Gamification and motivation in everyday life

1. Warm-up discussion

Discuss these questions with a partner:

Beyond salary, what truly motivates you in your work or studies?
Think about a task you often procrastinate on. What psychological tricks, if any, do you use to get started?
To what extent do you think life is becoming 'gamified' through apps and social media (e.g., 'likes', 'streaks', 'points')? Is this a positive or negative development?

2. The psychology of motivation

Drag the terms from the word bank to match them with their correct definitions.

Intrinsic motivation

Extrinsic motivation

Feedback loop

Autonomy

Gamification

Milestone

The drive to engage in a behavior because it is personally rewarding, rather than for some external reward.

Behavior that is driven by external rewards such as money, fame, grades, and praise.

A system where the output of an action is used as input for future actions, helping to track progress and adjust behavior.

The power to make your own decisions and control your own actions.

The application of game-design elements and principles in non-game contexts.

A significant point or event in a project, often used to mark progress towards a larger goal.

3. Video: The science of motivation

Watch this video about what truly drives us. Then, answer the comprehension questions below.

1. According to the video, what is a key misconception about motivation in the 21st century?

That traditional "carrot and stick" (reward/punishment) methods are universally effective.

That people are primarily driven by a desire for a higher salary.

That creative tasks cannot be incentivized.

2. The speaker argues that for complex, creative tasks, the most powerful motivators are...

Financial bonuses and stock options.

Autonomy, mastery, and purpose.

Competition and public recognition.

3. The concept of "purpose" as a motivator means...

Having a clear list of tasks to complete.

The ambition to get a promotion within the company.

The feeling that you are contributing to something larger than yourself.

4. Reading: Hacking your productivity

Drag the words from the word bank to fill in the gaps in the article.

overwhelmed

visualize

harness

tick off

procrastination

tangible

The art of getting things done

In a world of constant digital distractions, the battle against is harder than ever. Many people feel by endless to-do lists and ambitious long-term goals. However, by applying principles of game design, it's possible to your own psychology to boost productivity.

The first step is to break down large goals into small, manageable tasks. This strategy makes your progress feel more and provides a steady stream of dopamine every time you a completed item. Apps like Habitica and Forest help you this progress by turning your tasks into a role-playing game or a growing virtual forest. This simple reframing can fundamentally change your relationship with work.

5. Grammar focus: Mixed conditionals & inversion

Mixed Conditionals combine two different conditional patterns, often linking a past event to a present result (e.g., If I had studied harder [past], I would be a doctor now [present]).

Inversion in conditionals creates a more formal tone by inverting the subject and auxiliary verb and removing 'if' (e.g., "Had I known...").

Choose the correct form to complete the sentence:

1. If I had applied those gamification techniques last year, I _____ my goals by now.

would have achieved

would achieve

2. _____ more disciplined, he wouldn't be rushing to finish his project now.

If he was

Were he

3. If she hadn't discovered that productivity app, she _____ struggling with procrastination.

would have been

would still be

4. _____ about the principles of intrinsic motivation earlier, they would have designed their reward system differently.

Had they known

If they knew

5. I wouldn't be so stressed about my exams if I _____ procrastinating weeks ago.

had stopped

would have stopped

Useful phrases for discussing motivation

Study these phrases to articulate your ideas about goals and motivation.

Setting goals:

My primary objective is to...
I'm fully committed to achieving...
I've resolved to...
The ultimate aim I'm striving for is...

Describing reward systems:

I incentivize the process by...
The reward structure is contingent upon...
We need a system that offers tangible feedback.

6. Collocations for productivity

Match the verbs with the nouns to form common collocations related to motivation and work.

Verbs

Boost

Harness

Foster

Set

Provide

Nouns / Noun Phrases

productivity

motivation

a sense of autonomy

a milestone

tangible feedback

7. Sentence transformation

Rewrite the sentences using the word provided. The meaning must stay the same.

1. If I had known about the risks, I would have invested more carefully.

(Had) , I would have invested more carefully.

2. You aren't a team leader now because you didn't accept the promotion.

(If) You would be a team leader now .

3. If you should need any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.

(Should) , please do not hesitate to contact us.

4. She would be fluent in Spanish if she hadn't given up her classes.

(Had) , she would be fluent in Spanish.

8. Role-play: Motivating the team

Work with a partner. Choose a role and act out the scenario below. Use vocabulary, collocations, and grammar from the lesson.

Scenario: A project team is feeling burnt out and unmotivated after a difficult project phase. Their productivity has dropped.

Role A: Project Manager. Your goal is to motivate the team. Hold a meeting to introduce a new work system based on the principles of autonomy, mastery, and purpose. Explain how you will use gamification (e.g., milestones, feedback loops) to make work more engaging.
Role B: Team Member. You are skeptical but open to new ideas. Ask the manager questions about how this new system will work in practice. Express your concerns about workload and pressure, but also what might motivate you.

Useful phrases to use:

"Had we implemented this earlier..."
"My primary objective is to foster a sense of..."
"How can we track our progress in a more tangible way?"
"I think what would really boost my motivation is..."