How to resume studying after a loss of motivation?">
After several months of learning a new language, have you thrown in the towel and taken a break from your revisions? A busy schedule, a loss of motivation, an unexpected event, difficulty in making progress... There are plenty of reasons to stop learning a language. But it’s possible to regain your motivation and get back to it with a smile! Here are our tips for returning to study despite a loss of motivation.
Going little by little
There's no need to go through 3 hours of studying per day, especially if it's been several weeks (or months) since you stopped everything. Too much planning can make you even more disgusted with learning a language! Take it easy, with 15 or 30-minute sessions. It's a good way to work on your concentration! It's important to admit it, you risk losing concentration after 20 minutes of effort.
In addition to short sessions, remember to study only one lesson at a time. It's useless to string together a list of vocabulary and conjugation before starting a complicated essay... After a loss of motivation, concentrate on one lesson at a time. Again, this will help you stay focused longer.
Start with what you like the most...
As you can imagine, if you start over with a lesson you hate or find particularly complicated, you risk stopping the whole thing. Be indulgent with yourself and focus on things you enjoy. Looking forward to going abroad to practice the language? Concentrate on vocabulary that is useful when travelling and for asking questions. Do you like to read? Read a chapter from a book in the language you are studying (and don't hesitate to take breaks to look for vocabulary you don't know).
It will be easier to get back into a revision routine if you start with something enjoyable. Of course, you will soon have to increase the difficulty of the lessons, but don't give it a second thought. The main thing is to try to regain your motivation.
Have fun studying
Who said that learning a language must be (only) difficult? It can also take the form of a game or a little daily pleasure. To get back into revision, think about making your learning more fun. Why should it be a chore when it can become a game? You can turn to language learning applications like Babbel or Duolingo. If you like video games, why not immerse yourself in a game with dialogue in the language you're learning?
Start a study challenge
If you need even more motivation and tend to love a challenge, think about study challenges. For example, you can try the chain technique! Every day, after studying, put a cross in your calendar. The goal? To form a chain of crosses representing your efforts and, above all, your regularity! It’s important not to break the chain in order to break records.
Obviously, you don't want to become too anxious and stressed at the idea of breaking the chain. Why not give yourself one or two bonus crosses a month? Or one a week? This would be a cross (of a different colour) that you use in case something unexpected happens or you get lazy and can't study.
Surround yourself with other students
Union is strength! If you're learning a language on your own, you may find it hard to stay motivated. After all, you're the only witness if you have unproductive days, or if you make grammatical errors. A loss of motivation can happen quickly, and no one will be there to notice...
When you start learning again, try to find other people who also want to learn a new language (or even the same language as you). This will allow you to become learning buddies: you can exchange studying tips, encourage each other, test each other on difficult lessons, etc.
Ask a teacher for help
Finally, learn how to ask for help. A loss of motivation can occur when you don't feel you're making progress. If you don't feel you're making progress in the language you're learning, it may be time to review your learning methods. It’s also possible that you are concentrating on lessons you already master, without going outside your comfort zone.
That's why it's a good idea to take online lessons with a teacher. The teacher will be able to assess your knowledge and, depending on your objectives, establish a more effective learning plan. Having a fixed appointment with a tutor will also keep you motivated for longer.
In short, a loss of motivation does not necessarily mean the end of your learning. There are plenty of ways to regain the desire to study! Remember to start again little by little and set yourself achievable goals.
