Comm 1010 Informative Outline

Specific Goal: My audience will understand Europe's work balance and how it applies to many of us
in America, by the end they will know the importance of taking care of themselves.
Application: The audience will be able to help themselves, like I did when I had to quit my job so I
could get better from my health issues. They will know that there are other options available to them
Ethos: Primary Ethos: I have personal experience of being burnt out, so do most Americans. I
am currently taking a sociology and phycology to expand my knowledge on how this affects society.
Secondary Ethos: I will cite five references aloud in my speech.
Pathos: The story about myself going through anxiety from my work and learning how to take care
of myself, will raise awareness to others who have neglected themselves.
Logos: I will research the cause and effect on society threw: book, articles, and documents. I will
also use statists to show emphasis on how mental illness is greater in Americans vs. Europeans.
Audience Assessment: My audience will likely know that it is good to have a balance between work
and your personal life. But they may struggle to find a solution to finding the balance.
.
Adaptation to Audience: By starting off with a personal story it will help the audience remember
and also relate to me.
Pattern of Organization: Chronological in the Introduction, Topical in the Body.
Introduction
I. Hook: My personal story.
A. I just started full time school and work
B. I knew the signs of anxiety and depression so I knew it was time for a change.
II. Thesis: Knowing how to balance your life may give you a longer one.
III. Preview: Ill share what I learned that helped me find balance.
A. First, Ill explain what the expectations are in America vs. Europe
B. Second, Ill explain the mental/physical impact on our bodies without a balance.
C. Third, Ill provide some solutions that may help the audience achieve balance.
Transition: Now that Ive given you a preview, lets look at some of the expectations we have in
America.
Body
l.

People in the U.S. often pride themselves for working more than our European counterparts.
Why do we work so much in the first place? (2010, August 25).
Transition: Here is a summary of my observations on the differences between Europeans and
Americans.

I.

The average American works 25 hours a week.

A. why do Americans choose to work so much? why do Europeans choose to work
so little?
B. Second, whos happier? (Geoghegan, 2010)
Transition: Working too long or too hard can result in extremely high levels of stress.
II.

A recent study found that workers clocking at least 11 hours a day have a higher risk of
depression (2012, January 28).
A. Working long hours can increase your risk of depression, heart attack, and heart
disease
B. These are signs that you need a change.

Transition: Don't assume that you need to make big changes to bring more balance to your life.
III.
Slowly build more activities into your schedule that are important to you
("How to make work-life balance work ").
A. Build downtime into your schedule.
B. Do not give up on your needs.
1. When I started to know the signs of when a change needed to be done I was able to
implement them in my live easier.
2. When I wasnt sure how to balance my life I became someone I did not want to be.

V.
VI.

Conclusion
Recognize the signs
Work-life balance, says Nigel Marsh, is too important to be left in the hands of your
employer ("How to make work-life balance work ").

References
Geoghegan, T. (2010). Were you born on the wrong continent?: How the European model can help
you get a life. New York, NY: New Press.
(2012, January 28). Klein, S. 7 Reasons Working Too Much Is Bad For Your Health. Retrieved
November 06, 2016, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/28/overtime-work-hurtshealth_n_1237941.html
How to make work-life balance work [Video file]. (2011). Retrieved November 5, 2016, from
http://www.ted.com/speakers/nigel_marsh
(2010, August 25). Were You Born on the Wrong Continent?: Americas misguided culture of
overwork. Retrieved November 06, 2016, from
http://www.salon.com/2010/08/25/german_usa_working_life_ext2010/