akamonkai_online Learning a new language can be challenging while working full-time, for many reasons. The main one being time. Let’s say it how it is:
Focused learning takes time out of your day, and on top of that, it is a long-term commitment. If you’re working to support yourself and your family, getting a healthy amount of sleep, and running your daily errands, you may feel like you don’t have enough time to invest in learning a new language.
It is completely understandable to feel this way. With the right plan, however, it is possible to include your online Japanese course in your routine. All it takes is a few tweaks in your schedule, good study habits and a strong willingness to learn.
1. Time Management Strategies
If you feel like you do not have time to pursue hobbies and passions outside of work, time management might be the issue. The good news is that it is also the solution.
Chances are you may not be as short on time as you think. On average, 94% of people over the age of 15 have a hobby or leisure activity they engage in. Some examples include sports, exercise, TV, socializing etc.
That being said, you do not have to compromise your time with your friends or your workouts. People spend about 5 hours on recreation activities daily. Even if you work full-time, look after your kids, exercise regularly, have an evening with your friends, do your chores and sleep adequately: it is possible to set aside a couple of hours a week for your online Japanese course.
Create a Schedule
Making a schedule is the first step towards effective time management. In your schedule, include your online Japanese class where it makes the most sense to you. It should be at a time when you can attend and focus, and are unlikely to face urgent obligations. Do make sure you plan for leisure between your Japanese language lessons, as you do not want to burn yourself out.
Use Time-Blocking
Time-blocking is a very important practice when planning your schedule. In fact, it may be what separates passable and great time management.
You time-block your tasks by marking a certain amount of time for each one, and arranging them in a way that is convenient. The good thing about this is that you can make it as simple or detailed as you’d like. You can block out the first half-hour after waking up for your morning routine, and the next 20 minutes for commuting to work.
Your online Japanese course won’t need you to commute, so this practice will help you realize that making the time for it is easier than it looks. You will find that some of your time between tasks is not allocated to anything and just flies by without you realizing it. By time-blocking, you will be able to allocate an adequate amount of time to both working and studying the Japanese language.
Set Reminders
Everyone has the calendar app on their phone, but very few people use it. On top of helping you stay on track with your online Japanese course, using this app will make your life much more organized. Putting your schedule into a calendar app is what puts your plans into action. It will remind you of your upcoming tasks, which will lighten the ongoing mental strain of figuring out when to do what. To make sure you stay on top of your game with your online Japanese course, set reminders before each one so you have some time to prepare for it.
2. Setting Realistic Goals
Here’s what many people get wrong: learning Japanese is your main goal, but it is not a one-and-done project. There is no start or finish to learning a language. Your “start” is the moment you decide to consistently study the language, and improvement is continuous and incremental from then on.
So, the goal of learning the Japanese language is the process itself, not a certain point deep into proficiency. Once you’re able to make this shift in perspective, it will be much easier to get started and stay consistent. The process of learning is made of many smaller goals that will help you keep track of your progress. Your online Japanese course is a key part of that process. Here are some ways to organize your learning in a way that is manageable:
Break Down Larger Tasks
Think about your main study goals over the long-term, but do not stop there. Once you have a goal, split it into smaller milestones. Keep doing this until your plan is made of steps that you can take as soon as today. If an exam is around the corner, you can spend 15 minutes reading, 20 minutes listening, and 20 minutes writing. Of course, these numbers will change according to what you’re preparing for and your current progress. One word at a time, then one sentence at a time, internalize what you learn as you move from one task to the next.
Prioritize Your Goals
Setting priorities means putting your energy into the right things. This is extremely important while studying a new language, as there are too many words and grammar rules to remember all at once.
Set SMART Goals
If you want to make good progress in your online Japanese course, use the SMART goals framework. Smart goals are: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. The goal of “learning the Japanese language” is way too broad to be put into actionable steps. Instead, you can set the goal of “learning 10 new hiragana syllables in the next week”. Having clear and trackable goals will give you a sense of direction, which is crucial, especially early on.
3. Prioritization Techniques
As we mentioned, the skill of setting the right priorities is the key to seeing results in your online Japanese course. If you’re working and have other responsibilities, it is all the more important. Here are some techniques you can use to prioritize your tasks effectively:
The Eisenhower Matrix
The Eisenhower Matrix is a very simple, yet helpful technique you can use to plan your goals. It can be handy when deciding how you will fit your online Japanese course into your schedule. With the Eisenhower Matrix, your tasks are divided based on how important and urgent they are. So, if a task is both important and urgent, do it first. If it is urgent but doesn’t need your expertise, delegate it. Have someone else take care of the task. If the task is so important that it requires your attention, but there is no urgency, postpone it. You can come back to it later. Finally, if a task is neither important nor urgent, delete it from your list of tasks. Not everything is worth your energy.
The ABCDE Method
This technique is very straightforward. The more important your task, the higher it is on the tier list. An “A” task is critical, and needs to be done at all cost. This may involve taking care of your children, and showing up to work. “B” tasks are important, “C” tasks not so much, but still good to take care of. “D” once again stands for delegation, and as for “E” tasks, we can do without them altogether. This way, you can put time and energy into tasks as necessary, and you will be able to place your online Japanese course somewhere appropriate in your ABCDE list.
The 80/20 Rule
According to the 80/20 rule, the vast majority of your results will come from a fraction of your effort. This principle can apply to many different areas of life: group productivity, wealth distribution, criminology etc. It is also applicable while learning a new language.
For example, in your online Japanese course, you will learn about the kanji radicals. They are the building blocks of kanji symbols, which can be arranged in different ways to express words. The 2000+ kanji symbols that are used in everyday communication may seem impossible to memorize one by one. If you learn the 214 radicals, however, you will understand a very wide scope of kanji symbols.
Example of the 80/20 Rule in Your Online Japanese Course
Let’s go over an example. The radical “火 (hi)” means “fire”. This radical is found in related kanji symbols, such as “炎 (honoo)”, meaning “flame”, “焼 (yaku)”, meaning “burn”, and “灯 (tou)”, which means “light”. As you can see, learning the radical for “fire” makes it much easier to learn related symbols than trying to memorize them one by one. That is one way you can apply the 80/20 rule in your online Japanese course, and there are many more.
4. Take breaks & be flexible
Taking good breaks is essential when studying, and your online Japanese course is no different. After all, there is only so much practice one can do before getting mentally tired. Mental burnout is not only counterproductive for studying, but it also affects performance in other aspects of your life. Here are some things you can do in order to avoid getting burnt out.
Take Short Breaks
Every 30-60 minutes, take a step back and rest. You can take a walk, do a breathing exercise, or stare at the ceiling. If you’d like to listen to music, feel free to do so, although be mindful of your phone usage. It can be very easy to get distracted and lose your flow if you use your phone. Remember, the point of a break is to center your attention, not to spend it elsewhere. After 5-10 minutes of relaxing, you can get back to your online Japanese course with a fresh mind.
Flexibility
Remember, one of the greatest benefits of your online Japanese course is time flexibility. You have the freedom to choose a course that is conducted while you are available.
You can choose a course that takes place before or after your shift, and while you are least likely to have emergencies in your daily life. You can even take your lessons asynchronously and study at your own time.
There is no commute required either, which makes online Japanese learning very convenient. While you are in your lessons, though, you want to be focused, so make sure you schedule your Japanese language class at the times when you can give it your best.
Conclusion
Balancing your online Japanese course with your job is not easy, but it is very much doable. Many people have done so!
With the right mindset, time management and proper rest, you can learn Japanese while being just as productive in all other aspects of your life. Remember to plan your schedule based on priorities, and engage in your lessons as much as you can.
Take it at your own pace, and don’t forget to ask your instructors and fellow learners for help. Over time, you will make the progress you’re aiming for. If you’re looking to learn the Japanese language, check out Akamonkai Online Japanese Language School!