I meet a lot of people who are interested in learning languages. However, a huge percentage of them always say the same thing “I would love to learn a new language, but I don’t have the time”. Do you really not have enough time?
In this article, I will give you a few tips to find time to learn Thai or any language. These are tips that I use myself in order to squeeze in language learning when I feel I am short on time.
Prepare the study materials beforehand
Something that I always do is prepare study materials. This way, when I do have time to study, I can get straight into studying. I don’t have to waste time searching for materials.
I recommend you find some materials you enjoy and have them always ready to use. This can be podcasts, youtube videos, flashcards, articles, etc.
I always have listening materials ready, and when I have a few minutes to spare, I listen.
Instead of playing games or using social media, study languages
The time you spend on social media, video games, etc, could be better spent studying. Instead of scrolling endlessly through social media, open up a flashcard app and learn some new vocabulary.
If you have an iPhone, check out your “Screen time > activity” (I am sure androids have a similar feature) and see what you are spending a lot of time on. Try to limit it or replace it with activities that will help you learn languages.
Don’t plan too much
I see way too many people do endless research on ‘how to learn a language’, ‘best resources to learn a language’, etc. You know what would be a better use of your time? ACTUALLY learning the language.
It’s not bad to do research, but I notice too many people do the research to procrastinate, and they never learn the language.
Sometimes the research can be discouraging too. For example, you might read an article on why a certain language is hard or how long it takes to learn a language. Yes, learning a language will require discipline and time, but the earlier you start and the more you study, the better.
If you are short on time, my recommendation is to make sure the majority of your time is spent learning the language through listening, reading, etc.
Get to a point where you can learn about learning languages THROUGH the language you’re learning. Do you know what I mean? In other words, learn about how to learn a language through reading or listening in your TARGET language. That way, you are killing 2 birds with one stone.
Practice in your head
Practicing in your head is a great way to squeeze in time to learn a language. All it requires is some time to think 😃.
Are you walking somewhere? Think if you know how to say the things in your surroundings in the language you are learning.
Did you just talk to someone? Think if you know how to say the thing you just said in the language you are learning.
There are literally endless opportunities. If there is something you don’t know, take out your phone and check.
This is a great way to get in some time thinking in a new language.
I hope these tips were helpful for you. Whether I was in school, had a full time job, etc, I squeezed in time to learn languages. I am sure you can find time to study a language too.
If you have any other suggestions to share, leave them in the video comments. Download the Thai transcript for the video here.