Feel like you have no time to learn English? Here are 8 strategies that will boost your skills and learning habits without taking away time from your obligations and your loved ones.
"I don't have time to learn English."
As an English teacher, this is by far the most common reason I hear from students for not making progress faster in their learning.
I understand. Everyone is busy. There are so many activities in our schedules. Some people are working multiple jobs. Many of you have kids and families to take care of. It's easy to think that you don't have any time to learn English on top of all your obligations.
Don't think of learning English as only attending English classes or only working in a textbook.
Today, you have 24/7 access to learning English through podcasts, YouTube, and downloaded English apps on your phone. Plus, you can find online language exchanges, teachers and classes in any time zone.
It has never been easier to fit learning a language into your busy schedule.
I truly believe that everyone--even the busiest of people--has 30 minutes a day that they can dedicate to learning English.
But, learning a new language does take a long time. You need to consistently interact with the language for years and create good, daily learning habits to become fluent.
Below, I have made a list of ways that you can find time in your busy schedule so you can really make significant progress in improving your English skills.
8 Ways to Learn English When You Don't Have Time
1. Listen to an English podcast or English music while doing household chores
Before you start folding the laundry, doing the dishes, cooking, cleaning, picking up dog poop in the yard, or mowing the lawn, press play on an English podcast or start your favorite English music playlist. You will surely enjoy the task even more.
2. Turn your "wait time" into learning time
We all have time that we're just waiting around for someone or waiting for something to happen. This is some prime time where you can learn English.
For example, when you are waiting in the car, waiting in line for food, waiting for a bus, or waiting for a child to finish school or sports practice, you can easily pull out your phone an learn English from an app or website on your phone.
3. Learn English while doing an established habit
As we grow up, we establish different habits--some good, some bad. We have done these things for so many years--- take a shower, get dressed, drive, eat, walk--- that we don't have to think about each and every step in the process.
Here are some ideas of how you can learn English with an established habit:
Take a shower + listen to English music
Drive + listen to an English podcast or English music
Eat + watch a few minutes of Netflix with subtitles or a YouTube video
Go for a walk + listen to an English podcast or English music
Exercise + listen to English music
Work in the garden + listen to English music or English podcast
4. Learn English during your work breaks and meals
If you are given 15 minute breaks during your work day, you can use 5 minutes to learn English on an English app or website like USA Learns, English Central or Duolingo.
If you eat your meal alone and won't be ignoring family or co-workers, you can watch an English movie or TV episode on Netflix or a YouTube video to build up your vocabulary, grammar and listening skills.
5. Change mindless scrolling on social media time into a learning experience
How much time during your day do you waste scrolling on social media? Why not change this not-so-productive time into a learning experience?
In your social media app, you can search for English pages or English groups so their posts will be mixed into your daily feed for a hit of English inspiration throughout your time scrolling.
6. Use your free time as a reward for learning English
Complete with a key language learning habit before rewarding yourself with something you love to do or that helps you relax.
Here are a few suggestions:
Before you can watch a soccer game on TV, you need to complete one lesson in your favorite English app before the game starts.
Before you can get a snack during the half-time intermission, you need to review vocabulary flashcards for 5 minutes.
Before you can turn on your favorite Netflix show of the week, you need to complete one activity in your English textbook.
7. Change your passion into language learning activities
Think of things you are passionate about and turn them into English learning activities.
Do you love cooking? Try cooking from a new English recipe. Work on your speaking skills by saying aloud (or in your head) what actions you are doing to make the food dish. Or, give yourself instructions aloud on how to make the meal, step by step. You may even find a cooking blog in English that you can subscribe to and get weekly reminders sent to your email inbox.
Do you love reading? Find your favorite book and read it in English. If you have the Kindle app, you can search for and download thousands of free samples of books to see if they are the right level for you. Look for leveled readers that are made for English learners with vocabulary lists and comprehension questions (and answers!) at the end of each chapter. And, you can also look for bilingual books at your local library.
Love listening to music? Learn the lyrics of English songs and sing along with them. Ask your Alexa device to play a specific song and sing along with while reading the lyrics. Create different playlists of English songs for when you are doing house chores, working out, or just need to relax.
Love sports? Search online for sports sections of English newspapers or magazines to read about the latest updates on games and your favorite teams. Listen to the English sports channels on the radio or Sirius XM. Make a list of terms related to your favorite sport (equipment, parts of the field or court, verbs used to play the game, etc.) and create flashcards for learning the terms in English.
8. Do the things you already do–--but in English
How many times a day do you do a Google search? Why not do the search in English?
What TV and movie subscriptions do you have--Netflix, Hulu, etc.? You can watch your favorite TV episodes and movies in your native language with English subtitles or listen in English with or without subtitles. Write new phrases that you learn in a notebook.
Next Action Step
So now that you've heard of all these different ways that you can easily squeeze five minutes or more of English learning time into your day, select ONE method that you will try this week and tell us in the comments below.
Remember, we're aiming for progress over perfection. If you miss a day, you can always start again. If you don't like your new study plan, you have the power to change it.
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