Teach Someone Else (Or Pretend to Teach)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nDon\u2019t fall for the \u201cThose who can\u2019t do, teach\u201d quote. Teaching, or in this case, pretending to teach, is a valuable tool in retaining information and <\/em>speeding up how effectively you can learn.<\/p>\n\n\n\nObviously, since this is a book-less method, there is no need for textbooks or notes in this class. You just have to consider how you would teach this information to someone. Think about the preparation teachers do before class. They prepare key points, they organize information, and overall prepare a coherent structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ask any teacher or professor who taught or trained someone if they benefited and gained knowledge from the experience. The answer is likely to be yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Washington University in St. Louis did a study to prove this. They found that this change in mindset is more effective, especially since it makes you feel like you\u2019re doing more than just trying to pass a test.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Learn in Short Bursts<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nYou don\u2019t need hours to learn something– you just need short bursts of time. The next time you need to pick up new material, try dedicating about 30 to 50 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Louisiana State University’s Center for Academic Success states that <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201canything less than 30 is just not enough, but anything more than 50 is too much information for your brain to take in at a time.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
They advise that once those minutes have passed, take a five to ten minute break before starting another session.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This method is popular in Western Governors University, where the average student is known to earn a bachelor’s degree in two and a half years. Frequent learning sessions? Way better than longer, but less frequent ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speak Up<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nCompared to reading silently, speaking up when you\u2019re taking in new information is a \u201cpowerful mechanism for improving memory for selected information.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Experts also say, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cLearning and memory benefit from active involvement. When we add an active measure or a production element to a word, that word becomes more distinct in long-term memory, and hence more memorable.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Sleep More<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nYou\u2019ll be surprised at how much a good night\u2019s sleep, or even what they call a \u201cstudy nap\u201d can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even a short snooze can do wonders for improving your memory recall. While you sleep, your brain is going through the memory consolidation process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In order to test memory strength, one study had participants memorize illustrated cards. They then told them to go on a 40 minute break. One group was tasked with the easiest job ever– to take a nap, and the other group stayed awake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After the 40 minutes passed, and the sleep group was woken up, both groups were tested on how much they remembered the cards. Believe it or not, the sleep group performed dramatically <\/em>better, retaining 85% of the patterns they saw before they slept in comparison to the awake group who only remembered, on average, 60% of the cards.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIn our quest to learn more, sleep is something that we foften orego, but sleep deprivation wreaks havoc on your brain\u2019s ability to take in new information and actually commit it to memory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whether you\u2019re trying to learn a physical skill, learn a new language, or master a new hobby, the key is to taking nap breaks between sessions. Sleeping more equals more learning. When you introduce sleep between these practice sessions, you reduce the time needed to learn and relearn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Exercise More<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThere are a plethora of methods when it comes to exercising. Other than the usual spiel about keeping fit and having a healthy body, exercising on a regular basis helps improve memory recall. When you work out, your body experiences an increase in a chemical called BDNF, which stands for brain-derived neurotrophic factor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This protein supports the function, growth, and survival of brain cells. High-intensity exercises are even a more useful tool, as they have been found to result in significant improvement in high-interference memory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Change Your Method<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThis relates to when you\u2019re trying to learn a new motor skill. When you change your methods, the way you practice that skill, you\u2019re actually mastering it faster. A study at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine proves this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Participants were told they were going to learn a computer-based task over a couple of sessions. They found those who used a different learning technique during their second sessions performed significantly better than those who just repeated the same method.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pablo A. Celnik, a professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation and a senior study author, said, \u201cif you practice a slightly modified version of a task you want to master, you actually learn more and faster than if you just keep practicing the exact same thing multiple times in a row.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, just repeating something over and over again, no matter how much you\u2019re focused, will not only not <\/em>help you improve as quickly as you could, but it may actually decrease your skill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n