Tricks to Facilitate Faster Learning

There are a few things you can do to help you learn quicker. Some of these techniques are general tips that will help you in any learning situation, while others are more specific tricks that can be used when trying to learn something new.

1. Get plenty of sleep. This may seem obvious, but getting enough sleep is crucial for optimal brain function. When you’re sleep-deprived, your attention span suffers, you have trouble retaining information, and you’re more likely to make mistakes. If you want to learn something quickly, make sure you’re well-rested.

2. Exercise. Exercise has numerous benefits for the brain, including improved blood flow, increased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (which helps the brain create new cells and connections), and reduced stress levels. All of these things can help you learn more quickly and effectively.

3. Take breaks. It’s important to take breaks while you’re learning something new. This gives your brain a chance to relax and process the information you’ve just taken in. Taking a walk, listening to music, or spending time with friends and family can all help you come back to your studies refreshed and ready to learn more.

4. Repeat what you’ve learned. Repeating information helps embed it in your memory so you can recall it more easily later on. When you’re first learning something, try to repeat it out loud to yourself several times. You can also write it down or imagine yourself saying it in different situations.

5. Organize information using mnemonic devices. A mnemonic device is any technique that helps you remember information more easily. Some common mnemonic devices include acronyms (e.g., HOMES for the Great Lakes), rhymes (e.g., “i before e except after c”), and visual images (e.g., associating concepts with a certain color).

6. Chunk information. “Chunking” is the process of breaking down information into smaller, more manageable pieces. This is especially helpful when trying to learn something that seems overwhelming at first. For example, if you’re trying to learn the 50 states and their capitals, you could break them down into groups of 10 (e.g., the New England states, the Mid-Atlantic states, etc.).

7. Elaborate on what you’ve learned. Once you’ve learned the basic information about a topic, take some time to elaborate on it. Add additional details, make connections to other things you know, and come up with examples. The more you can “flesh out” a concept, the easier it will be to remember.

8. Teach someone else. A great way to solidify your understanding of a concept is to explain it to someone else. This forces you to really think about what you know and what you don’t know, and it can help you fill in any gaps in your understanding.

9. Practice retrieval. Retrieval practice is the process of trying to remember information without any external cues. This could involve closing your eyes and trying to recall what you just read, or quizzing yourself on vocabulary words. Retrieval practice helps “rehearse” your memory so you can more easily access the information later on.

10. Take practice tests. Practice tests are a form of retrieval practice that can be especially helpful when preparing for exams. By taking practice tests, you not only retrieve information from your memory, but you also get used to the format of the test and the types of questions that will be asked.