If you’re like most people, you probably think you don’t have time to learn a new language. But there are ways to make learning a language easier, no matter how busy your schedule is. Here’s how to learn a language starting with just 5 minutes a day.

“We all have 24 hours in a day” is not helpful

On the surface, there’s a lot of truth to the saying “we all have 24 hours in a day.” I mean, time is time, right?!
But what this shame-inducing phrase fails to take into account is that not everyone is able to use their time in the same way. There are people who can get a lot done in a day, and there are people who struggle to get anything done at all.

If you think you fall into that second group, it’s not your fault. Chances are there’s external factors that get in the way of your #LikeABoss time-hacking and mean you maybe don’t get as much done as you think you should or could.

Maybe you live far from work and have a long commute.

Maybe you’re spending hours each day looking after others- children or family members.

Maybe you work really long shifts followed by days off when you just want to sleep.

So first things first, take comfort in knowing that the “we all have 24 hours in a day” is just a little ignorant. And that you’re reading this because you want to do your best – not someone else’s definition of their best.

Related: Why Now is the Time to Learn How to Learn a Language

Redefining “Time with a Language”

We have this image in our heads sometimes of what it would mean to have “time for languages”. This ideal of hours free on a weekend to leisurely work our way through chapter upon chapter of our textbook, making perfect notes, and remembering everything as we go.

In reality, this isn’t what language learning looks like for most of us, and the sooner we redefine this for ourselves, the better we’re able to learn languages.

You don’t need hours free in one go on the regular to learn a language successfully. When we’re able to fit language into our life, instead of trying to fit our life around language learning, we can acknowledge the “little and often” language learning moments that happen in our day. These may feel like nothing on their own but everything adds up when you integrate language in your life in subtle ways.

Oh, and when you count everything! Keep track for a week or so of everything you do in your life that involves languages other than your own. TV shows, music, odd minutes here and there on language apps, texting a friend…You might be surprised at how much language is present in your life.

And sure, these things may not be as learning focused as your “textbook time” (whatever that looks like for you). But when we count everything, it can help us increase our confidence that we’re doing something for our language learning, which in turn keeps us motivated to do more.

Related: 4 Essential Mindset Shifts for Language Learning

Check in with your Habits

Habits become a crucial part of your language learning when you’re busy. The easier and more instinctive your language learning is, the easier it is to keep going when you’re busy doing all the things.

There’s a reason why so many successful people swear by habit stacking: it works. You can use this productivity technique to build new habits or break bad ones, all while making the process easier and more fun.

So, what is habit stacking? Let’s say you already have an established habit of going for a walk each morning. Rather than try and squeeze in listening to an audio lesson when you get back before going to work, you “stack” the new audio lesson habit onto your walk. So you get to piggy back on existing well-established habits you’ve got built to make new things happen!

Another variation on this is habit chaining. This is the process of linking a new habit to an existing one either before or after. For example, you might want to start writing 5 sentences every morning, but find that it’s hard to get up early enough to make it happen before work. So, you could stack your new writing habit onto your existing routine of getting up and making breakfast. Every time you finish making breakfast, you write your sentences – no excuses.

Related: Why Regular Writing Could Be The Missing Piece of Your Language Learning Success

Remove as much friction as possible!

Let’s say you’re read that last section and are feeling inspired to go and try habit chaining that writing habit. You give it a week, and notice it hasn’t happened beyond day one.

Rather than give up, you can think back to how you could have made the habit even more of a no-brainer. This involves removing as much friction as possible.

Make your habit easy to do.

With the writing, this could be as simple as making sure there’s a pen with your notebook near to where you have breakfast. If you have to go through to the other room to get that, you’ll be less likely to do the thing!
Downloading apps, audio lessons or podcast episodes is another good example of reducing friction.

The best way to start this process is to think about every little thing you do now before starting the language habit itself. Are there any things that could be changed there? Anything you could adjust to make your habit easier and reduce the friction?

All of these things make your habits easier and therefore help you learn a language when you’re busy.

Advance Planning

If I’m going through a phase of language learning that involves lots of lessons, I like to have these planned out roughly a month in advance. That way I’m less likely to put off booking lessons because I’m “too busy” one week or another.

Once they’re on the calendar, they’re happening.

You can try treating other aspects of your language learning with the same discipline and see how this works for you.

Make language learning your downtime

No mater how busy we are, we all need to leave some space for some downtime.

Language learning doesn’t always have to be a hard-graft. When you allow your rest to include playful language activities, your language learning can become part of your downtime.

Be careful here that you don’t take things too seriously, but adding in those “lighter” activities to your downtime can help increase the time you spend with a language, even when you’re busy.

Even consider what you already do to relax and think if there’s ways language could combine. For example, if you love playing video games, could you switch the language of the game? Simple adjustments like this all add up.

Related: Why Music is a Must-Have Resource for Language Learning

Embrace self-study resources

Developing a strong sense of confident self-study is key to successfully learning a language when you’re busy.

Not relying on times and dates for lessons or courses that might conflict with your schedule means you get to pick when, where and how you learn a language.

Self-study is my favourite kind of language learning because of this flexibility. This control can be daunting, but it doesn’t need to be.

If you’re feeling a little shaky on the “how to” of language learning, then there’s a few ways we can work together to make that easier.

It’s definitely worth applying for Language Life for some more personal support, or if you prefer to do it alone, Successful Self-Study is a good option to develop these skills as well.

Plan a ‘Speedy Gain’!

When I’ve been through a busy period, I love to take a moment to get a Speedy Gain on the calendar to look forward to.

What’s a Speedy Gain? It’s a short burst of intense language learning to give you a little boost, especially handy after a phase of busy that’s left you feeling like you’ve missed out on your language learning.

One example I’ve done annually for a few years now is Langathon.

I switch up the specifics for myself each year, and you can make it whatever you want to work for you. But generally, it’s when I have a lesson booked in for each of the languages I’ve studied (maybe including some new ones too!).

As I’m studying multiple languages, this works really well for me as a little check in with everything.

If you’re learning one language, it would work just as well to book in a few lessons with tutors for that one language, or even just some ‘textbook time’ set aside on your calendar.