How to Stick to Your English Learning New Years Resolutions
New years resolutions are notoriously difficult to stick to. A year is a long time to commit to anything and language learning is no exception! That said, a new years resolution can also provide you with a fantastic opportunity to get inspired and achieve your goals.
Check out these tips to ensure that you are on the right track to achieve your 2020 goals.
1. Choose a sensible resolution
Firstly you need a goal to shoot for. Maybe start by thinking about the things you can do well in English and things that you need help with. A key thing to remember is that little and often is the most effective way to study.
It’s best to Choose something that you can measure, for example: this year I want to spend 5 mins listening to English podcasts a day. Once you have decided on your resolution, make sure that you write it down, some people even find signing a contract with themselves helps them stick to their objectives.
2. Don’t put yourself under too much pressure
Remember, New year’s day is just another day and January is just another month! Don’t put too much of an emphasis on it being a brand new start. It’s very easy to get ahead of yourself in the beginning and demanding too much from yourself. Instead, think of your new year’s resolution as a catalyst for change in the long term rather than a brand new start.
3. Ensure that you aren’t choosing the same resolutions every year
This one is especially important if you have had trouble keeping resolutions in the past!
Make sure you choose something realistic. Start small and achievable, for example if you want to start watching more tv series in English, you could start by watching 1 episode per week.
Another key thing to remember is to make sure your goals are compatible with your lifestyle. If you work long hours and are likely to be tired after work it might be best to do your English studying in the morning while you are fresh before work.
4. Don’t be afraid to make more resolutions
Following on from this, If things are going well and you feel good about other aspects of your language progress why not take on an additional resolution as well.
Using the same example as the previous point, if your resolution was to watch more tv series in English and you are finding this easy and unchallenging then why not graduate to watching whole entire films instead?
5. Regularly review your resolution
On the other hand, if you find that you aren’t sticking to your resolution you need to ask yourself why? It could be that you are too busy, or that you were to unrealistic with your objectives in the first place. Remember, making a minor adjustment could be the key to successfully completing your objectives or just giving up completely.
6. Find somebody to support you and keep you focused on your goal
This could be anybody, a family member, partner, friend etc.. Or even better find someone else who is learning English and tackle your resolutions together! This way you will be less likely to give up on your objectives as it would mean disappointing somebody else.
7. Don’t lose motivation.
Instead of thinking about how much effort you are putting into your new years resolution, think of the benefits you are receiving.
To further motivate yourself you could even reward yourself to stay motivated! This could be a great excuse for you to splurge on that holiday to London you’ve always wanted to do. Treats are always much better enjoyed when they have been earnt!
8. Don’t stop at 2021
If things are going well why stop? Now that you have made space in your life why not keep it up throughout 2021 and beyond!
