Hey, workaholic! How about a day off? That's gonna make you more money!

(Dugald and Lynn work in a semiconductor manufacturing company. Dugald, as the Sales Manager of the company, is Lynn's manager, and he is on the phone to ask Lynn to his office.)

Dugald: Hello Lynn? Do you have a minute? I'd like to have a talk with you, in private.

Lynn: Sure, not a problem. I'll be in your office in a minute.

(Lynn is now in Dugald's office, wondering what Dugald is going to talk about.)

Dugald: Hey Lynn. How're you doing?

Lynn: I'm pretty good, and I've made great progress with our new clients.

Dugald: That's good. You're always plugged in, aren't you. Well, let's get to the point. As we all know, the sales has been doing fairly well over these two quarters.... and between you and me, things are also looking quite good. And your suggestions that we may need to go in for other sales strategies are as well appreciated by me and by the company. You're really a great help for the company to keep ahead of our competitors. You're constantly ready to propel our business forward. That's really great, and that's also what I'm going to talk about with you, about the way you do things.

Lynn: Well.... I'm just doing the thing I want to do. I'm not showing off, or trying to take away others' jobs.

Dugald: Lynn, I'm not pointing a finger at you. People are getting along with you, and that's why we're very concerned about your attitude toward your job. You've got a never-ending schedule; always between the cell phones, the laptops, the e-mails, the voice mails bla...bla...bla. You never leave work at work. Your job seeps into your private time, the time for your family and for yourself.

Lynn: I want to keep my finger on the pulse, so I can get ahead of my competitors and hold my own. If I dont' jump on the bandwagon, I definitely will fail.

Dugald: I agree with you, absolutely. But how about your family? You're lucky to have two lovely kids and an understanding wife, who backs you up all the way.

Lynn: I know, and that's why I work so hard to make them a wealthy life.

Dugald: To make them a wealthy life doesn't mean to sacrifice your time with them. Money can't buy back time. We have to keep balance with or synchronised with our families.

Lynn: But I would feel like a bludger if I didn't work hard. And besides, I like the excitement climate of my job simply by bargaining with the clients. I have an eye for this business. You know that.

Dugald: That's not exciting climate. That's workaholic climate you're obsessed with. You've got a 14 annual leave days stockpiled this year. So you have to unchain yourself from your desk, and go home to dig out and dust off your travel bags, then take your family for a trip. You need the excitement of chasing your kids around, or shouting to them not to be so naughty, though they are absolutely lovely kids....Anyway, you need that kind of exercise to get your adrenaline pumping.

Lynn: So....you want me to have a leave?

Dugald: Not just a leave! I want you to have a vacation!

Lynn: But I don't know where to go.

Dugald: Get yourself out of the city, go to the mountains or the beach, wherever there is no crowd, no churning cars, and you can breathe some real fresh air. Then come back and go on to make a killing for yourself and of course for the company.

Lynn: OK, understood. And thanks.

Dugald: No worries. So have a nice trip then.

 

Wordbank：

semiconductor (n): 半導體	stockpiled (adj): 堆積如山的
quarter (n): 季(年度的)	unchain (v): 解除；脫離
bludger (n): 無所事事的人 (澳)	adrenaline (n): 腎上腺素
annual leave (n): 年假

Phrases：

in private" 私底下

plug in: 原意為"接上電源"、"插上插頭"，這裡指"工作"、"做事"

go in for = to actually try

propel.......forward: 讓....更有進展

show off: 炫耀

point a finger at: 指責

get along with: 與.....相處的不錯

seep into: 滲透進

keep my finger on the pulse: 隨時注意最新脈動

hold my own = keep my position

jump on the bandwagon: 跟上最新發展

back you up: 讓你無後顧之憂

have an eye for = be good at

dig out: 挖出來

dust off: 把灰塵擦乾淨

make a killing = make a lot of money