“I just don’t have the time,” that’s what most people say when the idea of learning a foreign language pops out. In fact, even those who have already started on the path often employ the same excuse as an impetus for quitting.
Truth is, there are plenty of times throughout the day that you can use for practicing a new language, whether you use a phrase book or a language learning software to do it. When are good times to squeeze in a lesson or two?
1. Multitasking
You can read a language book while you’re on a commute, listen to an audio course while performing house chores or even power on your netbook for a quick lesson on your language software while having lunch. Many activities that don’t require much of your mental faculties are prime ground for adding an extra task and learning a foreign language should easily fit the bill.
2. Music and Radio
While working on your PC at home or at the office, you can always access online radio stations in the language you’re trying to get familiar with. Even if it’s not a formal lesson, listening to the way the dialect is used in song can really help you get more familiar with the language as well as see it used in less formal settings.
3. Flashcards
Many people studying language carry flashcards with bits and pieces of the new language written down on them everywhere they go. Anytime you find free time, simply pull one out and get a quick 15 second lesson.
4. Incorporate the Language Into Other Things You Do
If you’re learning French and are cooking at home, why not print out some French recipes and prepare them for your meals? Studying Japanese? How about walking into a Japanese restaurant the next time you’re eating out with your friends. Find a way to integrate the culture of the language in things you’d normally be doing anyway and learn a new thing or two while you’re at it.