Learning Tools: 🛠

Active Retrieval + Spaced Repetition + Interleaving

These ain't your average flash-cards. The software below combines the top three most effective studying strategies. Cards are automatically spaced out to maximize your rentention by your feedback each time you answer them. The easier a topic was to remember, the further out it's spaced.

It does take some time to get aquainted with the software, but it's time well spent. I've spent exponentially more time in the past rereading, then forgetting, and going through that cycle more times than I can even count. I'm still getting used to the software but have noticed improvements in memory retention after only a few weeks worth of work.

Most of the learning books refer to the above three strategies both with empirical evidence and anecdotal experiences of people excelling in their fields when using them. I'm just the messenger - you decide if it is worth it. ⚖️

Focused attention + Deliberate Practice

Anders Ericson author of Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise, conducted the research back in the 1990s that Malcolm Gladwell cited when he popularized the idea it took 10,000 hours to become an expert. Interestingly Ericson points out in his book that Gladwell misquoted his research. He states that it is highly dependent on the area, background, and style applied in acquiring your skill.

So that’s the good news, it may take significantly less time than 10,000 hours, depending on your factors. Regardless of how long it’ll take, what you must do is employ Focused Attention. How? One strategy is to use the Pomodoro Technique. This is described in detail in the book, Learn Like a Pro. Essentially it equates to starting a timer for a period of time and only focusing on your work & nothing else during that work sprint.

When the timer finishes you can take a 5-10 minute break. You may be able to slowly increase the length of each study session, but just as important as it is to focus during the sprint, it’s crucial that you rest, do something enjoyable, meditate, etc. during your break.

This moves the brain from focused mode to diffused mode allows your subconscious to begin to make connections of what you just learned to what you already know. It also serves as a brain break, just as you would take a moment to rest after an intense workout.

Encoding It Into The Brain

There are a number of different strategies that mention ideal ways to take notes. What they all have in common is that your aim is to gain an understanding of the material, not to passively read or watch it. This was my biggest mistake previously. I’d consume information but not get close enough to it or tie it to previous knowledge. Essentially, I was pouring a bucket of information water over my head hoping it’d all stay in my brain - nope!

The book, The Science of Self-Learning by Peter Hollins along with Learning Like a Pro were two of the books mainly focusing on actionable tools & tips for note-taking, the Pomodoro technique - both have fairly short reads.

One simple strategy is to go through the information and turn each of the headings into questions and then answer those in your own words after the first pass-through. If you want to take it up a notch, make them into flashcards. Start with questions & read for understanding. If you can make an analogy or metaphor, even better. These strategies will take more time, but if your goal is retention & actually remembering they’re golden.

I’ve linked to video explainings of several note-taking methods below, in case you just can’t wait to get started studying. 🤫