5 Psychological Tricks That Will Make You a Better Learner

My fourth-grade teacher had a bigger impact on my education than any professor I had in college or grad school.

How did she earn this distinction? She taught me how to study. By following her simple rules of thumb, over the years I was able to absorb and retain large chunks of information and head into exams well prepared. 

Learners of any age, including employees mastering new skills, can benefit from psychological tricks that train your brain to learn more effectively. Adults tend to be slower learners than kids, but by using some helpful study techniques they can still ignite their learning powers. 

The following are five study hacks L&D professionals and learning specialists can share with employees to ensure they’re making the most of upskilling opportunities in the workplace. 

1. Take study breaks

Is it better to a) study nonstop or b) take periodic breaks? If you answered b, you’re off to a good start. 

Students are known to cram for tests at the eleventh hour, but it turns out that’s not a good thing. Research shows that spacing out learning over more than one study session helps you retain what you learned. 

That means it’s better to focus on a subject for an hour a day over three days than to hit the books for three consecutive hours.  Keep in mind, this strategy requires planning ahead to make sure you have enough time to cover the material needed to master a topic.

Taking minibreaks is another worthwhile strategy, especially for employees learning new skills. A research study conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) tracked volunteers learning a new code who took frequent 10-second breaks. During these short pauses, their brains replayed the information they had just learned 20 times faster than when they were initially taking it in. That brain activity appeared to boost their memory and improve their ability to learn. 

2. Study multiple subjects in one sitting

We’re often taught that to achieve a goal it’s important to focus on one thing at a time. When it comes to successful learning, that’s not the case.

In fact, studying several related topics during one study session, a concept called “interleaving,” is the smarter approach. For example, an employee taking several courses might set aside an hour a day during which time they would review all the topics they’re studying.

Cognitive psychologists believe that alternating subjects improves the brain’s ability to grasp different ideas and boosts memory. An added bonus: Interleaving helps stave off brain fatigue that can occur after studying the same thing for a long time.

3. Test yourself

This was one of my teacher’s favorite study tips and it still holds up today.

A favorite go-to for students is to simply read and reread materials. But this approach doesn’t necessarily help you remember information and it also gives you a “false sense of security” that you’ve mastered a topic, says Ned Johnson, the founder of Prep Matters, a test-preparation company. Students perform much better, he says, when they quiz themselves because it “forces them to recall facts and concepts just as they must do on tests.”

Quizzing is a valuable exercise even if you sometimes get the answers wrong, says Regan Gurung, a psychology professor at Oregon State University and coauthor of Study Like A Champ: The Psychology-Based Guide to “Grade A” Study Habits. “Just attempting to retrieve something helps you solidify it in your memory,” Regan says in an article published by the American Psychological Association. 

If you’re designing a learning program at your company, consider offering courses that include self-assessments or weave quizzes into your learning materials.

4. Move around 

There’s an old Hebrew saying, "Change your place, change your luck," and it holds true when it comes to learning.

Benedict Carey, the author of How We Learn: The Surprising Truth About When, Where, and Why It Happens, says changing the scenery from time to time can enhance your learning skills. 

Moving your study spot from one place to another maximizes the number of associations tied to a certain memory and makes it easier to recall that memory at a later date. “The brain wants variation,” Benedict told The New York Times. “It wants to move, it wants to take periodic breaks.”

5. Get more sleep (and you’ll get more learning)

It’s a given that a good night’s rest leads to better work productivity. Employees who take courses to upgrade their skills have even more reasons to snooze.

A restful night before you learn prepares your brain to form memories, explains Matthew Walker, a sleep scientist at UC-Berkeley. If you don’t get enough sleep, chances are you won’t be able to focus on your lessons. At the same time, getting a decent amount of shut-eye after you learn is critical because it helps you store away the lessons of the day.

What’s the right amount of sleep for optimal learning? The NIH recommends seven to eight hours. Anything less than four hours means your memories won’t get those vital reinforcements.  

“Sleep is really a central part of learning, says Jakke Tamminen, a lecturer in psychology at Royal Holloway, University of London. “Even though you’re not studying when you sleep, your brain is still studying.”

Final thoughts

One of the primary goals of L&D professionals is to create a culture of learning at their companies. You want to stress the value of learning new skills and make it as easy as possible for employees to excel. 

Consider these simple study skill tips a gift for workers to use today and as they continue to learn in the years ahead.