To learn something, what comes to your mind? Let’s be honest, and say it loud; an afford, hard work, unachievable, no time or a waste of time, forgetfulness, and mainly frustration that you have to learn something you think you won’t need for life. Let me take you back to the beginning of these thoughts, actually well before the beginning, because we don’t want to start negatively, do we?
Whatever you do while you read this article, imagine that you sit down, relaxed, try to concentrate on my words because if you do, you have my promise that this will change your view of things around you, and how they are arranged.
Most people think that it can’t be achieved without a great afford. Some say nothing, and do what needs to be done but with no results. The few others tried really hard but fail, and give up… But in life, it is all about failing, if you didn’t fail, how you would know how to recover and get stronger, then?
1. Change your Attitude
It is not about to change the environment you are not happy with including learning, memorizing. It is about the attitude you hold towards it. Change your attitude, and the environment will adjust accordingly!
For example; if you can say that learning is easy, it is fun, and I will learn it no matter whatever it takes, you will soon see the results. You just need to want to be more patient, persistent, focused, and not afraid of failing. Repeating is part of wisdom. Only conscious people who are able to control their emotions will achieve unachievable.
So, your mindset is done now. Your attitude has changed, and you know you can learn anything now, can you?
2. Take Notes by hand
It is faster and more convenient to take notes on a laptop, but using a pen and paper can help you to activate more neurons faster to make new connections to learn and this way to comprehend better the subject. Remember, it is not about memorizing but understanding the concept of the subject. The easier you understand the concept the better you learn it, possibly memorize it! It is proven that students who took notes on laptops performed worse on conceptual questions than students who took notes by hand.
3. I Call it ‘Learn on the Go’
When I was studying languages, I discovered that according to my body clock, learning material which needs memorizing is best to learn for me in the early morning hours. Simply, when you wake up to go to work or still at school, you wake up half an hour or even one hour before you normally wake up to do your morning tasks, and leave home. It is all about following your body clock, and go within the rhythms. We all have it set slightly differently but with little practicing, you will definitely find the right time to study. Some prefer in the evening, some during day when have time. There are options, you know…
Now, when you found your time. Remember to be focused and persistent, the results will come!
4. Use Brain Breaks to Restore Focus
Information overload is a real thing. In order to learn something new, our brains must send signals to our sensory receptors to save the new information, but stress and overload will prevent your brain from effectively processing and storing information.
This can create literally friction, constraint, concerns, and fear. Fear is the biggest enemy, it is directly linked to emotions because fear is an emotion. When you are emotional, time passing by seems to be passing faster, making you think you have no time, and you are even behind! This makes you become impatient and nervous. According to several studies, chronic stress impairs brain function in multiple ways. It can disrupt synapse regulation, resulting in the loss of sociability and the avoidance of interactions with others, as well. Not even talking about the negative effect on your studying because stress can kill brain cells and even reduce the size of the brain!
Don’t let it go so far, that you become impatient leading you to feel stress. Learn to be more patient. Time is only a concept, right? So, if you can be more patient, time will flow in your favor!
5. You are What you Eat
Very simple to understand, that it is important to eat healthy, good food in order to be healthy and fit.
Reduce sugar, and salt, but eat more green vegetables and fruit. Drink lots of water. Essentially, this means that the foods and drinks you put in your body have a direct effect on your health and well-being. If you nourish your body with the right ‘fuel’, it will perform better. If you eat a lot of junk food and drink a lot of soda, your health will suffer-that will not come as a shock to anyone, we all know this.
Just a Recap
Remember, it is all about your attitude, mindset, and controlling your emotions. Drink lots of clear water instead of fizzy drinks, and eat well but lots of veggie and fruity staff. Stay calm, patient, and resistant against factors preventing you from achieving your targets.
There are always two sides to a story, just like the flipping coin has two sides. With the difference that it is impossible to calculate or even to predict which side it will land on your hand when you toss it. Because once you set your mind to do something with the right attitude…, tell me what can stop you, nothing. This is quite predictable!