What's the first thing you usually do when you sit down to work or study?

A natural way to answer

I usually start by clearing my desk and checking my calendar. Then I go through my to-do list and decide what to tackle first. Having a plan helps me ease into the day.

Key phrases to use

• jot down — to write something quickly and briefly“Let me jot down your number before I forget.”
• go through — to look at or deal with things one by one“I go through my emails first thing every morning.”
• fire up — to start a machine or computer“Give me a sec to fire up my laptop.”
• get the ball rolling — to start something so that it can make progress“Let's send the first email to get the ball rolling.”