Better Conversations In Just 10 Minutes A Day

We all want better conversations in English, right? However, in our busy lives, it is not always easy to find and dedicate time to improving your English skills. That means a lot of English learners end up asking me this question…

“How long do I need to study every day to become fluent?”

The question is all wrong. It is not about how long, it is about how often. You need to study every single day if you really want to make progress and become a confident communicator. However…

Most people think they need to dedicate 2, 3, or even 8 hours a day to improve their English, but because of their hectic schedules, this is impossible. This means that they don’t really study English at all because “they don’t have enough time”.

Well, I am here today to help you make a study plan that you can fit into your busy schedule. If you can give me 10 minutes a day, I will give you better conversations so that you can build better relationships, a better career, and even a better life.

Daily practice is bloody vital for improving your English. Imagine it this way…

If you want to lose weight, you go to the gym. However, going to the gym once is not going to achieve anything. The only way you really make any progress is going to the gym regularly and repeating the same exercises over and over again for a pretty long period of time.

English fluency is basically the same. Studying once is not going to improve anything. However, if you practice using English every single day, you will improve:

• Language retention: Daily practice will help you recall vocabulary and grammar more easily when you need it the most
• Fluency: The more you practice speaking in English, the easier it becomes
• Naturalisation: Regular interaction with English will help you internalise it’s patterns, rhythms, and nuances.
• Vocabulary: Daily practice means you will pick up new words more often so that you can talk about a wider range of topics

On the other hand, if you don’t practice every day…

• Forgetting: You are more likely to forget the things you have learned recently.
• Lack of confidence: Confidence comes from repetition. No practice = no confidence
• Slow progress: It will take you so much longer to achieve your language goals
• Relearning: You will have to spend time relearning all the stuff you keep forgetting, which is frustrating!

One size fits all doesn’t apply to learning English. Everyone is different and what works for one person, might not work for you. You have your own unique goals, learning style, and daily routine. Therefore the key is to create your own study plan that will work for you.

I have some ideas (which we will get onto later in this post) but here are some things I want you to think about when planning you study schedule.

The study schedule of a person who wants to work in sales will be very different from someone who wants to make some British mates, right? If you can write down what you want to be able to do in English, it will be much easier to work out what steps you need to take to get there.

You are going to need to be specific about when you are going to do this every day and write it down! for example – “I am going to study English for 10 minutes every day after I eat dinner” Being clear about exactly when this is going to happen means you are way more likely to actually stick to it!

How do you learn best? Are you a write stuff down kind of learner? Are you a learn-by-doing kind of person? Do you need structured lessons, or do you prefer a more spontaneous approach? Understanding what works for you will help you decide how to study each day. Check out this article to find your learning style.

One big problem with learning English is that it gets a bit boring after a while. Just doing the same thing over and over again is not that helpful. How are you going to keep it fresh and how will it evolve over time? Make a note of what you are going to study each day and stick to it for a while to see how things go!

Learning English requires a boatload of motivation. It is way too easy to think “I don’t feel like it today” when you have had a long day at work. You need to think of ways to keep your motivation as high as possible. For me, I get a lot of satisfaction when I am able to use something I learned in a real conversation, so I try to do that as much as possible.

What will work for you? Check out this article next for more details:

Overcome The Biggest Motivation Killers For English Learners

Learning English requires a lot of motivation, but what happens when that motivation is killed? How does it happen and how can you avoid it?

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Here are some techniques that I have used myself and I always recommend to my students. You don’t have to do all of them, but these ideas are a great place to get started when building your study schedule.

Spend 10 minutes learning new English words and (more importantly) reviewing the ones you have learned recently. You can use any method that works for you. I recommend using ANKI as it will make learning and remembering vocabulary way easier. Check out this article for more details:

This Is The Best Way To Learn New Words (And Actually Remember Them!)

Find short audio clips or dialogues in British English, listen to them carefully, and then try to repeat what you’ve heard. This helps improve your pronunciation and fluency. For more details, read this article next:

How To Practice Your Speaking And Communicate Clearly

Podcasts are a great way to improve your listening skills, pick up new words and phrases, and even help you have more engaging conversations. Best of all they are totally free! Of course, you should start with my own podcast the BritSpeakPod but here are some other cool podcasts you should try:

British English Podcasts You NEED To Listen To!

Spend 10 minutes reading or listening to news articles in English. This not only keeps you updated but also exposes you to real-world vocabulary and expressions. Also you can talk about this stuff with people in your daily life for extra practice! The BBC website or Breaking News English are useful for this!

Write a short journal entry in English every day. Share your thoughts, experiences, or plans for the day. It enhances your writing skills and encourages self-expression.

If you are more interested in improving your speaking skills, then you could do the same thing by recording yourself talking on your smartphone instead of writing it down.

Use language learning apps designed for daily practice. Many of these apps offer short lessons or quizzes that can be completed in 10 minutes. In the past I have experimented with loads of these things. Some are good and some are not, but if you can find one that words for you, try building it into your schedule.

Try watching a TV show, or a YouTube video in English. It can be a fun and relaxing way to practice your listening skills. Ideally, without using subtitles – Especially the ones in your native language. If it is too hard for you, try watching it once with the subtitles and then again without them.

Select a short passage or article in English and read it out loud for 10 minutes. This improves your pronunciation and helps you become more comfortable with the rhythm of the language. Even better if you record yourself doing it with your smartphone and then listen back to in a few days later!

Follow British English speakers on social media and engage with their posts. Commenting or sharing thoughts on topics you’re passionate about can spark conversations and help you connect with native speakers. Just don’t get carried away watching cat videos or something!

Pick a topic of interest and spend 10 minutes having a conversation about it in English. You can do this alone or with a language exchange partner. It’s a great way to practice forming arguments and expressing your opinions. Maybe don’t do it in public though…

By following these three essential steps, you can create a plan that works for you and keeps you on track:

Start by setting aside a specific time and place for your daily language practice. Consistency is the key here, so choose a time when you’re most alert and can fully concentrate. It might be early in the morning, during lunch breaks, or in the evening after work. Find a quiet and comfortable space where you won’t be easily distracted.

Now that you have your study time and space established, it’s time to decide what and how you will study. Refer to the list of daily practice ideas mentioned earlier in this post and select the ones that align best with your goals and preferences. Remember, your study plan should reflect your learning style and objectives.

• If you’re an auditory learner, prioritize activities like listening to podcasts or dialogues.
• Visual learners might focus on reading and writing exercises.
• Kinesthetic learners can incorporate speaking and interactive activities into their routine.

Feel free to mix and match these activities to keep your learning experience interesting and engaging.

Accountability is crucial for maintaining your daily study routine. Use a calendar or a dedicated language learning app to keep track of your daily practice sessions. Note down what you accomplished each day, whether it’s completing a lesson, practicing pronunciation, or engaging in a conversation. Tracking your progress not only helps you stay motivated but also allows you to see how far you’ve come over time.

Everything you need to know about setting up your study routine in one simple, downloadable PDF file that you can take with you so that you can always find something to study! To get it right now, enter your details below and I will send it you right away!