Have you ever thought about whether you had the power to retain everything you learnt? Well, nobody is born smart. Studies have already proven that our brain is powerful enough to learn everything. Sometimes we tend to believe that some are more intelligent than others. In reality, researchers have found that your intelligence can change If you want to. The secret is to first learn how to learn more effectively.
As researches have shown, our brain functions a lot like a muscle, the more we stimulate it, the stronger it gets. The same works with our neuron structure, you need to work it every day, gradually allowing your brain to grow.
This stimulation is “practice”; practicing and making mistakes is part of brain development, which we call “learning”. Our body muscle only grows if we practice strengthening exercises with heavy objects and not with light objects, right? The brain works the same way! Our brain has the ability to learn new things with the right exercise to stimulate the brain’s growth neurons; these shouldn’t be with activities that are easy for us, but the ones we find difficult.
Stick to the print version
Even if your studies are in an online format, take time to print your study materials. To help you learn more effectively, you need to focus. Use a visual reference to guide your eyes, such as your hand, fingers or a pen. This technique also supports improving your reading speed and concentration. Once you are focused on your reading, you will have more effective information absorption.
Yes, take notes!
Still, with the traditional methods, we bet on the notes. Taking notes, even if you may never check your notes again, is important because it is a form of repetition that supports the improvement of your brain to remember the information, and, of course, reading your notes, will help you to take advantage of the repetition to the best.
Make a plan
In order to learn more effectively you must exercise the brain every day, remember to work on something you find difficult and allow your neurons to absorb information little by little; planning ahead of your studies is still the best method. Take the time each day to study what is difficult. Allow yourself to make mistakes in advance and as often as possible until your brain learns and you’re ready for exam day.
Ready to learn everything you want?
References:
Paul Nowak, Learning Study Skills (LinkedIn Learning, 2015)
Khan Academy, Growth Mindset (Elementary and Middle School Activities)
Coursera, Learning How to Learn
