📚 How To Learn Better, 17 Helpful Reading Tips, and more.

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👋 Hey everyone,

Here are a few popular posts you may have missed:

• 5 Bad habits you need to unlearn to become a better reader.

• 17 helpful reading tips from author and economist Tyler Cowen.

• Clavicular explaining why he doesn't read books is hilarious (and dumb).

This week’s newsletter was made possible by:

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📚 Book Summary:

This week’s book is “Uncommon Sense Teaching” by Barbara Oakley.

I’ve been going down a rabbit hole on books about how to learn better, and came across this one. It’s written by three cognitive scientists, so all of the tips are based on proven research.

This book is specifically written for educators and teachers.

If you’re a student or someone who likes books about learning, I’d recommend you read “Learn Like A Pro” or “Make It Stick” instead.

📖

1) The Ultimate Memory Tactic

This one memory tactic is more effective than rereading, highlighting, or even creating a concept map.

Do you know what it is?

It’s retrieval practice.

A common misconception is thinking that memory is about getting information into your head. But a more accurate perspective is that memory is the ability to get information out of your head. In other words, having the ability to retrieve information when you need it–hence the term.

Here’s a helpful way to think about retrieval practice:

Imagine you meet someone new at a party and they tell you their name. If you bumped into them a year later, you (most likely) wouldn’t remember their name because you didn’t need that information for quite some time.

Now imagine that you bumped into that person the next day on the train. And a week later, at the park. And a month later, at the airport. And then a year later, at a work conference. Chances are you would remember their name because you had to recall it several times over the past year.

Your memory works in a similar way. Every time you force your mind to retrieve a piece of information, it strengthens the neural links around it and slowly moves it into your long-term memory.

One of the most popular ways to apply retrieval practice is to use flashcards or simply to periodically recall a piece of information you want to remember.

📖

2) Beat Procrastination with Pomodoro

When you think about doing something you don’t want to do, it can cause feelings of pain that encourage you to think about something else–the result is procrastination.

And the more you procrastinate, the more this bad habit becomes ingrained and the harder it becomes to change it.

One effective and proven strategy for overcoming procrastination is to use the Pomodoro technique:

1. Put away or turn off all distractions–especially smartphone notifications.

2. Set a timer for 25 minutes and focus as intently as possible on the task during that time.

3. Reward yourself with a 5-minute break.

4. Repeat as needed. Reward yourself with a 30-minute break after the 3rd Pomodoro.

This is a powerful technique that can be used for both kids and adults. It teaches you to work in short, concentrated bursts while also strengthening your ability to avoid distractions.

Remember that the 5-minute break is important and not to be skipped.

Taking a short ‘brain break’ by getting some water, having a snack, doing a chore, or simply closing your eyes for that time actually helps you recharge (or if you’re studying, helps strengthen what you’ve learned).

📖

3) Improve Your Studying By Using More Senses

Richard Mayer, a psychology professor at UC Santa Barbara, developed the theory of multimedia learning.

The idea is straightforward: Memory has both a visual and a verbal component, so presenting information in multiple formats helps learners process information more effectively.

When you hear someone explaining a topic but also see it at the same time, it makes it easier to engage with the ideas and remember them.

So if you spend a lot of time learning from YouTube videos, don’t just listen to them, watch them as well.

Or, instead of just reading a book or listening to an audiobook, to maximize your time spent learning, read the book while also listening to the audiobook.

You can use Read & Listen from Audible or PageMatch from Spotify to sync your ebook and audiobook so that you can read and listen at the same time.

✅ Actionable Advice:

1) If you want to remember what you’ve learned, you need to practice recalling the information (think about it every so often).

2) If you’re procrastinating on a task, try the Pomodoro technique. Do the task for 25 minutes and then take a 5 minute mental break.

3) If you want to remember more of what you learn, try reading a book and listening to it at the same time.

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Your opinion matters!

Thank you for your support,

Alex W.