In reality, learning quickly is not as difficult as it sounds. It does not require years of training, the study of advanced techniques or the mastery of strange practices. All you have to do is reflect on the learning process and structure it appropriately. You are about to learn what this means.
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Guidelines to improve the learning process
So, we share with you this series of guidelines that can help you optimize learning:
Prepare your brain
Before diving into the learning process, have a little fun getting into work. You just have to power your brain a little. You can do this by solving a couple of simple problems, memorizing a poem, finding a dozen synonyms for a word, etc. Just as the body needs to warm up before a workout, the brain also needs to prepare before starting to use it.
Make sure to organize your space
The environment in which you study is important. You need to be comfortable, and to create that comfort you have to work in a clean and orderly environment. If you’re studying at home, eliminate clutter, clear your desk, and make the most of your workspace. Do not neglect the change of environment that we have already talked about. The only thing you shouldn’t do is try to learn something while lying in bed. Your subconscious automatically associates it with sleep and, even if you try, it will be difficult to concentrate and in the end you will even want to sleep.
Try to reduce the amount of material
When you learn something, you are likely to take notes. But don’t write entire pages in your notebook. For example, Tim Ferris, author of several books on effective learning and working, says that when taking notes and memorizing material, keep it as short as possible. It is best to condense all important information into one or two pages using abbreviations, symbols, and rhymes. It is also effective to accompany the notes with mind maps, diagrams, graphs and tables, since this helps to minimize the amount of data and is also much easier to assimilate, remember and reproduce with greater precision.
Use different learning formats
The more varied the sources from which you learn, the higher the rate of assimilation. This is where the principle of activating the different parts of the brain comes into play: if all of them are engaged and working together, information will be perceived and remembered better and faster. Read books, manuals and articles, watch videos, listen to audio materials, take notes, write and speak aloud. Of course, you don’t need to do it all at the same time, just switch between the different formats. After a few hours, you will notice that you begin to understand and remember much more.
Apply metacognition
This term can be described as a person who is aware of his own way of learning. This means that you analyze your thought process, determine your ability to perform the tasks that are entrusted to you, set and evaluate the objectives that might be suitable for this.
When working with even very complex material, do not pay attention to first impressions, but rather assess your ability to master and assimilate it. If learning does not occur as quickly as desired, if there is a problem, find a way to solve it: learn new methods, diversify the process, consult a specialist, review blogs, etc. The better you know your own ways of assimilating information, the more productive your learning will be.
Link knowledge to each other
Most likely, the information you learn about a topic is not new but simply adds to what you already have. Therefore, do not consider new knowledge as something independent and fundamentally new, but try to relate it to what you already know. If you get into the habit of mentally comparing and relating what you are learning and what you have already learned, you will be able to learn more effectively and quickly. The theory and practice have to be the sum of all experiences in one big holistic picture in your mind.
Project into practice
A vast majority of people make the mistake of completely ignoring the applicability of the knowledge they acquire. The result is that it becomes useless, moth-eaten and forgotten baggage, so you have to learn, study and repeat incessantly. If you need to remember something for a long time, try to project what you know into the realm of action. Formulas and theorems are easily verified by problem-solving, facts are established by reference to encyclopedias or empirically, skills are honed through repetition. If you know where and how you can apply something, and even more so if you try it yourself, the learning will be firmly rooted in your memory.
test yourself
Don’t wait for a test, a pass or an exam. As soon as you’ve learned and studied something, start evaluating yourself right away. Think of tests for yourself, ask your friends, family and acquaintances to do a little survey, use the Internet: today you can find questions and tests there in many different fields. This approach will show you your weak points and tell you what you still have to learn, what you have to master, what you have to practice a little more. It is important not only to memorize mechanically but to understand and digest deeply. And introspection contributes to that as much as possible.
Learn with someone
Learning or mastering something can be quite boring. But finding like-minded people can make the process that much more interesting. If you are studying in school or in an organization, train with your classmates; if you are developing your skills at work, get your colleague involved; If you’re just learning something for yourself, get a friend or partner interested. Teamwork, even if it is made up of only two people, is always easier, allows you to concentrate better and organize the process more efficiently. Also, having a partner, you can always take 10 or 15 minutes to distract yourself, laugh, talk about other people’s subjects.
Finally, perhaps the most important advice: never be afraid to learn and start new things. Even if something seems complicated and impossible, get to work. Any information can be learned and understood, any skill can be mastered with due diligence. Personal attitude and mentality are of fundamental support. If you believe in yourself and strive to achieve your goals, nothing can stop you. And, of course, along the way, you will develop your skills, train your brain, increase your intelligence, etc. Self-development will allow you to enhance your capabilities and improve your results.
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