#72 Shorter for longer

Did you know that feeling improvement in English fluency is more about consistency than the hours you spend practising? Regular practice is a usually better path than intense but sporadic practice to success, no matter your current level or goals, as long as your focus is general language development.

Consistency can be hard, and it’s important to understand why: life’s demands—work, family, and personal commitments—often take priority, while perfectionism or fear of making mistakes can make starting feel daunting. Emotional barriers, like feeling progress is slow, can also discourage regular practice.

The first step is recognizing these challenges. Then, you can begin small—even a 5-minute podcast listen can become a routine that fits your life. Every step, no matter how small, is progress, and with time, consistency becomes easier and more rewarding.

If your focus is more specific—like passing an exam or mastering business English—you’ll need a tailored plan and deeper commitment. However, the golden rule remains the same: consistency is key.

Only 30 Minutes? Yes, 30 minutes.

Spending just 30 minutes, three times a week, can lead to steady improvement. That’s only 1.5 hours a week, but these short sessions build habits that create lasting results.

?? My students often tell me they struggle with building a routine at first, but when they commit to it, they feel more confident over time. One client, for example, discovered his passion topic for practicing English with songs and followed a consistent plan. Within weeks, he not only found it easier to sit down and do the work but also experienced the value of his routine when life interrupted it—missing his sessions showed him how much progress he’d already made.

1-Minute Tip ?

Focused, shorter sessions are better for long-term retention than sporadic, long hours.

Shorter is smarter.

Repetition strengthens the learning paths in the brain, and this simple hack makes it easier to reinforce them consistently. Plus, maintaining a steady routine builds momentum, keeping you on track even when motivation dips.

Conclusion

If your goal is to advance, this approach provides a strong foundation. Over time, you can scale up the intensity or tailor your efforts. But for now, the key is simple: start and stick with it.

Take Action! ??

This week, set a timer for your target minutes and dedicate it to English. Try one of these activities:

?? Listen to a short podcast and write down new words.

??? Practice speaking about a favourite hobby or recent event.

?? Use flashcards to review key vocabulary.

Remember, every small step brings you closer to fluency—start today!

More Tips For English For General Purposes?

?? Stay tuned. I'll be sharing more practical tips in my upcoming weekly newsletters from my sound-based approach to learning English, spiced with strategies I usually use with my business clients, all based on my authentic experience teaching language courses for over 25 years.

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About me

I help busy business leaders move on in their career by helping them improve speaking clarity and gain confidence in English communication.

Over the past two decades, I’ve worked with companies and corporate clients across Spain.

I also authored a series of English pronunciation exercises, published in Speak Up magazine, reaching thousands of readers every month.

Contact

• If you’re looking to build fluency in English and you want to gain clarity on exactly what to do and how to do it, book a free chat with me and let's talk about it in a light, no pressure chat. Find the link in the comments below. ????
• If you need more urgent English language solutions to advance your business, contact me directly on LinkedIn via DM. Let’s discuss how we can start working together.

Connect | Gábor Légrádi | MA, RSA/CTEFLA