Study and use

When have you made the fastest improvements in your language learning? I was thinking about this recently. I remembered that I've improved the fastest when I was:

1. Studying the language every day by looking up new words, drilling with lists, and reading explanations of grammatical structures
2. Using the language in my everyday life: talking with people, watching TV, reading street signs, and running errands.

Times when I've done only one or the other haven't been nearly as productive. When I only study, I learn a lot of words or phrases that I end up forgetting later. When I only use the language, my improvement is a lot slower.

I recommend spending about 30% of your time on study and 70% on using the language. What's your ratio? Do you think it works for you?