Learn English Fast – Make it a Habit
Today in our continued series on learning English fast, I want to talk about the importance of HABITS.
We already spoke about the need to make learning a MUST, and also the need to maintain your motivation by figuring out the WHY.
This blog is going to talk about the importance of making learning English a habit; like brushing your teeth or taking a shower.
Think about it, when you were a little kid, your parents taught you to do certain habits. Maybe you brush your teeth before bed. Maybe you take your shoes off when you come in your house. Maybe you turn the TV off every time you leave the room.
These are good habits. We do them everyday. They are good for us. And we don’t think about them. We just do it almost like a machine.
We need to make English learning a habit too. I’m sure aren’t passionate about brushing your teeth or taking your shoes off, but you do it as a habit. You don’t need to think about it. It happens almost naturally. That’s awesome!
Wouldn’t it be amazing if you had the same type of habit with your English learning? You can do it. You already have the passion and the reasons why you want to. You just need to know HOW to make it a habit.
So, what can you do?
1. Do it at the same time every day. Choose 15-30 minutes each and everyday where you will study English; NO EXCUSES. Maybe you will study from 5:00 to 5:30 pm everyday. Maybe you will study from 8:00 to 8:15 every morning after breakfast. Whatever. Just pick a time and make sure you study at that EXACT time every day. This is part of forming a habit. It makes it easier to do consistently and not forget. It helps your brain make a little rule. If it’s 8:00pm, I will study English. It’s just like the rule, “If I walk in the house, I will take off my shoes”. These are rules we don’t think about, but we follow them if we do them enough.
2. Use your iphone, android, and set a “Study alarm”. Put the alarm on “Repeat” every day so that you will hear that reminder to study English. It will help you big time in the early stages of forming your study habit. I recommend setting the alarm exactly 10 minutes before you will start studying. This will give you time to prepare your iphone, computer, books, or whatever. These 10 minutes are for preparation. You will be able to concentrate much better if you prepare well. Then you won’t need to waste any time once you start studying.
3. Study EVERY DAY. You might think, “Well, I can just study 3 times a week but longer”. Again, that thinking is true, but it will get you in trouble. The point of studying everyday NOT only so you will learn more. It is to MAKE IT A HABIT. If you do something only a few times per week, it’s not a proper habit. If you study more than the 15-30 minutes in a day, GREAT. BUT… Don’t make the mistake of taking a day off. Don’t make the mistake of doing it an hour later either. MAKE SURE you can choose at least 15 minutes per day to study and make sure it’s the same time every day. Don’t worry how much you learn in these 15 minutes. Just see if you can control yourself to actually do what you plan. Most people fail in most things because they can’t follow their own plans. If you make a plan, stick to it, no excuses.
If you can make learning English a habit, you will have amazing results after a few short months instead of a lot of guilt and a million and one excuses.
Try it! Tell us in the comments when you will study each day and let us know if you can do this everyday for a week with no excuses. 15 minutes isn’t a big deal. See if you can follow this simple exercise. Don’t let your mind play tricks on you. No excuses. The same 15 minutes EVERY DAY!
That was once again a simple sounding idea, but an important one! Good Luck!
March 13th, 2013 at 3:16 pm
Great, I love to watch videos,
I am trying to follow your tips, I review and feel every reason I should better my language once or twice a day. Now I think learning English is becoming a habit for me, I listen to 5 podcast of China232, (and repeat them in 2 next days), I watch a couple episodes of TV series without subtitle and talk to a friend or anybody I get a chance. I guess Im improving my language little by little. Thanks a million
March 13th, 2013 at 3:24 pm
That’s music to my ears Maribel! Really wonderful to hear things are going so well. Super happy to hear you liked my little video too. I’ll definitely be making a lot more! I’ll include some bonus VIP videos in there as well. Thanks so much for your support!
Andy
March 13th, 2013 at 6:13 pm
Hi Andy. Good job. I appreciate that you’re honest that you are lazy. You’re overweight, I see from the video, the time to prove you can beat themselves
March 13th, 2013 at 9:35 pm
Hi Andy.
Don’t take this wrong way but I don’t think that you have to study everyday in the same time. I mean, Do you brush your teeth always at ten o’clock or before bed ? I don’t think that everyday it’s at the same time. One day you can go to bed at 11:00 pm and next day for example, at 11:30 pm. My point is: you should study everyday, it’s obvious but you don’t have to do it at the same time. Let me explain it: I study everyday but my schedule is everyday different because English it’s not only one thing that I have to do; however, it’s really important to me. This is my typical schedule:
Monday: After work at 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm, Tuesday: At work from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm (my English class) then after that I continue at the gym usually from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm. ( listening to China 232.) Wednesday: After work, Thursday: Same schedule like Tuesday. Friday: Same time like Monday, etc.
I don’t count a time like watching TV or talking to people. So… that was my point. Anyway, I love your English and I appreciate everything you’re doing for us. Thank you for that. I will be always a fan of china 232.
Take care guys.
Paul
March 14th, 2013 at 4:10 am
Hi, guys!
I agree that you must make the English learning a habit, but don’t think that you need do it at the same time every day, you just need to do it EVERY DAY. My days usually are very busy, and unpredictable. So I can’t choose the certain time period for learning. But as I’m a very purposeful person I’m able to make rules for myself and then follow them. My rule is to study every day as much time as I can, but not less than 30 minutes. Even if I don’t have opportunity for studying during the day I always can go to bed 30 minutes later than usually.=) But the Andy’s idea is quite good, I think, for people who are not good in managing themselves.
Valerie
March 14th, 2013 at 6:26 am
Ok!!! Thanks !!!
March 14th, 2013 at 7:28 am
Hi everone,
I started to studying english three years ago everday.(except weekend)
It worked for me,my process is slow becouse of my age:( but I am still satisfied.
Andy wants to affect,who doesn’t have time management skills. if you do it like Andy says (everday same time)your body Will warn you at same time.( psychology )
I am resposible, İt’s realy easy for me studying or going gym everday or doing Other things but for young generation needs to work on it and there Andy comes in handy….
Thanks a lot Andy.
March 14th, 2013 at 1:21 pm
Thank you guys, your are awesome!
, thank youuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
after following your podcast, now we hear some slang and expression while watching TV series and movies with my husband, and we suddenly look at each other in a funny way. we got amazed by your job, that how your podcast have helped us to understand even very slang dialogues. we are so glad that can get stuff we didn’t before. sounds like a music to my ears too
March 14th, 2013 at 1:53 pm
Hi,
Can you make videos that every part in China can see it. I have heard that you have amazing videos but I can not open it.
Good day.
March 14th, 2013 at 2:37 pm
In thailand we don’t speak english much and it’s kind of difficult when the time we have to speak or use it even I can understand what people said but I can not response fluently at all. So, I agree to make it like habit for every person in same situation like me.
Making video is a great idea, hopefully to see you have a scenario and role play coming out soon
March 14th, 2013 at 2:37 pm
Hi Andy!
Thanks for this video and your help. It’s very usefull. I have just one problem. I understand all you write and speak very well but my own speaking skills are terrible. I’ve already known a lot, I study every day and really work hard but I still speak bad. It seems I forget all I know when I begin to speak. I know I have to practice more and more and I will. Ok, just wanted to say that speaking is one it the difficult skill for me. Anyway thank guys for your job. I appreciate you efforts.
March 14th, 2013 at 7:04 pm
Sorry Dude…. but I think your advise to studying exactly in the same hour every day is hard, almost impossible to do…. at least for those who have other business to do…. It never will work…. Neither you, like you´ve said, can do it… I like you guy so listen to me…. forget this idea because it is all foolishness…
March 14th, 2013 at 7:39 pm
Hello guys, I believe, study English every day at the same time is a little complicated, sometimes become things that we don’t have in mind or we don’t have in our plans but it could be a very good if we do it every day. Your advices are awesome guys, I appreciate.
March 15th, 2013 at 3:55 am
Hi mates,
It goes without saying that keep practicing per day and allocating specific time each day is the best and proven method to improve ENGLISH but the problem is how can we enforce each other to follow it at the specific time. I thinks that as you said it is a little bit tough though but if you wanna improve your English you have no way just taking advice of Native English Speakers like you guys.. At this time I think I’ll try anything….
March 15th, 2013 at 10:47 am
I guess you’re correct in your opionion. I totally agree with you
Thanks a lot for your advice.
March 15th, 2013 at 10:55 am
the best way to keep up with your language learning is to do it everyday, a 30 daily study will make a huge difference in your language acquisition ability.
March 20th, 2013 at 6:39 pm
hi there
well its a good point. I tried this method for a long time but i think its rather difficult to get used to it. i mean when you force yourself to do something when your not ready it becomes boring unless youre very dedicated. i believe the best way to learn English is to listen to comprehensive English for a while i bet you will make a break through.
March 21st, 2013 at 8:37 am
This has been one of the best of your posts. Great strategy! Thank you for sharing. I know it’s hard work at least at the beginning, but it may be rewarding if I’ll persist. You are doing a hackable job. Thank you!
March 22nd, 2013 at 6:56 am
I think that doing something every day at the same time could be a great thing to start with. However, if we take another step and assume that we really need to develop and improve already existing habit it will be more wise to modify this particular requirement. A trigger of “if-then” type will do nicely in this situation. For example, I usually listen to your podcasts in subway train on my way from home to work and vice versa. I made it one of my good habits.
March 31st, 2013 at 7:19 am
I can study up to five hours a day in a week and then take six months off.
March 31st, 2013 at 11:33 am
Hi Pithole,
Thanks for sharing. I’m curious, are you talking about how you personally like to study English, or just what you end up doing. Does your method work well for you in your experience?
Thanks