So, today is the 25th of January, it's been nearly a month since you made the decision to start learning English (or start studying more). Are you still motivated? Or have you forgotten all about your good intentions because life got busy? If you're human, the second option is probably the more realistic option, it's NORMAL! It happens to all of us! Today I'm going to share 10 tips with you to help you create a study routine that you will actually stick with. You can apply this to anything in your life, not just learning English, so I hope it helps!
10 tips for a failsafe [study] routine
Decide what time of day you feel the best, the most focused and the most concentrated. Are you a morning person, an afternoon person, or a night owl?
Find your "smart space" - a space where you feel inspired, focused and concentrated. Maybe it's your desk, maybe it's your kitchen table or even your couch!
Choose a realistic amount of time to dedicate to your studies. Do you stay focused for 30 minutes, an hour, even 2 hours? Do you prefer to do a few minutes a day or dedicate more time in just 1 or 2 days?
Schedule your study time. Write it down. Everywhere. In your phone calender, in your paper agenda, put it on a note on your PC desktop and another physical post - it where you will see it.
DON'T write it in your TO-DO list. To do's don't get done. It will stay there waiting to be crossed off until you "have time", and, let's be real, we never really have time.
Once you've scheduled your study appointment (with yourself), don't make exceptions. If you really want to learn, you can't let your to do's get in the way.
To contrast rule 6, DON'T beat yourself up if sometimes you don't manage to dedicate the time you designated. Reschedule for the next day or the next week, and try to get back on track ASAP.
Set MINI goals for yourself. Small goals that you can accomplish weekly will keep you motivated to continue learning. Check out this post for some ideas.
Incorporate fun into your learning. If you like reading, read an easy book in English. If you like cooking, watch some cooking videos on YouTube in English. Or choose a Netflix series that interests you and watch it in English (with subtitles, of course!)
Last but not least, enjoy your learning! Don't see it as an obligation, see it as investing in yourself. Whether you need English for work, school, or personal reasons, it will always be useful for you. If it becomes a chore, eventually you won't continue, and unfortunately with languages, if you don't practice, it can be very easy to forget everything you've learned!
I know for me, the hardest points to follow are numbers 5 and 6...it's so easy to let life distract you, and the more responsibilities you have the harder it is to stay on track. But over the years I've learned that when you really want to accomplish something, you may need to make sacrifices sometimes, but in the end it's worth it!
Glossary
to stick with [something]: phrasal verb - to continue trying, even when it's difficult
failsafe: unlikely or unable to fail
night owl: someone who is active or focused until late at night
let's be real: colloquial English - to be realistic
get in the way: to interfere with something
get back on track: to restart or reorganize after a busy period
a chore: an obligation, usually something that isn't enjoyable
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