ESL Podcast 1024 - Dealing with Crises

to postpone - to delay; to change the time or date of something so that it happens later than originally scheduled

We're going to postpone the carnival due to heavy rain.

to put out fires - to quickly and repeatedly find solutions to many problems, without advance warning or time to plan, and without time to identify or address the cause of the problems

During a major epidemic, doctors sometimes have to put out fires by treating symptoms before they have time to try to fight the underlying medical problem.

to clear (one's) schedule - to cancel all of one's appointments and meetings so that one can focus on something else, with no obligations during a certain period of time

She asked her assistant to clear her schedule for the rest of the afternoon so that she could finish the report.

crisis - a major, important, and urgent problem that must be dealt with immediately

If we don't get more food delivered soon, we'll have a crisis.

layoff - firing; an instance where someone is told that he or she no longer has a job, especially when the company is not performing well and needs to reduce the number of workers

When the factory closed, there was a layoff of over 200 people.

to be pulled in several directions - to have many demands on one's time; to need to do many different things, especially more than one can comfortably do

As a corporate executive, single father, and soccer coach, Leonardo often feels he is being pulled in several directions.

to make headway - to make progress; to advance toward a goal

Cleaning out the garage is a huge project, but we're making headway.

thrown at (one) - imposed upon another person, especially when talking about a demand or responsibility that one would rather not have

If they throw one more deadline at me, I won't be able to finish any of my work on time.

crunch time - a period of time when many things are due or must be completed, and one must work very hard to be able to do everything

Final exams are next week, so this is crunch time for students.

shorthanded - without enough people to do a job; understaffed

Two cooks and three waiters have called in sick, so we're going to be very shorthanded at the restaurant tonight.

urgent - needing immediate attention; not able to wait

The doctor found cancer and said there was an urgent need to operate.

ASAP - as soon as possible; without delay

Please fill out these forms and return them to the human resources department ASAP.

to long for - to yearn for; to desire; to want very badly to have or do something

Charlotte hasn't had a vacation in two years and is longing for a week at the beach.

timeline - schedule; a plan for when things should be completed

We can follow this timeline only if we receive the necessary information from the other companies.

to quiet down - to become calmer and less rushed

We had great sales and were really busy over the holidays, but business quieted down in January.

disaster - a major problem with significant negative consequences

That earthquake was the worst disaster to hit our county in the past 15 years.

to avert - to prevent something from happening; to avoid

The police officers caught the terrorist and averted a dangerous bombing incident.