The Importance of Routines
Do you know that feeling when the day is simply too full to keep up with something? That’s exactly where I am right now. And I think the solution comes down to one thing: Routines.
It’s been almost two weeks now since I’ve been taking a break from studying Mandarin. Part of it is that there are a lot of different things going on I simply don’t have the energy left to dedicate to the language. But more than that, it’s because I haven’t gotten used to a new routine.
The same had happened when I was studying Korean. There were always phases where I didn’t bother to even glance at my vocabulary lists. But then again there were times where I had a thousand tasks to do and still stuck to my learning routines. And even during the phases where I wasn’t actively studying, I was at least consuming something in Korean almost every day.
This time around, I’m realising that I still need to find my way into this habit. My fascination for Chinese entertainment is not as big as my love for Korean dramas and music used to be. Which means, I must actively push myself to consume something every day. Plus, I’ve never been to China before and have no personal connection to the country, which makes it all the more challenging.
Therefore, I need to build clear routines into my daily schedule that I can actually follow. According to various sources, such as Atomic Habits by James Clear, new habits work best when they are integrated into already existing routines. I’ve tried this several times before, and it has genuinely proven to be effective.
Personally, routines work best for me either after getting up or just before going to bed. But because in the morning there is hardly enough time to study Chinese, I will have to schedule this new habit in the evening instead.
In addition, rewarding yourself can help too: once I’ve studied my vocabulary, I get to watch an episode of a series. Or visual confirmation: after finishing my vocabulary list, I get to cross out the date on my calendar. I used to stick glittery stars on top of the dates when I studied Korean.
But what about the days when I’m not at home?
For those, I need a clear goal: how many words do I learn a day? How much grammar? After deciding on a number, I can stick to the plan and tick things off as I go. So far, that has always worked for me.
So, what was most useful so far and might help you too? If you’re going through a similar phase, start by setting yourself clear tasks: for example, study ten new words and actively listen to a song every day. Then, in a second step, try to integrate those new habits into your existing routines. And always reward yourself after successfully sticking to them.
In my case this means: Tonight I will start studying vocabulary again. And after that I will reward myself with e new episode of a Chinese series. Let’s see how long I keep it up this time.