Four practical and simple techniques to prevent forgetting and help remember learned material

Four practical and simple techniques to prevent forgetting and help remember learned material

Aristotle compared human memory to wax molds. At first it is warm and soft and flexible, but eventually it gets cold and it is difficult to mold it.

For a long time, this was our dominant view of ‘learning ability’. That is, we thought that when we are young, our brain is in an ideal condition in terms of learning, but as we age, it becomes more difficult for us to acquire new skills.

Recent research has challenged this belief and shows that other factors, such as the self-confidence of an elderly person, also affect the ability to learn. If we let go of the belief that our brains are getting older and more worn out by the minute, we can learn new things.

Here are some tricks you can use to learn easier and faster, remember everything you learn, and improve your skills:

1. Start with spaced repetitions

Whether you are learning a new foreign language or playing an instrument, repeating lessons and material can increase your mastery of the subject. Practice and repetition make training and learning complete.
It seems that learning a series of materials in several sections is better and more effective than one session. For example, over a four-month period, with 30 minutes of practice each day, you can expect to learn and memorize 3,600 cards with 90-95% accuracy. These cards can be foreign language alphabets, vocabulary, and even pronunciation of words.

2. Take time to think

Reflection can be invaluable for learning and improving performance at work. Harvard professor Francesca Gino and her colleagues found that employees who spent 15 minutes at the end of the day reflecting on what they had learned for 10 days learned 23 percent better than those who did not.
Reflecting on what we have learned, in addition to consolidating what we have learned, also helps generate new ideas.

3. Crush the contents

“Richard Feynman,” the Nobel Prize-winning physicist, says that when you can break down an original subject into several simpler and smaller ones, then you can go back to the original subject and learn what was missing.

4. Transfer what you learn

“Elon Musk” has an extraordinary talent for learning in various fields. From software and energy to transportation and space. At the same time, he is the CEO of several companies in different fields. Elon Musk’s wide range of knowledge is due to his ability to learn.
When we study in one field and use it in another field, it will help us reach a deep understanding and learning in both fields. This method is called “learning transfer” and Elon Musk knows this skill well.
For example, suppose you are studying in Italy. You also want to be a good cook. You can simply take a cooking class in Italian. This will help you understand the Italian language better and deeper, and of course it will teach you about Italian food.

This post is written by shadmanamini