Little and often.
Cramming for hours may seem like a good way to learn, but if you spend too long studying at once, it is easy to over-do it and you are less likely to remember everything. It can also take the fun out of learning and make it feel more of a chore. Remember ‘little and often’.
It is good to set yourself a study target, of a certain number of hours per week, but what is more effective? A 3 hour session on a Sunday, or 30 minutes each day? How much can you remember only a few days after your 3 hour session? By studying in small chunks, the learning is more progressive, and it gives you the chance to use and practice what you have learned each day. Your memory will be refreshed and your learning capacity will be greater.
It is usually much easier and convenient to find a small amount of time each day, than to find a large amount in one day. You can study during break times, on your daily commute, or even in the bathroom. Most of us take our smartphones everywhere these days, so instead of playing games, why not make better use of the time and use an English learning app, or read an e-book?
If you think that you can’t spare 30 minutes every day you can break it down into even smaller chunks of 3 x 10 minute periods. The most important thing is that you do it every day. Of course if you are fortunate enough to have more spare time, you can increase your total daily study time, but I still recommend breaking it down into chunks of no more than 30 minutes each.
Give it a try, and let us know how it works for you.