bose, a learning episode should be reviewed every 7, 15, 30 seconds, 1, 3, 10, 25 minutes then daily and weekly for maximum retention.
I found that when studying, even looking at blank walls seems more interesting that doing my actual assignments. I even start washing dishes or cleaning the house just to avoid studying. In situations like these, it is best to remove distractions through brute force.
Use SelfControl (iOs) or K9 Web protection (Windows) to block certain or all websites for a specified time frame. This will curb your procrastination, allowing you to focus only on your tasks. I found that I am more productive in the library or in a coffee shop, but it’s best you get to know if this kind of isolation works for you too.
If flash cards aren’t your thing, notes are an effective way to reduce the amount of information you have to learn and synthesize large amount of information. The Cornell Method is a widely used note-taking system that provides you with a systematic format for taking notes.
With the Cornell system, notes should consist of only the main ideas of the text and written in the designed column, while relevant questions should be placed in the keywords column as soon as they arise.
Adopt a schedule
If your work involves mostly reading, try to take a short break at scheduled intervals. The Pomodoro technique is a great time management system that requires you to take a 5 minute break after 25 minutes of studying. Adhere strictly to the schedule and take a longer break once every 4 study sessions.
For me this works since I need a breather after taking in large amount of information. I make a sandwich, enjoy a cup of tea or a chocolate bar on the terrace before diving in again.
Take a caffeine nap
When you’re feeling deprived of all forces, the caffeine nap is a fast energy booster. Simply drink a cup of coffee and take a 15 minute nap immediately. According to scientists, the caffeine gets your body rid of adenosine, a chemical that makes you sleepy, while the nap reinvigorates the body.
Take the nap immediately after you drink the coffee so you have plenty of time to nap before the caffeine punch kicks in. It works great for me as long as I don’t overdo it – set an alarm and don’t snooze it off! I found it’s a great remedy while at work even though most employers won’t allow it.
Keep track of your progress
During my exams, another thing that I discovered to be very helpful was keeping track of the progress I was making. I drew myself a chart and marked every hour I’d spent studying for my exams. It helped in the sense that it made me actually see when I was procrastination and not getting any work done. This method may not work for everyone, but I still recommend it, especially if you know yourself to be a person who responds to visual stimulus.
That’s all I could come up with so far, but I’m sure there are still many more tricks and hacks to help us grasp the information efficiently.
What are some of the study hacks you have used? Share your tips with us.
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