How do I stay motivated when learning German?

Learning German can sometimes be quite exhausting: complicated grammar, new words that completely change their meaning with a prefix, rules and exceptions.
What can you do to not lose your motivation to learn German anyway?

1) Find your "Why"

Why are you learning German? Do you want to find a good job in Germany or Austria or start your own company? Is the native language of your partner German? Do you like watching a German TV series and want to watch it in the original? Do you have German ancestors and want to get closer to them?

Visualize the reason that drives you to learn German. Hang up, for example, a picture that represents what you want to achieve – the job, the family, life in Vienna or Berlin. Keep reminding yourself why you are learning German, why you are making so much effort.

2) Have fun - do the things you enjoy, in German

Incorporate German into your everyday life and connect it with things you enjoy. Do what you like to do – in German. Do you like yoga? Find a yoga class in German. Do you like cooking? Watch cooking videos or recipes in German and try them out. Do you play soccer? Join a team with German-speaking players and use every break to talk.

The more positive feelings you associate with German, the more naturally it will become part of your life.

3) Practice regularly

Practice regularly, but not too much. It is enough to practice German twice a day for 20-30 minutes, e.g. once in the morning and once in the evening. More important than the length of your practice sessions is the regularity. Our brain has to see new information several times to store it, and that is exactly what regular practice enables. Make regular practice a habit. For example, always watch a video for learning German on YouTube at breakfast. Do an exercise online every evening, for example. Use the time on the subway to review the new vocabulary in your vocabulary notebook.