Learning can be enriching and self-fulfilling. It is the opportunity to get a small, incremental understanding of a specific discipline, skill, or the world. But with so many different aspects of life vying for your attention, how do you find the time to learn and improve?
Thanks to science, numerous studies show that it is still possible to sharpen up some blunt areas in our lives despite our busy daily schedules. Let’s see how we can make this happen.
Side Step Boring Routines
While fixating your focus on mastering a specific skill and doing the same thing over and over again is a surefire way to becoming a master at it, science now shows that this method is actually less effective. To get a grip on what you’re learning faster, you need to make slight changes in the formation of the routine to make it truly useful and worthwhile.
Infusing routine with variety can yield positive results much faster. It’ll spare valuable time for you to jump on the next set of learning milestones, providing you with the same rapid results, making learning fun and enjoyable.
Learn Whenever, Wherever
According to science, different environments complement different learning disciplines. For example, looking to become a more creative graphic designer? Try decorating your office or room with mixed superhero figurines to get that creative spark going. If you want to become a writer and avoid writer’s block, write in the park, where there’s an abundance of fresh air for the brain.
It doesn’t matter whether you choose to learn in a classroom setting, in the park, or on a beach. If it benefits you in terms of how well you retain information, by all means, do it.
Avoid ‘Overlearning’
While you are learning, don’t do it without a time limit. Take breaks in between. It will serve you well. Because the brain only has a certain amount of space for retaining information. Studies show that learning with continuous breaks and chopping your sessions proportionally is actually more beneficial instead of going at it for hours.
A good rule of thumb is every 30-minutes of learning deserves a 5-10 minute break.
Make It A Team Effort
Accountability will make learning fun and keep you on track when you start to veer off. This is backed up by science. Having a friend or colleague in your corner to share and jump ideas of off guarantees you will develop a habit and see your goals into fruition. For example, if you’re learning a new language, having someone nearby to speak to in that language will cement what you learned.
In your quest to acquire and refine new skills, always make sure you have someone. This way, you can get instant feedback and improve on the fly. Not studying alone is key.
Don’t Spread It Too Thin
If you are pressed for time, you might think multitasking can help you accomplish a task quicker. However, multiple studies show that if you want to master a skill quickly, multitasking isn’t the way to go. It can distract you. Instead of getting things done twice as fast, it’s actually slowing you down exponentially.
Focus your attention on a specific skill/discipline one at a time.
In Conclusion
Learning, as you know, is a lifelong activity to improve your life. Whenever you tackle something unfamiliar, you are in the process of learning. So, make friends with it, embrace it, and become a student for life.
