What is the best way to learn new things? This new article will show you everything you need to know about how to learn new things.
Do you have learning difficulties? Do you want to know how to learn better? Do you want to have more benefits from your learning? Read on to learn more about effective ways to learn.
Effective learning is one of the most useful skills to develop. Regardless of age, we learn all our lives.
Nowadays, with a lot of dynamics and a lot of changes, you should constantly learn and develop in order to be up to date.
For many of us, learning never ends. There are many ways to enrich your knowledge. You can attend full-time and postgraduate studies, various courses, seminars and conferences.
You can also learn from books, e-courses, materials published in professional magazines and of course on the Internet.
Wouldn’t it be helpful to learn and master effective ways to allow you to learn better and faster?
While you can have formal education behind you and don’t need to learn to get a good grade and move on to the next grade, acquiring and using new information can help you in your career, raising children, building more sustainable relationships, running a business and many other aspects of your life.
We live in a world of information and should learn to use it effectively and efficiently. That is why it is worth strengthening your learning skills.
Whether you are learning to complete a session, reading a book about self-improvement or completing an online course, learning is important and useful.
It is therefore important to maximize the time we devote to learning and improve our ability to absorb new skills.
How To Learn New Things:
1. Identify what you are learning for
Every learning should have a purpose. Ask yourself, why am I learning? Why do I attend this course of study, take part in this training, read this book? What is my long-term goal?
Learning without a goal is much more tiring.
Knowing what we are learning for allows you to focus better, and subconsciously helps you to filter and search for information based on the goal and choose the most useful ones that will maximize the effect of learning.
2. Take notes
In order to learn more effectively you should take notes. It’s good to have a permanent place where you can keep your notes in an orderly way.
Even if you take short notes by writing down the keywords for key topics from the book, this helps you to learn and allows you to get back to the most relevant information quickly. This makes it easier to remember and repeat.
You can take notes by writing by hand, according to some studies, this way you can remember better.
If you take notes by hand, keep them in a binder, for example, so that you can review them later and have them organised in an orderly fashion.
Of course, you can also use a variety of computer programs to help you manage your notes.
An example is Evernote, which allows you to share notes and photos and organize and search for your notes. There are also other applications that can be helpful, such as OneNote or Notepad++. Find the way to take and manage notes that suits you best.
Do your best to make your notes as organized, logical and clear as possible.
3. Use the indicator for reading
During reading, our eyes often get lost, go beyond the text, make unnecessary movements. When reading, we need a guide to help us lead our eyes through the lines of the text.
The easiest indicator to use is our finger. Use it to track and follow the words you read. The indicator allows us to be more aware of what we read, prevents the omission of words and makes it easier to focus on the text.
This is a simple way to increase your reading efficiency and your ability to absorb information.
4. Find the right format
Find the medium and format of learning materials that suits you best. Some of us are by nature more visual than listeners.
Some learn better by reading, others by telling and explaining, others by all kinds of drawings, diagrams and visualizations.
Do a little experiment and use different formats for learning to determine which are most useful for you. Once you’ve done this, it uses this format when you’re learning.
One of the useful methods for visualizing and taking notes at the same time is the ” mind map”.
SEE ALSO: How to Learn a New Skill [Incredibly Quickly]: A 5-Step Process
5. Take care of yourself
Many people do not realise that health and wellbeing are important for learning effectiveness. If you don’t get enough sleep, don’t eat properly, lack physical activity, your learning and information will be less effective.
Sleep is a particularly important factor. Sometimes we want to gain more time at the expense of sleep.
Unfortunately, if our body does not sleep the optimal number of hours, instead of increasing our productivity, we will reduce it. It will be harder for you to concentrate and as a result you will need more time to learn something.
Good nutrition and exercise give you energy and stimulate your brain to do better.
6. Open up to new ideas
Usually when you take a new book to read, sign up for a course or attend a lecture, you have certain expectations about it.
Whether it is a negative or a positive expectation, the problem is that expectation changes our perception of what we are learning.
We stop accepting information in the way the author or the leader intended to present it, but rather in a way that fits our worldview.
Making a conscious effort to remove these expectations beforehand can help us to learn. It is easier for us to open our minds to new ideas and broaden our cognitive horizons.
Of course it is not easy to get rid of one’s own expectations, but it is important to keep in mind that our perception of reality does not disturb the effects of acquiring new knowledge and information that someone is trying to pass on to us.
If we are very anxious about our beliefs and are always sure that we are right, everything that is not entirely in our thoughts can cause us frustration and prevent us from learning something new.
To learn better or to be open to new ideas, information and points of view.
7. Take regular breaks
Sometimes we want to work on something until we finish it. We do the same when we learn. We sit down and learn all the time wanting to get it over with. We spend the whole night in order to learn.
However, this way of working continuously is inefficient.
It is very important to take breaks. Your brain needs regular rest in order to function effectively. By taking short breaks from time to time, you let your brain rest and return to full strength. How often do you take these breaks?
If you read something and learn from different materials, sometimes even a 5-minute break per hour of work is enough.
You can also use the 90/10 method. You spend 90% of your time on work and 10% on rest. The so-called “pomodoro technique” is also an effective method:
- Select the task to do
- Set the alarm clock to 25 minutes – that’s how long it takes to get one “Pomodoro”.
- Work on the task all the time throughout “Pomodoro”
- Take a five-minute break.
- After a break we can make another “Pomodoro”, and after four Pomodoro in a row we can make a longer break (15-30 min).
- What makes this method effective are these 5-minute breaks, which are like rewards for working in concentration for 25 minutes.
Find the method and length of breaks most suitable for you, remember about the need for rest.
8. Repeat what you have learned
As often as possible, repeat what you have learned (1). If you want your knowledge to last longer, you must return to what you have learned. It is not enough to read a book once or listen to an audiobook.
Return to valuable materials from time to time to remember and strengthen your knowledge. Repeatings are really valuable and without them our knowledge will quickly fade away.
9. Put into practice what you have learned
Some people may only study to pass another exam. They read books only to say that they have read them. They finish another course or do another certificate to write it on their CV.
This approach doesn’t make much sense.
The greatest value is when we can move from a dry theory to a real application. Use your knowledge in practice.
It doesn’t have to be something very meaningful at once, but try to apply the information and knowledge you have gained in a specific way.
Of course, it is not always possible, but the practical use of what we have just learned significantly improves the memory and consolidation of our knowledge.
For example, if you learn a science like physics, or chemistry, and you have safe conditions for this, you can even carry out an experiment to test theories in practice.
When you read a book about self-improvement, management, communication, finance, etc., you will strengthen the effects of your reading when you try out the techniques and methods in practice.
10. Teach someone what you have learned
This is one of the best methods to consolidate and strengthen one’s knowledge in a given area.
If you have learned something, pass on your knowledge to others. There are many ways to do this nowadays.
You can write on a blog, make instructional videos or podcasts. You can document the whole process from the beginning of learning, through acquiring and assimilating information and passing it on to others.
In this way, you can improve and consolidate your knowledge of the topic. Using such a method you can consistently become a recognized and respected expert in a given area and field.
This method has the added advantage of not only helping yourself, but also others using your educational materials. They can learn and learn something new.
Also by sharing knowledge with others you can get feedback and further improve your skills.
Especially positive feedback will improve your wellbeing and you will be able to draw conclusions for the future from valuable negative feedback.
7 Tips To Improve Learning Process
Now for a general guide and a few technical tips on how to learn better. Follow these tips and your learning process will be more effective and more effective.
1. Create the right learning environment
Find the best place to learn for yourself. Somewhere where you’ll be comfortable and focused.
Think where you will be exposed to the least number of unwanted temptations and stimuli. It is also a good idea to ventilate the room where you will be learning.
And also, take care of proper lighting, the best is natural daylight.
Learning at a desk doesn’t have to be the most effective. When you sit on a chair that is made of hard materials, most of your body weight is based on a small approx. 10 cm bone area.
Being in such a position for a long time causes tiredness and the need for frequent changes of position. Back pain and muscle pain may occur.
Do not be afraid to arrange the place according to your preferences using cushions, loungers and armchairs.
Choose the place where you feel comfortable.
2. Get rid of distractions
First of all, you need to get rid of any distractions that may affect your learning process.
Start by assessing your own body. Aren’t you too cold or too hot? Are you tired, stressed, angry, bored? Are you hungry, over-eaten?
Take a piece of paper and write down quickly everything that bothers you or anything that can be a distraction to you while you’re studying.
This list should be as complete as possible, as even small distractions can affect how well your brain will work and process information in the learning process.
Then proceed with the removal of these potential distractions, from the largest to the smallest.
If you need to sleep and can afford more rest, go to sleep and rest. If you don’t have a lot of time, take a nap at least 30 minutes, which can also add energy.
If you have un-cut nails, cut them off before learning to avoid your brain wandering to other areas and looking for something to do instead of learning.
3. Prepare the necessary materials
To avoid unnecessary searching and wasting time, prepare all the necessary materials, notes, books and utensils you need before you start learning.
This also applies to the electronic files and documents you have on your computer. Have them all easily accessible so you can reach them quickly.
4. Prepare the brain for learning
Now that your more and less important distractions have been eliminated, prepare your brain for learning. Before intensive learning, increased mental effort, etc., it is worthwhile to warm up your mind (2).
Our mind has similar properties as a muscle, so it is worthwhile to warm it up before learning.
For example, playing with numbers and doing some mathematical calculations can be helpful.
Another example is to choose a long and complicated word and arrange as many words as possible from the letters contained in this word. Everything is done in the head without the help of a card.
You can also use the warm-up of your mind to repeat the material you have already learned and to set a goal and a learning plan, e.g. in the form of a “checklist”, where you can mark the completion of subsequent stages of your learning session.
Your brain needs about 5-10 minutes to warm up.
SEE ALSO: What Can The Brain Do: Find Out How Amazing Is The Human Brain
5. The learning and knowledge-acquisition phase
After the warm-up, proceed to the proper learning phase. There are many ways to do this and everyone should find something that works for him. Some people read aloud and repeat from memory.
Others create ” mind maps”, various forms of notes, highlight the most important fragments.
Some people like to walk and others prefer to sit quietly at their desk or on the couch.
Focus on the material you are learning and only take care of it. Don’t concentrate on anything other than what you’re learning.
It is worth noting that our brain is usually able to withstand and operate with high concentration and high efficiency for about 45-60 minutes.
After this time you can observe a decrease in concentration and fatigue. When this happens, take a break.
6. Rest and relaxation
In the process of learning, it is important to take breaks. Take a moment to relax. Sometimes 5-10 minutes is enough.
Get up and move a bit, go for a walk, it will make your brain rest and when you get back to learning it will remember the information better. Do something that will make you relax.
7. Next Cycle
After the intensive learning phase and a break, you can proceed with the learning process.
Decide how many learning sessions and breaks you need. But don’t exaggerate with too many such cycles, because with each session your ability to acquire new information will decrease.
Remember that your brain also needs time to sort, organize, process and store all this new information!
Don’t overload it and remember to rest, so your learning will be more effective.
Effective learning is an invaluable tool that you will use very often if you want to develop your life.
Continuous learning is the hallmark of successful people. There is always something to improve in this area and it is worth improving your learning skills.
Use these tips to improve your workshop and get better results from your time spent learning.
Thank you for reading this article about best ways to learn new things and I really hope that you take action my advice.
I wish you good luck and I hope its contents have been a good help to you.
