After initial exposure to material, prioritize self-testing by actively recalling information from memory, as this is far more effective for retention and accuracy than simply re-reading the material multiple times.
Test yourself on new material very soon after your first exposure (same day or next day) to significantly offset the natural process of forgetting and consolidate information into neural circuits.
After initial exposure, take multiple tests on the material, even if performance is poor, and always review the accurate answers to compare with your own. This strategy significantly improves long-term retention and ultimate test performance.
For self-testing, prioritize open-ended or short-answer questions over multiple-choice, as they require deeper recall and mastery of information rather than just recognition or familiarity.
View confusion or not knowing material during self-testing as a positive, as it cues enhanced neuroplasticity and directs you to where you need to focus your learning and re-testing efforts.
Get a great night’s sleep before studying and limit external stress, as optimal sleep is the best ’nootropic’ for alertness, focus, and the brain’s ability to consolidate learned information.
Aim for the best possible sleep on the first night after learning new material, avoiding late-night studying and excessive caffeine, as this initial sleep is critical for consolidating information into neural circuits.
Ensure you are alert and focused when learning new information, as this active engagement cues your nervous system that the material is important and needs to be retained. This is a prerequisite for effective neuroplasticity.
Consciously tell yourself that information is important to voluntarily ramp up your focus and alertness, actively engaging your attention rather than passively waiting for the material to excite you. This deliberate effort cues neuroplasticity.
Recognize that the feeling of strain or agitation when forcing yourself to focus and learn is a positive cue to your nervous system, signaling that neuroplasticity needs to occur and changes are being set in motion.
Practice 5-10 minutes of mindfulness meditation daily, focusing on your breathing and gently returning attention when it drifts, to improve focus, memory, and recall ability. This trains your nervous system to attend better.
Improve focus by deliberately bringing your attention back to a visual target (e.g., 1-3 feet away) for 1-10 minutes, allowing blinking, to train your nervous system to sustain attention.
Integrate a 10-20 minute Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) practice into your schedule, especially if sleep is insufficient, to restore mental and physical vigor and enhance neuroplasticity.
Control your sleeping environment’s temperature, programming it to drop by 1-3 degrees to fall and stay deeply asleep, and increase by 1-3 degrees to wake up refreshed. This ensures optimal body temperature regulation for quality sleep.
Stay well hydrated and consume an appropriate amount of caffeine to enhance alertness without causing agitation, as these can support focus and attention for learning.
Consume caffeine in moderation, as it can slightly increase epinephrine levels, which may help enhance learning by boosting alertness and focus.
Designate and schedule specific times for studying alone, actively eliminating distractions by putting your phone away and informing others of your unavailability, to maximize focus.
Study for 3-4 hours per day, broken into 2-3 sessions, at least five days a week, to manage time effectively and maintain consistent learning habits.
Establish and stick to a regular study schedule for at least three days to entrain your brain and body, improving your ability to focus and attend to material at those specific times.
After learning material in isolation, make an effort to teach it to your peers, as this process helps test and develop mastery, leading to superior performance.
Adopt the ‘watch one, do one, teach one’ method for learning new skills or material, as it is an excellent means to develop proficiency, mastery, and even virtuosity, provided it’s safe.
Attach your study efforts to high-level, long-term aspirational goals that resonate with you, as this psychological motivation can pull you through challenging material or periods of waning desire.
Periodically pause for 5-30 seconds during learning sessions, as these ‘gap effects’ allow your hippocampus to generate 20-30 times more repetitions of the material, enhancing consolidation.
Inform yourself or students at the outset of a learning journey that frequent testing will be a core part of the process, which can enhance its effectiveness as a learning tool.
Immediately after being exposed to new material, take a few seconds or minutes to mentally test yourself on it, especially if you cannot do a formal test, to begin offsetting forgetting.
Attach emotional emphasis or story elements to material you are learning, as emotionally salient experiences, whether positive or negative, are remembered more durably due to the deployment of neuromodulators.
When learning from a monotone or unengaging source, consciously ramp up your internal attention and use your own thinking to create emotional salience or intensity around the material, enhancing its memorability.
Incorporate seemingly unrelated anecdotes or bits of information into learning sessions, as this ‘interleaving’ enhances overall learning by helping the brain connect new material with existing or distantly related knowledge.
Consider doing regular therapy as an important component to overall health, viewing it as equally important as regular exercise. Therapy can provide rapport, support, and insights.