Nowadays we live in a fast-paced world. Technologies are advancing rapidly, new business models are coming up with globalization, more data is being generated than ever before and jobs are getting more and more demanding. It would be largely inefficient if you had to go back to school every time you wanted to learn something new wouldn't it? Now, this can be fixed with some will power and the following techniques I am about to share with you.
Feynman Technique
Feynman technique consists basically in studying any subject and then trying to explain it as if you were teaching a small child. The main objective here is that you don't just read about something and have concepts memorized but that you really get to understand the subject and so you can explain it simply in your own words.
Once you are able to find sense in a concept and explain it simply you will have succeeded in learning it and you will retain the information much better than if you just memorized it like if you were an actor and the concept was the script.
“I learned very early the difference between knowing the name of
something and knowing something.” ― Richard P. Feynman
Pomodoro Technique
This one is designed to help you manage your time and focus on a single task for extended productivity, one could use the pomodoro technique to study or to perform any work you need to do.
The Pomodoro technique consists in the following steps:
First, you need to set up a timer. It can be one of those kitchen countdown clocks you twist or the stopwatch in your phone, the main thing here is you must count the time. Now set up your timer to 25 minutes, each block of 25 minutes will be considered a "pomodoro".
Second, focus on the task you have chosen to accomplish during this time.
Third, once the 25 minutes are over take a small 5 minute break. Clear your mind, look through instagram, do something else.
Fourth, each time you complete a pomodoro (a 25minute block) mark it down in a sheet of paper. Once you have four pomodoros there you can take a longer break between 20 and 30 minutes. This will help you rest your mind and assimilate what you are doing better so you don't burn yourself out.
“The timetable is protracted, fatigue increases, productivity drops,
and the timetable again is protracted.” ― Francesco Cirillo, The
Pomodoro Technique: The Life-Changing Time-Management
System
Write it down!
Writing by hand instead of a computer can bring mayor benefits to you, it may seem a little trivial at first but hang in there for me.
A study performed by the APS (Association for Psychological Science) called "The Pen Is Mightier Than the Keyboard: Advantages of Longhand Over Laptop Note Taking" found that this can improve a person's understanding of a given subject. In the abstract you can find that among the tests that were performed students that took notes by hand performed better than those who exclusively took notes with their computers because the first group had to write down things more consciously than those who typed away in their keyboards. Writing things down by hand is also benefitial to keep your brain active and you fine motor skills on point.
Take a Nap (really)
Sleeping is the way your body regenerates, rests, and recovers from any strains. The benefits of sleeping are numerous but how does this apply to learning something?
Another study by the previously mentioned APS states that it can help you retain information and then recall it more precisely 6 months later. This means that it can help you remember stuff after you went on vacations (I don't know about you but my brain used to reset on vacation) and you can improve your study time.
What you should do is take short naps in between your study sessions; a rested mind can take much more info than a worn out one so you will assimilate your study material better and if you combine it with any of the previous methods you will hit a home-run.
I hope this information has been useful to you and can shed some llight to help you study better. One must always look forward to training the mind as well as the body and soul and these techniques can assist you in some way or another.
I hope you have an amazing day.
S.