Improve your memory, sharpen your concentration and
enhance your processing speed with 10 brain-boosting techniques
Have you
wondered why some people seem to be able to pick up new skills or knowledge
effortlessly, while you even have problems recalling what you ate last night?
Though a minority of
them may be gifted with exceptional intelligence, most people owe their
accomplishment to certain techniques that they use in learning. Here are ten
commonly used techniques to help you improve your learning speed and put you in
the ranks of the genius:
How to Boost Your
Learning Power
1.
Have
a plan
A laissez-faire approach to learning won’t do. Do yourself a favor by coming up with a plan. Is it to complete two books in a week, or to master the theory of relativity by this weekend? A road map will help to guide you, giving you direction to focus your energy and time, rather than spending them in front of the TV.
A laissez-faire approach to learning won’t do. Do yourself a favor by coming up with a plan. Is it to complete two books in a week, or to master the theory of relativity by this weekend? A road map will help to guide you, giving you direction to focus your energy and time, rather than spending them in front of the TV.
Build a reward system into
your plan to encourage yourself whenever a goal is achieved. A nice dinner at
your favorite restaurant or a book from your wish list, a small reward will go
a long way to keep your motivation high. But all the plans in the world are not
going to work if you don’t stick to them. While a plan doesn’t need to be cast
in stone, do give some respect to your own plan and learn to weed out those
lame excuses.
2.
Pretend
to be a teacher
When you are learning something new, pretending to be a master can help. This may sound contradictory, but by taking on the role of a teacher, you are forced to get all the facts and concepts right, and think more broadly than learning just for yourself as you anticipate possible questions from your students. By explaining what you’ve learned also increase your own understanding through the exchanges of ideas with others.
When you are learning something new, pretending to be a master can help. This may sound contradictory, but by taking on the role of a teacher, you are forced to get all the facts and concepts right, and think more broadly than learning just for yourself as you anticipate possible questions from your students. By explaining what you’ve learned also increase your own understanding through the exchanges of ideas with others.
3.
Meditate
for unwavering focus
If your mind is stressful and imbalanced, chances are you will find it difficult to focus and concentrate, let alone understand and absorb any information. Learn to clear, relax and focus your mind with meditation for fifteen minutes before any intense learning.
If your mind is stressful and imbalanced, chances are you will find it difficult to focus and concentrate, let alone understand and absorb any information. Learn to clear, relax and focus your mind with meditation for fifteen minutes before any intense learning.
There are many types of
meditation to choose from and there’s always something for everyone. For
starters, try the breathing
meditation, as it is easy to pick up and work within minutes to prepare you for
a reading marathon. If you can’t sit still, then a walking meditation may be the answer to your agitated
mind and hyperactive body.
4.
Read
out loud
If reading has been your predominant way of learning, try listening for a change. That is, read the information out loud, as opposed to reading silently, and understand what you are saying. Be creative: use different tones or alternate your volume. Just make sure you aren’t disturbing anybody or causing any alarm.
If reading has been your predominant way of learning, try listening for a change. That is, read the information out loud, as opposed to reading silently, and understand what you are saying. Be creative: use different tones or alternate your volume. Just make sure you aren’t disturbing anybody or causing any alarm.
Getting your ears into the
act can enhance your understanding and help you to better recall information
when you need them. The reason is simple. By engaging more than one modalities,
you create more ‘hooks’ for the brain to attach and link the information,
increasing their chances of being retrieved. Although reading aloud may slow
you down, the time you saved in re-reading later makes the effort worthwhile.
5.
Think
in pictures
Albert Einstein thought in pictures, not words. In fact, he had a poor memory for words. So he visualized scenarios, such as light in the form of a train racing down a railway track, to answer complex scientific questions. So did great inventor Nikola Tesla who carried out entire experiments in his mind first before putting them into words.
Albert Einstein thought in pictures, not words. In fact, he had a poor memory for words. So he visualized scenarios, such as light in the form of a train racing down a railway track, to answer complex scientific questions. So did great inventor Nikola Tesla who carried out entire experiments in his mind first before putting them into words.
Think of the information
you’re trying to grasp as visuals and make them as fun as possible. Go through
the visuals in your mind and interact with them; don’t just be a passive observer.
The more engaging the imagery, the faster you’ll be able to absorb and
recollect the information later. If you are new to visualization, try guided visualization first to realize
the potential of guided imagery before coming up with your own.
To further enhance learning,
incorporate interesting charts, diagrams, photos and mind maps whenever you
can, especially when difficult concepts and theories are involved. Pictures
have the benefit of packing tons of words into easy-to-understand graphical
representation. Recalling a picture is also much easier than stuffing ten
paragraphs of text into your head. Creating your own visuals will help to etch
the information into your mind, but if you can’t, Google is only a click away.
6.
Move
your body
An unhealthy body begets a dull mind. To have a brilliant mind, you need a fit body to keep it running at tip-top condition. Studies have linked regular exercise with increased blood flow to the brain and a higher number of blood vessels in the brain. Start a moderate fitness regime by engaging in your favorite sports three times a week.
An unhealthy body begets a dull mind. To have a brilliant mind, you need a fit body to keep it running at tip-top condition. Studies have linked regular exercise with increased blood flow to the brain and a higher number of blood vessels in the brain. Start a moderate fitness regime by engaging in your favorite sports three times a week.
Dozed off while reading? To
freshen up, make a point to get up and do a five-minute stretching for every
40-minute of concentrated reading. For the more athletic ones, a jumping jack
or a weightless squat is the best option. Not only will you get your blood
flowing and ward off deep vein thrombosis, your concentration will also get a
caffeine-free boost.
7.
Exercise
your brain
Keep your brain fit with brain fitness programs, puzzles, sudoku, chess, computer games and mahjong, a popular Chinese four-player game. Our brain is a complex organ consisting of billions of cells called neurons that change with our life experiences. By engaging in these activities and learning new things often, it is possible to train our brain to function better and prevent, or put off, the adverse effects of aging, Alzheimer’s disease, or brain injury.
Keep your brain fit with brain fitness programs, puzzles, sudoku, chess, computer games and mahjong, a popular Chinese four-player game. Our brain is a complex organ consisting of billions of cells called neurons that change with our life experiences. By engaging in these activities and learning new things often, it is possible to train our brain to function better and prevent, or put off, the adverse effects of aging, Alzheimer’s disease, or brain injury.
8.
Learn
to the tune
Music is another way to enrich your learning experience and some music have been found to improve learning by helping you to recall better. But whether it’s classical music, sounds of nature, or melodies of native flute, the best music is one that works for you.
Music is another way to enrich your learning experience and some music have been found to improve learning by helping you to recall better. But whether it’s classical music, sounds of nature, or melodies of native flute, the best music is one that works for you.
9.
Take
the right food
More and more studies have suggested that the food we eat everyday can affect our brain health. Taking the wrong types of food can negatively impact our intelligence and literally make us dumb. On the other hand, certain food containing omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D and choline, a type of vitamin B found in eggs, can sharpen memory, improve alertness and increase stress resistance.
More and more studies have suggested that the food we eat everyday can affect our brain health. Taking the wrong types of food can negatively impact our intelligence and literally make us dumb. On the other hand, certain food containing omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D and choline, a type of vitamin B found in eggs, can sharpen memory, improve alertness and increase stress resistance.
10.
Get
your hands dirty
Are you trying to learn how to paint, massage, swim or drive a car? Instead of spending time reading or thinking about it, why not try it out for yourself? New skills are best learned by real-life experimentation and you will learn a lot faster through trial and error and training your reflexes.
Are you trying to learn how to paint, massage, swim or drive a car? Instead of spending time reading or thinking about it, why not try it out for yourself? New skills are best learned by real-life experimentation and you will learn a lot faster through trial and error and training your reflexes.
