Instead of devoting chunks of time to studying – an impediment for many – we could include language acquisition into our everyday routines. It is precisely what many experts advise.
A lot of people wish to learn a new language. But instead of working toward this aim, they do nothing. One popular justification is that they don't have enough time. Sure, life can be hectic, and they frequently get home from work exhausted. But the reality is that even if you're busy, you can learn a language. Every day, we are all granted the same amount of time. The key is how we perceive and utilize this time.
Take advantage of "dead time," such as your commute to work, waiting for meetings, or even restroom breaks. It may only be 15 minutes here and there, but this adds up over a day, week, or month. Without trying, you'll have hours of studying under your belt before realizing it.
The 9 Best Tips to Learn a New Language for Busy People
Here are nine time-saving tips for learning a language if you're short on time. These strategies will not work for everyone, so experiment to determine what works best for you.
1. Mobile Learning
You're ready to study if you have a smartphone or an e-reader. If you have 30 or 40 minutes to waste while riding the metro or bus, why not pull out your language app and review some vocabulary? You may also read a short tale or engage in an online conversation with any friends or connections who speak your target language.
Listening exercise is another simple part of language acquisition that may be done on the fly. You can easily fit in some essential practice whether you're on public transportation with your headphones in or listening in the vehicle on your morning/evening commute.
2. Set Achievable Goals.
Busy people are frequently goal-oriented and determined. It is beneficial in the business, but it can be detrimental to language acquisition. That same ambitious desire might lead individuals to establish unreasonable objectives like becoming proficient in a year or learning 1,000 new words every week. It all sounds simple at first when they're arranging a timetable and acquiring resources. However, it's a different story when they return to work after a long day.
Learning a language effectively when you're busy requires setting realistic goals and consuming moderate quantities of knowledge. If you believe it is unlikely that you will be able to study three nights a week, don't set that goal. If you know that you can guarantee 1-2 evenings of language study each week, regardless of circumstances, that should be your objective; at least in the beginning.
3. Employ Workplace Discipline
Another technique that might help busy adult learners is to cease viewing language study as an "extra" of the workday. When you think about things this way, it becomes much more difficult to dedicate yourself to taking action on them. Instead, incorporate language learning into your workday by doing tasks at your desk or on the way to work. You are significantly less likely to miss out on practice this way.
If you can't do this for all of your language studies, try to include essential elements in your workday, such as an online class with a native-speaker teacher. Other activities, like supplementary reading and vocabulary, can be done at home on weekends.
4. Wake up to the language you want to Learn.
Several alarms allow you to record voice notes. Wake Up Babe awakens you up to the voice of your loved one, accompanied by romantic music. Ascertain that the sounds are in the target language. Use Recording Alarm Clock and Voice Alarm on Android. If you're feeling sluggish, instead of installing applications, make voice memos.
You may use Itunes to set these voice memos as alarms. If using your alarm clock to study a language seems exhausting, consider Flashcards.
5. Flashcards
If you want to study a language on the fly, flashcards are a great option. Place flashcards in places you frequent, such as your desk or the refrigerator door. If you want to go digital, consider using flashcard applications on your commute.
6. Instant Messaging
Texting is a popular mode of communication. We communicate by SMS, Whatsapp, and WeChat. Instead of messaging in your native language, begin texting in your target language.
Find a language partner and study the language through instant messaging. While you may utilize this strategy during the day, ensure it doesn't interfere with workplace productivity. It's critical to make time for communication, no matter how busy you are.
7. View Foreign Language Television or Videos
While television can be a distraction, I rarely watch it these days – if you must watch it in a foreign language. As with music, it's an excellent method to absorb information quickly. But remember to watch something that interests you. Nothing kills motivation like seeing something you despise.
8. Every day, memorize ten common words.
Make a list of 5-10 essential phrases you want to study the next day before you go to bed. Examine the words and recall them anytime you have a spare moment throughout the day. Sign up for Rype's new language understanding challenge. You'll get an email with the top 10 most commonly used phrases every morning. You will understand 85 percent or more of your target language in 100 days.
9. Read Books for Children
Reread those children's books on Amazon if you want to have more fun with your language study. You may purchase e-books, audiobooks, or both. It is ideal for before going to bed in the evening. Begin reading bedtime stories to your youngster if you want to engage them. It's a three-for-one deal. You'll spend quality time with your child, who will appreciate it, and you'll learn a new language.
If you don't have time to read children's books, there are enjoyable alternative ways to learn a language.
Wrapping Up!
If you're short on time, this is how you learn a language, and it's not as difficult as you think. You may have a limited time, but if you approach it correctly, you will be learning one of the most valuable languages in no time. Take advantage of downtime. Find enjoyable methods to include language study into your routine. These modest sums pile up quickly, and you will have achieved exponential growth before you know it.
Photo: Andrea Piacquadio, Pexels