Notes

Learning how to learn can be challenging, but by following a few key ideas, we can make the process more effective and enjoyable.

Here are some tips to help you improve your learning skills:

Sleep: Getting enough sleep is essential for learning as it helps our brains process and consolidate information in the diffuse mode.

Focus mode & Diffuse mode: Switch between concentrated work and wandering freely in the diffuse mode to help your brain process and retain information more effectively.

Interleave: Practice solving the same problem using different techniques to help you master the concept more thoroughly.

Active recall: Rather than just passively reading, actively implement what you’ve learned and use it in your daily life.

Deliberate practice: Get feedback, practice hard things

Study groups: Sharing your knowledge with others is an effective way to learn and reinforce your understanding.

Tests: Assessing your knowledge through testing helps you recall key ideas and reinforce your understanding of the subject matter.

Metaphors: Using metaphors can help you understand complex ideas in a more enjoyable and memorable way.

Pomodoro technique: Try using this technique to help you focus and relax, and to build your ability to concentrate.

Learning techniques

Effective learning requires effort and strategy. Here are some key ideas that can help you study, practice, and develop the design sensibilities needed to perform effectively:

  • Performing is preparing: Approach studying as if you are preparing for a performance. Study, practice, and develop design sensibilities that you can deploy on the fly.
  • Break the work into smaller pieces: Tackle complex problems by breaking them down into smaller, more manageable pieces.
  • Solve the same problem with different approaches: Use multiple approaches to solving the same problem to gain a deeper understanding of the concept.
  • Recall: Try to recall what you have learned, and use active recall to reinforce your understanding.
  • Focus: Cultivate a focused mindset when studying, and try to eliminate distractions.
  • Explanatory questions and simple analogies: Ask explanatory questions and use simple analogies to help you understand complex concepts.
  • Smooth repetition creates muscle memory: Practice, repetition, and muscle memory can help you improve your performance.
  • Planner journal: Use a planner or journal to help you stay organized and on track.
  • Take breaks: Taking regular breaks can help you stay focused and avoid burnout.
  • Clue: task : reward: belief: Set up a reward system to motivate yourself to complete tasks.
  • Interleave by reading and practicing: Use interleaving to mix up your studying and practice, alternating between reading and practicing.
  • Eat your frogs first: Tackle the most difficult tasks first to avoid procrastination and build momentum.
  • Make a mental contrast: picture your dreams: Visualize your goals and dreams to help motivate you to work harder.
  • Pomodoro technique: Use the Pomodoro technique to break up your work into short, focused bursts.
  • Top-down Context and bottom-up are chunks: Use both a top-down context and bottom-up chunks to help you understand complex concepts.
  • Eisenhower decision matrix: Use the Eisenhower decision matrix to help you prioritize your tasks based on their urgency and importance.

In addition, here are some “rules of bad studying” to avoid:

  • Passive rereading: Avoid passively rereading the material without actively engaging with it.
  • Letting highlights overwhelm you: Don’t let highlighted material overwhelm you or distract you from the main points.
  • Merely glancing at the problem solution and thinking you know how to do it: Don’t just glance at the problem solution and assume you understand it.
  • Waiting until the last minute to study: Don’t wait until the last minute to start studying and preparing for exams or projects.
  • Repeating the same types of problems you already know how to solve: Don’t focus solely on the problems you already know how to solve. Challenge yourself with new and more difficult problems.
  • Neglecting to read the textbook before you start working on problems: Always read the textbook before starting on practice problems.
  • Not checking with your instructors or classmates to clear up points of discussion: Don’t hesitate to reach out to instructors or classmates to clarify points of discussion.
  • Not getting enough sleep: Ensure you get enough sleep, as it is essential for learning and memory consolidation.