Understand that learning involves going back and forth between focused and diffuse (resting) modes of thinking to consolidate and make sense of material.
If you don’t understand something while focusing, take a break and let it go; your diffuse mode network will work in the background to consolidate and make sense of the material, making it clearer when you return.
Ensure you get enough sleep, as it is crucial for clearing out the hippocampus and transferring new information into long-term memory, making those ‘subroutines’ easily accessible later.
Employ practice and repetition as fundamental techniques to build and strengthen neural patterns for effective learning, whether for languages, music, math, or science.
To truly learn and form strong memory patterns, you must actively engage with the material yourself, as this effort stimulates the growth of dendritic spines and connections between neurons.
Recognize that understanding is not instant; after reading about a concept, actively practice working problems or applying the information, as this iterative process is what truly builds and develops your understanding.
Frequently test yourself on any material you are learning, as this active recall is a highly effective way to gauge your true understanding and improve retention.
When reading complex material, after carefully reading a page, look away and actively try to recall the key ideas, as this method is far more effective for building understanding than underlining, rereading, or concept mapping.
Do not rely on rereading as a primary study technique, as it creates a false sense of familiarity and understanding without genuinely deepening your knowledge.
Avoid the common mistake of merely looking at a problem’s solution and assuming you understand it; always actively work through problems yourself to confirm genuine comprehension.
Actively review some aspect of learned material every day, even if you completed the assignment early, to keep it fresh in your mind and significantly improve learning and retention.
To overcome procrastination, use the Pomodoro technique: turn off all distractions, set a timer for 25 minutes, focus intently, and then reward yourself afterward.
When taking breaks from focused mental work, engage in physical activity rather than activities that use the same brain areas (like social media after writing) to allow those areas to rest effectively.
Incorporate regular exercise into your routine, as it helps produce brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), acting like a fertilizer to grow dendritic spines and make new neural connections, thereby enhancing learning.
Dedicate time each day to let your brain ‘go random,’ such as during a walk, and allow yourself to be bored, as this diffuse mode activity is crucial for creative thinking and is suppressed by constant focus.
Actively memorize concepts, equations, or poems, as this process, when coupled with understanding, can lead to a deeper and more profound comprehension of the material.
When learning, start by creating small neural patterns or ‘chunks’ (like a single word or chord), then gradually build upon them, adding more links to form larger, more complex patterns.
To keep knowledge fresh and easily accessible, consistently practice and actively recall information, as this makes neural ‘chunks’ easier to pull to mind and prevents them from becoming rusty.
When mastering multiple subjects, consider learning them in parallel by breaking up intense focus on one topic with other subjects, which can prevent overwhelm and allow for better consolidation over time.
Dedicate time to learning something completely unrelated to your job, as this fosters ’transfer’ of neural patterns through metaphor, bringing fresh ideas and maintaining freshness in your primary work.
When explaining difficult concepts, use metaphors, as neural reuse theory indicates this activates the same brain mechanisms as the concept itself, helping to onboard students more rapidly without ‘dumbing down’ the material.
Do not label yourself as only one type of learner (e.g., visual or auditory), as this can close you off to other sensory channels and hinder your overall learning development by limiting practice in diverse methods.
If you have a poor working memory, view it as an advantage, as research suggests it can make you more creative and better able to see simplifications that those with stronger working memories might overlook.
Consider using structured programs like Kumon or Smartick for children to provide consistent practice and repetition, which helps build solid neural patterns and overcome struggles in subjects like math.
For organizations to become learning corporations, leaders should model lifelong learning by openly sharing their own learning experiences and struggles, demonstrating its value from the top.
Say ‘yes’ to bizarre opportunities that arise, as this can lead to a path where doing ‘wacky things’ becomes more comfortable and you’ll seek out new experiences.
Engage deeply in concentration on a task, as it can serve as a form of therapy and alleviate feelings of restlessness or antsy-ness.
Recognize that even as an ordinary person or slow learner, you can achieve significant things by trying new experiences and applying yourself consistently in a specific direction.
Engage in deliberate practice by identifying the most challenging or ‘hurting’ aspects of what you’re trying to learn and focusing your efforts there to make faster progress.