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If you got through Chinese is hard, why learn it? and still want to learn, then there are some things you ought to be prepared for.
Time and mind ∞
First and foremost, it takes time to learn another language. A lot of time. I don't just mean time as though you took a four year night school class. I mean six years of effort. Not just a three hour block of time each day either, but throughout the day your mind will be mulling over it.
A sort of obsession needs to be cultured. Ones thoughts need to constantly dwell on the most recently-learned as well as a number of drills.
Flash cards ∞
You need to get or make Chinese flash cards, and use them daily. My method would have you print and cut out hundreds of them. In time, you'd have a couple of thousand bits of paper.
Space ∞
You need to have a space set aside to learn. Trying to learn something difficult in a space you normally use to relax is counter-productive. Trying to learn in a place you normally use for something specific may also be distracting. Draw an association with a particular place to this particular activity.
Time ∞
John Cleese on Creativity is an excellent explanation of how a dedicated block of time will enhance creativity. The same idea applies to learning. If you decide on and stick to a schedule, and you're prepared to be undistracted for all of it, then you can get more comfortably into the learning process.
I also highly recommend not working on any one "theme" of thing for longer than 20 minutes. If you're staring at a screen for even part of that time, you definitely need to stand up and walk around (don't get hemorrhoids!) and rest your eyes (don't go blind). Even if you're working with flash cards, take a nap or do something else. You can do some work, then have a snack, then go back to doing work. This isn't quite like a purely creative block of time, but you're not being creative.. you're learning, and your mind needs a bit of a break from input to "percolate" on what it's been recently exposed to.
Daily effort ∞
Just as scheduling blocks of time is important, having a reasonably-consistent daily schedule is too. Work with your flash cards every day, multiple times a day. Perhaps not on a schedule at all, but relative to something else like after breakfast and after dinner.
Napping ∞
If you're seriously devoted, a routine study-nap-study-nap will help break the tedium and give your brain time to unconsciously integrate things. I've done polyphasic sleep like this, and I've awoken with problems answered without effort, with very recent skills drastically improved and so forth.
Don't expect a miracle here. At the very least you'll be preventing burn-out.
Variety ∞
Breaking up the tedium is important. Perusing different media to experience fresh content is important. Listen to music, watch subtitled movies, listen to or watch news, read a newspaper or magazine. Hell, get a comic book. Maybe find a book you already know well in English and plod through a Chinese translation.
The danger of taking breaks ∞
Some people will forget everything they've learned if given enough of a break from it. Don't risk it, especially early on in the learning process. Stick to it as much as you possibly can. This is important for motivation, but very important to "burn in" the mental pathways you'll need.
Last updated 2016-11-18 at 11:23:22