Where do you find the time?

Then you’re doing great! If you feel like you want more grammar, maybe you should cut down on the vocab?

I also tried writing vocab / kanji down, but it took too long. I found (personally) that the performance hit for not knowing it super well and failing a few A levels is compensated by the SRS system later on. I ended up learning the item just the same. It also lets me get through more items, which is great, because a few of them are super intuitive and didn’t need the extra attention. Maybe you could try it that way? You’d spend less time on the lesson end and could compensate with grammar.

Doesn’t apply if you want to learn to read and write in the time frame-- my plan has always been to tackle writing after learning to read.

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Few tips:

  • Don’t worry about lessons daily, rather set a apprentice item limit and only take lessons if below that (I use 110 + radicals)
  • Maybe spend little less time on lessons and don’t worry about getting items wrong on reviews. Example sentences are not very good anyway and vocab is there more to teach about rest of the readings and pound the kanji readings into your mind.

My routine is to do my reviews in the morning and then few times during the day and in the evening before I go to sleep. If after reviews my apprentice count is less than 110, I take lessons if I have time.

I don’t write anything down though, just reading the mnemonics and trying to visualize the concept behind kanji and what radicals it contains is usually enough. If I fail a review, I use the BishBashBosh tool to review my failed kanjis again 10-15 minutes after review to ensure I still retain them after failed review.

My handwriting skills are lacking due to this though.

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I definitely used to take more time for my lessons and reviews, also doing more per day, until it felt too overwhelming to me. And I also noticed that it didn’t increase my rate of memorisation. Since then I have cut back a bit and am enjoying the pace I’m having. Try to find your speed and keep with it.

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As a programmer:

It also helps that my free time is mostly watching stuff or gaming, so i can easily just take 10 minutes to do a batch of reviews (I don’t write things down separately, so it’s pretty fast).

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Kinda have the same situation. I can say it’s really demanding with work, projects, and more. But good job with doing ten lessons and reviews daily! You’re at least one step closer than yesterday (That’s how I would like to think about it).

What’s your plan right now? You’ve got reading, listening, speaking, and writing as the four fundamental skills for learning a new language. For me, my current plan is to master reading, listening, and speaking first. I find it more demanding if I introduce writing in the mix especially when it comes to grammar. So, I decided to do writing once I feel comfortable with the other three skills.

What would I recommend is to focus on a specific skill. Usually, other skills would come out naturally if you just focus on one set.

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Yeah, doing the reviews while commuting seems like a good idea like many people said.

I also have a 30~40 minute commute to college, during this time I can usually do many of my daily reviews.

The rest of them and the lessons I can find time for in between the many college assignments I have to do in the afternoon :sweat_smile:

Also It I think it is good not to push yourself too hard on the lessons or pressure yourself to get all the reviews right if your daily schedule is already busy.

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Ten lessons a day is by no means slow. If you do it consistently you will finish in around 3 years, I think.

I make the time. I also work full time and have other engagements during the day and night (work, gym, cooking, leisure time, commute, etc.)

Basically: I took out time from other 3 things during the day-night, so that I could follow a 3 times per day lesson and/or review cycle.

  • Early morning before work - 30 minutes to 1 hour
  • Before lunch - 20 minutes
  • Late at night, before bed - 1.5 to 2 hours (this means starting at around 11pm, wrapping up around 12:30pm - 1 am)

Every single day.

I also try to complete all new lessons as soon as they show up. When there are 60 or something when you level up, I do 20-30 in the morning, and the rest before lunch and at night. Those are the hardest days of the week, as you are spending time LEARNING while also reviewing, so those 1-2 days per level take more time than usual.

Edit: (I saw your other responses). I study grammar separately (add 30 minutes to 1 hour at random intervals per day). I DON’T write the Kanji anywhere, its all-digital. I do use wanikanify to make myself read every kanji I have learnt in the regular websites I visit.

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I do most of my reviews on commute to work and back home. At least all this time being stuck in a traffic jams brings me some knowledge :grin:
Lunch breaks are also nice for study if you don’t always have a company.

I have hobbies too. What I’ve found is I can integrate some Japanese learning into my hobbies which are making music and developing videogame. I decided my latest game will have a lot of kanji, Japanese words and cultural references. I even made the game take place in a futuristic Japan and based the game map off a Tokyo area I used to live in.

For music I have sampled Japanese vocals to chop into my songs. I’ve also been looking into getting a Japanese writer and singer for future songs.

I think depending on your hobby you might be able to work Japanese in too.

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exercice is more important than japanese. You’re doing great :+1:

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One time I was so tired from scrambling to finish my cosplay the week before a con that I cried into a bowl of cereal. :sweat_smile:

(I cried because I wanted real dinner but instead I only had time for a bowl of cereal :sob:).

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I have a child, so it’s hard to find time. But she goes to school nowadays and since she’s an only child, I get these hours for me and me alone. My mental health isn’t all that at the moment, so I don’t use all these hours for study.
From 9 am till noon, I’ll work on wanikani first, grammar second and if i have time left, I add the vocabulary from Iknow. At noon, it all goes away, so I can relax with video games, just to make sure I don’t overexert myself.
2 pm I pick up my daughter and spend time with her. Evening I do one more review from wanikani and then play a game because I’m usually exhausted by then.

In the weekend, my daughter usually spends a day with her father, which gives me time to catch up on study i missed during the week. Sunday is for archery (in the morning) and various things in the afternoon. I do always try to get wanikani in daily. (got to keep the streak)

I also have a job, but it’s kind of like a paper round and it’s on the weekends (though lately they’ve been slacking and I have to do it on Monday, which sucks)
My study will hopefully eventually get me a job. Which is why I try so hard.

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Currently -

Wake up - clear as many reviews as possible on the sofa.

Train to work - clear remaining on App.

Lunch time review session if I have time

Train home - clear reviews

evening - reviews, and maybe some lessons.

Weekends - smash some lessons early on Saturday, and do reviews whenever.

No need to rush - go at your own pace - consistency in the long run is more important than speed (I’ve been going for two years now). :slight_smile:

see you at lvl60 !

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7:25. Wake up. While I am still sleepy, I finish morning reviews. 7:35 I take shower get ready for work.
Get on 08:05 bus and do reviews on bus. No internet on metro so read a japanese book. I arrive to work around 09:00 and before work I do 09:00 reviews. And I am sitting in front of computer all day. I do every reviews hourly. I take hourly breaks from my work. After work I do last 18:00 review. I get on metro on 18:15 get home at 19:20 do 19:00 reviews. And I do reviews until I sleep.

Conclusion: I am trying to not miss hourly review cycles.

I do 120-150 reviews in 30 minutes. My average daily review count is 300-350. So I spend 1.5h everyday on average.

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I told my Japanese tutor that studying Japanese is my hobby and she thought I misunderstood what しゅみ means.

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I was defeating big stack of reviews every day at work when the teachers room is mostly empty, but then a couple days ago the VP walked up behind me and said “漢字の勉強なの?偉いなぁー。”
Even though it was a compliment, I can’t risk it getting back to my boss who’d probably tell me off for studying during work hours…

That is a good question.
I have no clue xD
Worked all day, had to do some school work. May force myself to do a few reviews here soon.
The energy and motivation is the biggest thing tbh. There is always time, but few people can really push 110% everyday.

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During the train ride to work

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Yeah! I also use that few mins of compiling to do my reviews! :smile: Also when I take short breaks from working, I slowly walk from my workstation to the pantry, to the toilet, stopping a bit in the pantry, going back to my workstation, doing quick reviews on my phone. Haha! Hopefully I don’t trip or bump into something/someone from doing this. Lol

Making use of whatever short pockets of time that I have. :wink:

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