{"title":"The Digital Nomad Reality Check","intro":"Discuss remote work, productivity and work-life balance using Present Perfect Continuous.","level":"B1+","blocks":[{"id":"b0","type":"warm_up","content":"Which picture best describes your mood today and why?","order":0,"warm_up_mode":"meme_grid","meme_items":[{"state_label":"","image_url":"https://c.files.bbci.co.uk/7CC2/production/_118283913_29xp-meme-mobilemasterat3x-v3.jpg"},{"state_label":"","image_url":"/memes/meme-037.png"},{"state_label":"","image_url":"/memes/meme-019.png"},{"state_label":"","image_url":"/memes/meme-020.png"},{"state_label":"","image_url":"https://i.pinimg.com/736x/1c/6e/35/1c6e35908fc18e6848e863198c1528f0.jpg"},{"state_label":"","image_url":"/memes/meme-005.png"},{"state_label":"","image_url":"/memes/meme-038.png"},{"state_label":"","image_url":"https://i.pinimg.com/736x/0b/09/67/0b09671dd5f7c9343af5209c69c66f4d.jpg"},{"state_label":"","image_url":"/memes/meme-011.png"}]},{"id":"b1","type":"open_question","content":"

Think about how people work today compared to ten years ago.

Have you ever tried remote work? If yes, what was easy or difficult?
What helps people stay productive when they work from home?
Can remote work improve work-life balance, or can it make it worse?
What kind of person could enjoy life as a digital nomad?

","order":1,"title":"Start the conversation","image_type":"visual_support","images":["/media/d270a11d3acb4bfa81ad5ddc41353d58.jpg"],"image_source_urls":["https://pixu.ai/pixu/images/stock/__s9/s9r69z6l.jpg"]},{"id":"b2","type":"theory","content":"**Meaning:** We use the Present Perfect Continuous to talk about actions that started in the past and are still continuing, or have recently stopped but have a visible result. It emphasises the duration or ongoing nature of the activity.\n\n**Form:** have/has + been + verb-ing\n\n**Examples:** - She has been working remotely for three years.\n- They have been looking for a coworking space since last month.\n- I have been using video calls all morning — I'm tired.\n- How long have you been trying to find a good work-life balance?\n\n**Common mistake:** ~~I am working here since 2020.~~ → **I have been working here since 2020.**\n\n**Present Perfect Continuous vs Present Perfect Simple:**

I have been looking for a coworking space all week.
Focus: the process.
I have found a coworking space near my apartment.
Focus: the result.

","order":2,"title":"Present Perfect Continuous","image_type":"grammar_explainer","images":[],"image_source_urls":["https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/583702f0d1758eee1e68c11c/1535885774684-4FB6AC06UJ1A78PMACV2/Present+Perfect+Continuous+Tense+Chart+-+English+Verb+Table"]},{"id":"b3","type":"vocabulary","content":"remote work - work done from home or anywhere other than an office\ndigital nomad - a person who travels while working online\ncoworking space - a shared office where freelancers and remote workers can work\nwork-life balance - the ability to separate work time from personal time\ndeadline - a time by which something must be finished\nproductivity - how much work you complete in a given time\ncommute - travel between home and work\nflexibility - the ability to change work hours or location easily","order":3,"title":"Useful vocabulary about remote work"},{"id":"b4","type":"media","content":"","order":4,"title":"Watch the video","media_type":"video","search_queries":["present perfect continuous","present perfect continuous examples movies series clips","present perfect continuous real conversation examples native speakers"],"purpose":"usage_example","target_concept":"Present Perfect Continuous","url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgRBVKriO4Q","images":["https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zgRBVKriO4Q/hqdefault.jpg"],"media_purpose":"usage_example"},{"id":"b5","type":"reading","content":"

Mia is a graphic designer who has been working remotely for the past two years. At first, she loved the flexibility: she could choose her working hours, avoid the daily commute, and live in different countries while doing her job online.

This month, Mia has been staying in Bali. She has been working from a small coworking space near the beach because the internet in her apartment is not always stable. The coworking space has helped her improve her productivity, especially on busy days when she has several deadlines.

However, the digital nomad lifestyle has not always been easy. Mia has missed two deadlines this year because of travel problems and poor internet connection. She has also been trying to improve her work-life balance, because she often works late at night and checks messages during weekends.

Her friend Leo has lived in Chiang Mai for six months. He has already found a good routine: he works in the morning, exercises in the afternoon, and meets other remote workers in the evening. He says that remote work gives him freedom, but only if he manages his time carefully.

\n\nQuestions on the text:\n1. How long has Mia been working remotely?\n2. Why has Mia been working from a coworking space?\n3. What has helped Mia improve her productivity?\n4. What problems has Mia had this year?\n5. How has Leo organised his routine?\n6. What does Leo think about remote work?","order":5,"title":"The Digital Nomad Life"},{"id":"b10","type":"open_question","content":"

Remote work has changed the way many people organise their day. Discuss what has been changing in modern work and how these changes affect people.

Choose 2–3 ideas and explain them:

people working from home more often;
companies using hybrid work;
workers spending less time commuting;
people using coworking spaces;
teams having more video calls;
people finding it harder to separate work and free time.

Task:
Explain what has been changing and whether these changes are good or bad for productivity and work-life balance.

Useful phrases:

More people have been working from...
Companies have been trying to...
Workers have been spending more/less time...
This has been affecting productivity because...
Work-life balance has been changing because...

Use:
remote work, coworking space, commute, productivity, flexibility, work-life balance.

","order":7,"title":"How work has been changing","image_type":"visual_support","images":["/media/c78b91eb6ea643b78662839fe31b5ef4.jpg"],"image_source_urls":["https://plus.unsplash.com/premium_photo-1682089953969-8dd2a64d5ff9?fm=jpg&q=60&w=3000&auto=format&fit=crop&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&ixid=M3wxMjA3fDB8MHxwaG90by1wYWdlfHx8fGVufDB8fHx8fA%3D%3D"]},{"id":"b8","type":"multiple_choice","content":"Choose the best option. Some sentences may need the Present Perfect Simple.","order":6,"title":"Harder usage check","questions":[{"content":"She ___ three deadlines this month.","options":["has missed","is missing","misses","has been missing"],"correct_answer":0},{"content":"I ___ for a stable internet connection since I arrived.","options":["have been looking","am looking","look","have looked"],"correct_answer":0},{"content":"He ___ from the same coworking space since March.","options":["has been working","worked","works","has worked yesterday"],"correct_answer":0},{"content":"They ___ already ___ the report.","options":["have been finishing","have finished","are finishing","finish"],"correct_answer":1},{"content":"How long ___ as a digital nomad?","options":["are you living","have you been living","do you live"],"correct_answer":1},{"content":"Since moving to Bali, Mia ___ her productivity.","options":["has improved","is improve","improves"],"correct_answer":0}]},{"id":"b7","type":"fill_gap","content":"1. Mia ___ (travel) to different countries for the past two years.\n2. Leo ___ (visit) five countries since he became a digital nomad.\n3. How long ___ you ___ (look) for a coworking space?\n4. They ___ (try) to improve their work-life balance recently.\n5. She ___ (finish) three reports this week.\n6. We ___ (work) from this café all morning.\n7. I ___ (never / use) a coworking app before.","order":8,"title":"Present Perfect Simple or Continuous?","options":["has been travelling","has visited","have","been looking","have been trying","has finished","have been working","have never used"],"correct_answer":"has been travelling ... has visited ... have ... been looking ... have been trying ... has finished ... have been working ... have never used","gap_answers":[{"index":1,"answer":"has been travelling"},{"index":2,"answer":"has visited"},{"index":3,"answer":"have"},{"index":4,"answer":"been looking"},{"index":5,"answer":"have been trying"},{"index":6,"answer":"has finished"},{"index":7,"answer":"have been working"},{"index":8,"answer":"have never used"}]},{"id":"b9","type":"open_question","content":"

Tell about your own experience with remote work or studying from home or anywhere.

Have you been working or studying remotely recently?
How have you been organising your time?
What challenges have you been facing?

Use Present Perfect Continuous and Present Perfect your answers. Speak for 2-3 minutes.

Useful phrases:

Recently, I have been...
I have been trying to...
The biggest challenge has been...
This has been affecting my productivity because...
I have also noticed that...

","order":9,"title":"Describe personal experience","image_type":"visual_support","images":["/media/be99df838cff41389dbd1ddf506355fa.jpg"],"image_source_urls":["https://photos.peopleimages.com/picture/202306/2868549-typing-laptop-keyboard-and-black-man-on-sofa-working-on-online-report-research-and-internet-blogging.-communication-remote-work-and-happy-male-type-on-computer-for-website-writing-email-and-busy-fit_400_400.jpg"]},{"id":"b11","type":"homework","content":"

Write a short advice post: How to Survive Your First Month of Remote Work (8-10 sentences).

Use:

at least 6 vocabulary words from the lesson;
at least 2 examples of Present Perfect Continuous;
at least 2 examples of Present Perfect Simple.

You can write about: productivity, work-life balance, deadlines, coworking spaces, flexibility, avoiding a long commute, problems digital nomads often face.

","order":10,"title":"Homework","image_type":"visual_support","images":["/media/152fd253c4364f3cbd8d39b1c7ee672c.jpg"],"image_source_urls":["https://live.staticflickr.com/3115/2897987294_5a79f23136_b.jpg"]}]}