I’m assuming not all people know what burnout is so let’s start with that. 

Have you ever felt like your motivation is slowly fading out in just a matter of weeks of starting your language journey? Do you procrastinate a lot when you want to begin your everyday lesson? Do you find yourself not enjoying your lessons? 

If yes, then you’re probably experiencing burnout.

As a language enthusiast myself, I’ve seen these typical reasons over and over again. Either you’re setting ridiculous goals or you’re using the right method but not the right way.

You’re excited and want fast results. I get it. We all want that otherwise why else do you think there are so many of ‘how to learn a language fast or how to learn a language in X months? Sadly, our brains can only take so much. 

Everything takes time.

Be smart. Set short-term goals and long-term goals that are pressure-free. You’ll feel a lot happier.

Back then, I used to do grammar an hour a day every day. I study one topic and do all of its exercises no matter how short or long they are. On the next day, I start with a new one. I never revised them thinking I already understood some of it. 

In the end, I felt burnout.

Some people are fast learners and some are slow learners and if you happen to be the latter it’s okay (welcome to my club). Don’t let that be a discouragement. People learn differently and it’s a fact. 

If comparing yourself with others somehow motivates you to work harder then by all means. If not just don’t.

Let’s say you’ve been using textbooks to learn grammar but it doesn’t seem to work. The explanations are difficult to comprehend but you stick with it thinking it’s normal because hey, grammar is never easy. 

True.

I’m not saying a textbook is bad because it isn’t but it won’t be as good if there’s someone to explain to you what this and that means which can reduce the stress and raise the chance of it being an effective method.

At this stage, you’re probably emotionally tired and don’t care anymore and ready to close the book but just do this before you do so.

Look at your accomplishment and how do you feel? Was the time you spent learning the language worth it? If it is wouldn’t it be a waste to stop now just because you have some inner conflicts?

Don’t run from it. Face it.

Aim for quality over quantity and consistency over velocity. – themalaysianpolyglot.net

People learn foreign languages for many reasons. Some may say as simple as “I need to learn Spanish so I can understand what singer X’s songs are about.”

In that case, you identify entertainment as a major reason. What you have to do now is align your goal with the right methods. Do lots of research and whatever you choose make sure to diversify them. 

While doing so keep this in mind – Can I see myself using this for years and not get bored?

The other day, I was listening to the Learn Spanish con Salsa podcast where Tamara Marie talks about forming Spanish language learning habits. There she talks about the four tendencies people have which are based on Gretchen Rubin’s The Four Tendencies and tells you how to best use and tailor such tendencies to your learning style.

I took the quiz and my result is upholder which is not a surprise. When I set my learning schedules I always succeed in meeting them. If I don’t I’ll double my learning lesson at once the next day at the same time to cover what I missed.

For example, I only do one page of Arabic grammar every day. If I miss a day, I’ll do two pages the next day so I don’t feel bad about missing them. For me, this works great so far.

If you like a certain style of learning continue and if you don’t stop it. There’s no point in keeping them only because you’ve been using them for years or other people are using them and whatnot.

Perhaps you’re just getting burned out on that one skill you’ve been focusing on. Try a different one. Don’t keep practicing on the same thing because then the four skills are not balanced and that will cause problems down the road.

Let’s say you’ve been watching Telenovelas with English subtitles. Try watching with Spanish subtitles. This way you can match what you hear with what you see even though you don’t understand what the heck the drama is about.

Not only you’re training your ears to be sharp you’re also improving your other skills. Because you choose the Spanish subtitles now you know the spelling and can easily write when you hear those same words again.

When I go to Twitter or Reddit I always see someone post their frustrations with their progress. There’s a better idea. I don’t know if this has been done before. Record yourself speaking in Spanglish or your target language.

Don’t worry if your Spanish is wrong. The point is to vent your frustrations. It’s like writing diaries but with videos. You don’t have to post to your social media. Just keep it to yourself.

Once you’re okay and decide to start learning again watch them back. Perhaps with a clear mind, you can see the problems and find a solution.