll hear something. I think, that's good. That's good. That's good.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yeah. So the most important thing for our listeners to know here, guys, is that this is real English coming directly from our conversations with our native speaking friends. So go ahead and hit that follow. While you're at it, leave us a review. Right.

[Narrator]

Well.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Oh, my gosh. I just. I did not even think about saying.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Wait, you didn't.

[Lindsay McMahon]

I didn't even think about.

[Michelle Kaplan]

That's hilarious.

[Lindsay McMahon]

While you're at it. All right, go ahead and leave us a review. Let us know what you think about this podcast. All right, I want to call out Farubia, who left us a review on January 10, and she or he said, Love it. Five stars. And then they said, without a shadow of a doubt, these girls are the best. Oh, my gosh, Michelle, that is fantastic.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Very good English. Thank you so much. That's so. Such a nice review.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Y. So go and leave your review, everyone, to get your name announced on the show. So, Michelle, do you. Other than your friend who's giving us so many great ideas, we have to send her a thank you card, do you find yourself using this expression a lot?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Absolutely. And it sounds like you do, too, because you just used it.

[Lindsay McMahon]

I swear, I did not even plan that. I did not.

[Michelle Kaplan]

That's so funny. I thought you were just being zippy and.

[Narrator]

Nope.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Let's go for it. Not zippy. Not going for it. Yes. Just natural. Yeah, I. I definitely use this. It's extremely useful. But what. What does it mean? While we're at it? While you're at it, what is it?

[Lindsay McMahon]

Let's break it down. So it means while we're doing something, we might as well do something else. Get something else done. And so what I said was, go ahead and hit the follow button. And while you're at it, meaning while you're in your Apple podcast app or your Spotify app. You might as well go ahead and leave us a review. So while you're at it, leave us a review. Perfect.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Right? It's, it's, it's convenient, so it would be a good idea. Okay. You have it open already, so it's, it's usually out of convenience and it does. We've talked about that expression, kill two birds with one stone.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yep.

[Michelle Kaplan]

It's kind of like that. But yeah, this one is to me is very in the moment or while making plans. So like our beginning, our example in the beginning. Imagine that we were just having a video chat anyway and figured we might as well record.

[Lindsay McMahon]

I also just think, well, I like it more than two birds with one stone. Two birds with one stone feels violent. It feels like what I said naturally, without even thinking about it at the top of the show. I never would have said. And if you want to kill two birds with one stone, go ahead and also leave us a review. It just isn't as common. It doesn't feel as natural. So this is a much better go to option for our listeners, I think.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Right, right. And I believe that we spoke about the other one and, and that, yeah, it's interesting. There are some things that we teach that are just going to be everyday, roll off the tongue kind of expressions, and this is one of them. Whereas two birds with one stone is very useful and you'll hear it. It's a little bit more. You have to put a little bit more effort into it. It has more imagery. Yeah, yeah.

[Lindsay McMahon]

And I think it also appears at a different place in the statement. I think that would tend to appear at the end. Right. Hey, while we're in town, let's pick up some milk and also get gas. Kill two birds with one stone at the end. Right. You're commenting on what you're doing, but while you're at it, I'm saying that kind of at the beginning or it could also be at the end. You know what I mean?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Right, right, right, right. And guys, while we're at it, I just want to let you know that we are going to do a spot. Yeah, we're going to do a Spotify poll later on in this episode. So, guys, sometimes we interact with you by. Well, we put a poll on every day, but these ones, these special ones are ones that we share the results. So it's a great way to interact. So if you're on Spotify, you can answer this poll. So wait until further in the episode and we'll give you the question.

[Lindsay McMahon]

All right, so should we do some examples to make this crystal clear for our listeners?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yes, exactly. So here we go. Here's one. Lindsay, could you pick up your shoes and move them off the carpet? And while you're at it, can you put your umbrella in the stand?

[Lindsay McMahon]

Perfect. Exactly. So while I'm at what, Michelle? While I'm at the business of cleaning up things, moving my shoes, organizing.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Right, right. You've kind of. I'm imagining you came in the door and you just kind of threw everything, and I'm. I'm, you know, saying, can you just pick those up and. Yeah.

[Lindsay McMahon]

And the concept of this, I. Some. I find that people are one of two ways. Right. And I hate it when people do this. They. They create buckets. But I'm doing it right now. People either like to piecemeal work. For example, cleaning. I think we've had this conversation piecemeal cleaning, like a little every day, or they like to get it all done at once, maybe once a week. It sounds like. I think you mentioned before, you're more of a piecemealer. Is that right, Michelle, or.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah. And you are. All at all, at once.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yeah. So while, you know, I'm taking out the trash, and while I'm at it, I want to clean the kitchen, clean the bathroom. I don't want to go back to this work every day. I just want it to be done for the week, and then I revisit it the next Sunday. So that's. That's how this, while you're at it, kind of fits in. Do you piecemeal things or do you do things all at once? Right.

[Michelle Kaplan]

What does piecemeal mean?

[Lindsay McMahon]

Piecemeal is a great bonus for today. Oh, my gosh. Piecemeal means you do things in pieces, you do things in pieces, you know, in phases, or you come back to it. But that's not who I am.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Okay, excellent. All right, what's the next example, Lindsay?

[Lindsay McMahon]

All right, so I could say. Let's see. I could say, okay, first, let's wash our hands. Oh, and wash the tomatoes while we're at it. Yeah, yeah.

[Michelle Kaplan]

You got the sink on.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yeah, exactly. What's another example, Michelle?

[Michelle Kaplan]

I'll blow it. I'll boil the water, and while I'm at it, I'll preheat the oven.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Perfect. Yeah. So it just fits so naturally. And the other thing I love about this phrase, it's a good transition. So if you're taking Ielts and you're putting together a speaking answer, it's a really Nice way to transition to ideas. It just brings your phrases together instead of saying, and next I'm going to. And then I'm going to. And while I'm doing that, I'm going to. It's just natural, right?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Very natural.

[Lindsay McMahon]

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[Michelle Kaplan]

I did my cardio at the gym and I figured while I was at it, I should also lift weights.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Oh, I love this. Because now we're seeing that we can do this in different. Different tenses, right? Yes.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yes. Share. So like. Yes, exactly. So you're telling stories. You can use it. I mean, this is just so versatile. It can be used for anything, I feel.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Exactly. I could see using it for the past tense. I wouldn't use it for the present perfect tense. I. I never hear while I've been at it. That doesn't make any sense. It doesn't make any sense either.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Right. That's not. Yeah, no, that's true. No, no, no. All right, one more example, Lindsay.

[Narrator]

All right.

[Lindsay McMahon]

If you're gonna watch tv, at least f laundry while you're at it. Yeah. And you know, if you have teenagers or something, you're probably likely to say this to them. Right?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Right. Yes, exactly. Exactly. So, yeah, to me, this expression sounds pretty light, pretty friendly, but I mean, in the wrong tone or in a nasty way, it could be on the route, like, you know, more strict side. Like that last example. At least fold some laundry while you're at it. That could be.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Oh, yeah, a little bit.

[Michelle Kaplan]

A little bit snarky. But I think with basic things, I think it's just very useful. What do you think, Lindsay?

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yeah, I think it's really useful. I do hear it sometimes to, to snap at people. If someone's in a fight, maybe they'll say, oh, go, you know, get out of the house. And while you're at it, go pick up something. I don't know, maybe not as serious fight or something. But yeah, sure. It doesn't always have to be used in a positive tone. It could be in a more snarky or. Or, you know, you're fighting with someone and it could, it could work there too.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yes, yes. Yeah. So let's talk about some other expressions. Now. We've been throwing this one around pretty naturally. I think you used it right at the beginning and I thought, oh, I hope I put this one in the plans. And I did. What is it?

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yeah, might as well. So these, these mean very similar things or you might hear them associated in the same statement. Right. Might as well. Might as well do something if you're going into the office anyway, you might as well do payroll while you're at it. So, yeah, it's not used in. Instead of this, it's used in addition to this.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Right, right, exactly. These ones go along with it. So this one also is a good one that goes along with it. It's Y, not X. So it's your birthday. The cake is amazing. Why not take an extra slice while you're at it?

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yes, why not do this? It's just basically the idea here for today is this thing makes sense to do along with this other thing, right?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yes, exactly. Yes.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yeah, exactly.

[Michelle Kaplan]

So, yeah, this is about productivity and. Lindsay, do we have a poll for today? So what's our Spotify poll?

[Lindsay McMahon]

We do have a poll. So I think what we should do for a poll today is ask what we. What came up in the conversation, because this is really about what kind of person are you? Right. So do you piecemeal tasks or do you prefer to get everything done at once? Everything done at once. Let's say for imagine in terms of cleaning, the. Are you more like me? You want to clean once a week and do everything? Maybe it takes three hours, but you're done, no more cleaning. Or you're like, Michelle, you want to do maybe, I don't know, 10 minutes every night, for example, Right? So are you a piecemealer, or are you a get it done at once person? That is our poll for today, Michelle. That's a good.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yes, that is a good one. So, guys, definitely answer that, and then we will be giving you the results in a future episode.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yeah, and I also wonder if any of that is cultural too, right? Is it personality? Is it cultural? Is it just your productivity style? I mean, both ways are good. Both ways you get the work done, but how do you prefer to do it? Or another example, I don't like to get work done during the day and then go work out and then come back and work after that. I don't like to split it up like that. I would like to just get all the work done and then be totally done. Go work out and just go hang out or something. Do you know what I mean?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's. I mean, it's. It's definitely nice to feel that sense of accomplishment. Okay, you've completed your tasks instead of, oh, I have to go back and finish. But. But at the same time, sometimes. Sometimes I want to do that. And then I just. My brain is. I. I realize I'm wandering. I realize it's. Is that I. That if I. I'll be more efficient if I actually do take a little break. But of course, it's more. I would rather get it done.

[Lindsay McMahon]

No, it's so true. You can't.

[Michelle Kaplan]

I can't.

[Lindsay McMahon]

That's a good point, Michelle. You can't force your way through it if. If the ideas just aren't coming. Sometimes you do actually need that air. Get out. Go to the gym, maybe go out for dinner or something, and then come back and you have, like, a new brain. It's amazing.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah, it is. It is amazing. Yeah. So, all right, so, guys, definitely answer that poll. So let's do a role play and put this together.

[Lindsay McMahon]

All right, so here we are, friends. We're building a DIY bookcase. Now, what is diy?

[Michelle Kaplan]

DIY is do it yourself. So this could be from IKEA or somewhere where we have to build our own book case.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Oh, no, this never goes well for me. Never goes well. All right, let's see how it goes today. All right?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Okay. Okay. So can you go in the other room and grab the instructions?

[Lindsay McMahon]

Sure.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Oh, and you might as well grab the hammer while you're at it. It's in that drawer.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Oh, okay. No problem.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Oh, and why not get us a lemonade while you're at it?

[Lindsay McMahon]

Anything else?

[Michelle Kaplan]

No, that's it.

[Lindsay McMahon]

So I was Starting to get. Was I starting to get a little bit like, geez, Michelle, you know, what's my next order?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah. And do this and do that. Yes, exactly. So I asked you to go in the other room and grab the instructions and you said, sure. And so I said, oh, and you might as well grab the hammer while you're at it. So you're going in the other room anyway, so you might as well do this while you're at it. So again, those two expressions are used really. A lot of times they're used together.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yes. I love that. Might as well. I agree. So again, they're not replacing each other necessarily. Necessarily. But they, they're associated with each other and, and we can start talking about that more on the show, too, instead of replacement phrases, associated phrases, you know, in the same context, in the same situation. That's a great way to learn new vocabulary.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Right, Right. Yeah, it's. It's funny. Yeah. Because sometimes it's not always. Okay, what are, what are multiple ways to use this? But what are some things that you'll hear around it?

[Lindsay McMahon]

Exactly. I love that idea.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah.

[Lindsay McMahon]

And then I said, oh, you said, oh. And why, why not get us a lemonade while you're at it? And now you're pushing the.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Pushing it. Yes. So I used, I used while you're at it. I. Twice. I might not do that, but. Yeah, but exactly. Just to give you another example, I.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Mean, another thing you might say instead of while you're at. Is why not get us a lemonade while you're out or while you're in the kitchen or while you're somewhere there.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Your physical location.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Right, right, right, right, right. Exactly. So I. So we. We haven't even started building the bookcase.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Not sure if this bookcase is going to get built. I'm not sure if I'm confident in this.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Well, especially I'm already. We haven't even started and I'm ready for my lemonade and.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yeah, I can tell who's in charge.

[Michelle Kaplan]

I don't seem, I don't seem very committed.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Yeah, I love it. So this is great. Michelle, is there another episode our listeners should check out right away when they finished this episode today?

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yes. So we do have. This was what episode 2326 was? What do birds and efficiency have in common? So going back to that idea of the birds and the stones, I love it.

[Lindsay McMahon]

And again, talking about efficiency today, what is your style? There are a lot of ways to get things done, and it just depends on how you want to design your life. So it's kind of cool, especially in the beginning of the year, to sit down and think about what is your efficiency style? Are there any adjustments we want to make for 20, 25? If you're a piecemealer, does that work well for you or do you want to become an all, you know, all or nothing all at once task? Right. You know, someone who just gets these things done all at one time. So take some time to reflect on how you get things done. Interesting.

[Michelle Kaplan]

Yeah, definitely. All right, guys, remember to check out that poll and thank you so much for listening today.

[Lindsay McMahon]

All right, Michelle, you have a good one. I'll talk to you soon.

[Michelle Kaplan]

All right, you too. Bye.

[Lindsay McMahon]

Thanks for listening to all ears. English. Would you like to know your English level? Take our two minute quiz. Go to allearsenglish.com fluency score. And if you believe in connection, not perfection, then hit subscribe now to make sure you don't miss anything. See you next time.