Today, I watched a TED Talk video titled '6 Secrets to Learning Faster, Backed by Neuroscience' by Dr Lila Landowski, a Neuroscientist and Senior Lecturer at the University of Tasmania. There are so many insights to gain from this video, and I would love to summarize them in this post.
Learning is a continuous process, and the following 6 key ingredients can help you learn faster and more efficiently.
Attention
We can choose how much attention we pay to something. The more we concentrate, the easier it becomes to retain the information, especially in the long term. Moreover, thanks to that action, our brain will be able to produce new brain cells and improve cognition. One way to increase your attention is to exercise and meditate.
Alertness
Staying alert can be correlated with the fight-or-flight response, a system in which the release of hormones either prompts us to stay and fight or run away and flee. This process influences how we process information and remember things. One way to practice alertness is through exercise. A little bit of stress can help too, but not all the time. If you experience chronic stress, you will be more likely to have impairments in learning.
Sleep
Sleep can reset your immune system and emotional controls, which leads to memory consolidation. This means all your short-term memories can be transformed into long-term memories.
Repetition
This concept is key when it comes to learning, allowing you to recall information. Keep repeating things you have learned as much as you can and space it out over multiple days.
Breaks
Breaks serve two purposes. First, they give your brain the ability to replay the information, and second, they stabilize the newly coded information in your memory. Take a 10 to 20-minute break after every hour of learning
Mistakes
Allow yourself to make mistakes as you grow. By making mistakes, you train yourself that you need to change and do better next time. Don't wait for everything to be perfect before you give it a try, since not only does it prove that you can't learn, but also you are training yourself to cope less with failures.
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