Before we begin, I just want to say thank you for reading. Life is precious and time is short. It is an honor to have you share a few minutes reading this newsletter each week. My objective is to make sure that time is always well spent.
READ Time: 3 minutes
Hey there,
“I don’t have time to practice French.”
I hear this constantly. And it’s rarely true.
What people actually mean: “French isn’t a priority right now.”
The Time vs. Priority Truth
You found time to:
- Scroll social media for 20 minutes this morning
- Watch that Netflix episode last night
- Browse online for 15 minutes during lunch
- Check your phone 50+ times today
But you “don’t have time” for 10 minutes of French practice?
The Uncomfortable Reality
You have time for everything that’s actually a priority.
When something matters enough, you find time.
When something doesn’t matter enough, you say you don’t have time.
My Time Audit Wake-Up
Last year, I complained about not having time to prepare for my DALF C1 exam.
Then I did a brutal 3-day time audit.
The results were humbling:
Watching Netflix Series average: 2 hours 20 minutes
Time spent “preparing for DALF”: 25 minutes
I had time. I wasn’t using it.
The Honest Language
For one week, I replaced “I don’t have time” with the truth:
“I don’t have time to practice for my DALF C1” became “French practice isn’t my top priority right now”
“I don’t have time to prepare for the exam” became “I’m choosing other things over exam prep”
“I don’t have time to meet with my coach” became “I’m prioritizing other activities over coaching”
The honesty was painful. It was also clarifying.
The Priority Shift
Once I admitted DALF C1 WASN’T my priority, I had two choices:
- Make it a priority (and prove it with my time)
- Stop pretending it was a priority (and stop feeling guilty)
I chose option 1.
The 10-Minute Test
If you truly don’t have 10 minutes per day for French, your life has bigger problems than language learning.
10 minutes is:
- One less episode per week
- Half your morning scroll time
- Your lunch break
- Your commute podcast time
You have 10 minutes. The question is: Will you use them?
My French Time Solution
I stopped looking for “extra time” and started using existing time differently.
Morning routine: Listen to French podcast (15 min)
Commute: Practice speaking to myself (20 min)
Lunch break: Read one French article (10 min)
Before bed: Review one concept with my coach’s materials (10 min)
Total new time created: Zero
Total French practice time: 55 minutes
I didn’t find time. I repurposed time.
Your Turn
This week, stop saying “I don’t have time.”
Start saying the truth: “This isn’t my priority right now.”
Then decide:
Is French actually a priority? If yes, prove it with your time.
Is French not a priority? If no, stop feeling guilty about it.
You have time. The question is: What are you doing with it?
À bientôt,
Sunmoluwa 😊
P.S. My French Made Easy course is designed for people who are genuinely busy but ready to make French a real priority. We focus on efficient practice that fits into your actual life – not some imaginary schedule with unlimited free time.
Check it out via the link below.
Next Monday: The productivity advice that’s making you less productive.
💬 What are you choosing over French practice right now? Hit reply with the honest answer, sometimes the truth is the breakthrough.
📤 Know someone hiding behind “I don’t have time”? Send them this reality check.
