How do you manage your time while you are studying a language?

If your work is demanding, how do you keep track of your studies? I decided to open this thread looking for counseling. I worked and studied my whole career and honestly I found it harder to concentrate when it comes to learn a language, I will not learn anything when I'm saturated from daily things. Actually while I was studying my career (architecture, if you value your sleeping do not study it) when I was tired or felt stubborn, those feelings made me choose simpler and practical options that a clear head would have had to dive in a universe of options to find a solution. It is not like I decided to work tired, it was the daily bread those days. So, how do you manage your time? I got used to get tired and then try to find a solution to work other things out. I have the motivation, I just feel like don't have the correct amount of time to fulfill my goals and learn my target languages at a conversational level.

So true for me too. Working and learning a language hasn't been easy. I can work and take courses on new topics and advanced courses but language is a whole new ball game.

Yes! If you don't practice enough it's difficult :/

I think another difficult thing is speaking it. Writing is a bit easier once you know the words but forming the words in your head to speak it is another thing.

Hey Jess, I feel sometimes we get so out of tune with our bodies that we don't receive the message when enough is enough, for our mental and bodies. The only way to actually have the time for everything, is to practice a very healthy and intuitive lifestyle, where you follow your body and what it asks from you, stop when you feel like stopping with work, have rest, continue with something else, etc... You know when they say periodic meditation seances are essential/important, well that is it, when you feel just a bit tired, you don't force yourself, you stop, follow your joy, you study when you feel capable, you stop when you don't want to anymore, you start something else when you feel inspired, and etc... And, habits. You are getting your body and mind used to certain activities, and our bodies and minds love repetition, but in a positive context, when you feel safe practicing what you practice. Safe, satisfied and happy, so you can be effective. 

We usually get tired but negatively tired in a way, not fulfilled, when we are doing things someone else imposed on us, not what we genuinely want to do, for ourselves. 

I wanted to open a similar topic on organising your time, maybe I will, and expand more on it there. 

Mai wrote:

I wanted to open a similar topic on organising your time, maybe I will, and expand more on it there.

I would love this! Thank you Mai! 

I feel like I need a guide for meditation, I don't thrust myself I feel like I could fall asleep (I could sleep anywhere if I'm at peace). Everytime I feel I'm saturated with work I stand up, go out to my garden and play a bit with my babies (cats+dogs) and then I go back.

I also have to change my diet (again), the days I felt more energized were the ones I ate only fruit on my breakfast.

same problem here. good thing you decided to create this thread. i really like to learn Japanese but I dont know how to start and i dont have much time. if i do, i only have 1 hour per day maybe, but dunno how to start though.

I think this is a common question for language users. I often catch myself asking this as I slowly drown in my language studies lol.

Maybe the best way is to split studying into tolerable chunks and to stay consistent for as long as you can. 

Mel.Palogan wrote:

Michelle.Batan wrote:

same problem here. good thing you decided to create this thread. i really like to learn Japanese but I dont know how to start and i dont have much time. if i do, i only have 1 hour per day maybe, but dunno how to start though.

I studied in a Japanese language school and we split our classes into these parts:

1. Vocab (15-20 per session)

2. Grammar

3. Kanji (10 per session)

4. Speaking practice

Since you mentioned that you can only study for an hour maybe you can lessen the number of vocab and kanji per study *shrug*

great! thank you Mel :blush::facepunch: