Visualise self-sabotage situations
What are you likely to do to sabotage your own learning objectives? Watch TV, go online or have another cup of tea?
Try to visualise how you would feel in a situation when something really tempting comes up just as you’re about to sit down and do some language study. How would you feel? Is there anything you could do to resist the temptation?
Imagine yourself doing it – this kind of mental rehearsal prepares you for situations where you may struggle with maintaining your attention and helps you deal with them better when they do come up.
Use the 20-second rule
If your phone is sitting on the same table as the books you’re using to learn French grammar, how likely are you to pick it up just for a quick while to check your email or social media notifications? Quite likely?
What about if you put your phone in a box, at the back of a drawer in another room?
Whatever your potential distraction is, make sure you’re separated from it by at least 20 seconds.
If your guitar is hidden away in a closet in the basement for the duration of your language learning session, how bothered will you be to get it out and start strumming instead of facetiming your language exchange partner?
Hopefully not too much because it’s more than 20 seconds away!
