5 Study Tips to Make Learning Fun
Learning can be fun, learning can be boring, and learning can be difficult; learning means different things to different people — but we must learn to know the unknown beauties of this mysterious world. Whether it be academic study or learning a new topic, it’s very tough to keep pace and develop day by day. Although different people follow different techniques and study better than others, some of them are universally very helpful. I want to share such 5 tips that help me a lot; hopefully, it can help you too. Let’s get started!
1. Do you know your focus span?
No matter how hard you try, you cannot continuously study for hours; it is simply human nature. A human’s average focus span is 20 to 40 minutes, but it can vary from person to person and changes based on our age as well. So, instead of mindlessly studying for hours on end, make a short time span routine. The best way is to follow “Pomodoro Technique”.
It is an amazing hack. It recommends dividing task in 25-minute blocks. After studying for 25 minutes, take a break for 4–5 minutes. You can do some stretching or eat a chocolate bar — anything you want. Once time is up, you will resume studying. After completing 4 cycles, you can take a longer break of 15–20 minutes. This technique helps you in two ways: one, you don’t need to struggle to maintain focus for long periods of time, and two, you have opportunities to take a short break and won’t feel bored.
You can also try to measure how long you can study without losing your attention, and then apply that time in the “Pomodoro Technique”.
2. Use sticky notes and flashcards
It is not necessary that you have to remember everything you read or study; in fact, it’s nearly impossible. Moreover, not everything written in a textbook is important to memorize; there are some things we need to read to understand the main concept, and there are some key points which we must remember.
After reading a chapter, find key points or the main concept. Write them on a sticky note or flash card. You can also demonstrate your understanding of a concept through a diagram or picture. Put the sticky notes on your wall, door, mirror, or any place in your room where you look at frequently. You can also carry your flash cards on your way to school or before going to bed for a quick revision.
It will really help you to remember the main concept of the new chapter.
3. Feynman hack
The Feynman hack is considered as one of the best hacks to learn a new thing effectively. Richard Feynman, an author, graphic novel hero, intellectual, and philosopher, invented this hack. The technique is pretty much simple:
First, pick a specific topic. Try to learn about it from your textbook, notes, lectures or other resources. Then write down everything you know about that topic in a simplified form that a 10- year- old child can understand.
It is really very important to write in a simple way. We often use complex vocabulary to mask our lack of understanding. If you can summarize the whole topic in simple terms, then you have successfully grasped that topic; however, if you face difficulties to explain the topic, then you do not have sufficient understanding of the concept at hand. If that happens, go back to your resources and study again. After studying for round 2, get back to your notebook and repeat the process. Now you have your own notes for further revising!
Not only is the Feynman Technique a wonderful recipe for learning, but it’s also a window into a different way of thinking that allows you to tear ideas apart and reconstruct them from the ground up.
4. Make short term goals
Short term goals help us to fulfill our actual purpose in a systematic way. Suppose you have to complete a chapter in 10 days; if you constantly think about having to complete the whole chapter, you will naturally feel more pressured and stressed. Instead, make short term goals.
Divide the whole chapter in 10 parts. Now fix a goal to complete each part every day. No matter what happens, you must stick to it and complete the goal before your one day deadline. Being persistent and regular is really very important. If you make short term goals and complete them sincerely, it will be really very easy for you to master a new subject or topic.
5. Prepare gifts for yourself!
Truthfully speaking, studying is not an easy task. It is easy to lose motivation or find learning boring. Nevertheless, you can make your study fun by using a unique study method: give a gift to yourself!
Set a specific goal and prepare a gift. It can be a chocolate bar, a candy, a drama episode, or a walk outside. Stick to it and promise to yourself that you won’t take the gift unless you complete your goal. You will get an amazing motivation to complete your study session. Finish that chapter efficiently and grab your gift!
You can also make some notes of your gifts and put them inside the different parts of your book. Once you reach that part, enjoy the written gift!
There are many more ways to make your learning process effective; but, the most important thing is you and your thoughts. Think why you are learning the topic and how you can implement it in your real life. Moreover, you cannot ignore your health; eat healthy foods and keep yourself fit. Your healthy body and creative mind are the most important things which will help you to develop yourself day by day.
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