This is a download from BBC Learning English. To find out more, visit our website.

Hello and welcome to the English we speak. I'm Faye.

And hello I'm Rob.

Rob, you are looking a bit stressed. Yeah well I am I've so much work to do I'm still

trying to catch up on yesterday's work. Oh dear does that explain why you look so scruffy?

Probably. I haven't had time to iron my shirt.

And when I was trying to find something on my desk, I knocked coffee all over me.

I think you need to get your act together.

This has nothing to do with acting.

This is for real.

I'm not talking about acting.

I'm talking about organization.

When we say someone should get their act together,

it means they should organize their life in a more effective way

so they're more efficient and productive. So Rob I'm saying sort your life out if you want to

achieve more. Here are some more examples of this phrase.

If you want to graduate with a good degree, you'll have to get your act together.

The team needs to get its act together if it wants to stay in the tournament. The business needs to get its act

together if it wants to recruit the best talent.

This is the English we speak from BBC Learning English. I'm telling Rob to get his

act together which means organise his life in a more effective way.

Okay Faye tell me how I can get my act together then.

...