Strategies for effective learning, including techniques to focus, overcome obstacles, and deepen understanding.

Focus Intently & Beat Procrastination

  • Use the Pomodoro Technique (remove distractions, focus for 25 minutes, take a break).
  • Avoid multitasking unless you find yourself needing occasional fresh perspectives.
  • Create a ready-to-resume plan when an unavoidable interruption comes up.
  • Set up a distraction-free environment.
  • Take frequent short breaks.

Overcome Being Stuck

  • When stuck, switch your focus away from the problem at hand, or take a break to surface the diffuse mode.
  • After some time completely away from the problem, return to where you got stuck.
  • Use the Hard Start Technique: start with the hardest part of the problem first.
  • When starting an essay, do not constantly stop to edit what is flowing out. Separate the time spent writing from time spent editing.

Learn Deeply

  • Study actively: practice active recall (retrieval practice) and elaboration.
  • Interleave and space out your learning to help build your intuition and speed.
  • Don’t just focus on the easy stuff, challenge yourself.
  • Get enough sleep and stay physically active.

Maximize Your Working Memory

  • Break learning material into small chunks and swap fancy terms for easier ones.
  • Use “to-do” lists to clear your working memory.
  • Take good notes and review them the same day you took them.

Memorize More Efficiently

  • Use memory tricks to speed up memorization: acronyms, images, and the Memory Palace.
  • Use metaphors to quickly grasp new concepts.

Gain Intuition & Think Quickly

  • Internalize (don’t just unthinkingly memorize) procedures for solving key scientific or mathematical problems.
  • Make up appropriate gestures to help you remember and understand new language vocabulary.

Exert Self-Discipline

  • Find ways to overcome challenges without having to rely on self-discipline.
  • Remove temptations, distractions, and obstacles from your surroundings.
  • Improve your habits.
  • Plan your goals and identify obstacles and the ideal way to respond to them ahead of time.

Motivate Yourself

  • Remind yourself of all the benefits of completing tasks.
  • Reward yourself for completing difficult tasks.
  • Make sure that a task’s level of difficulty matches your skill set.
  • Set goals - long-term goals, milestone goals, and process goals.

Read Effectively

  • Preview the text before reading it in detail.
  • Read actively: think about the text, practice active recall, and annotate.

Win Big

  • Learn as much as possible about the task itself and make a preparation plan.
  • Practice with previous examples or scenarios - from past experiences, if possible.
  • During tasks: read instructions carefully, keep track of time, and review your work.
  • Use the Hard Start Technique.

Be a Pro Learner

  • Be a metacognitive learner: understand the task, set goals and plans, learn, and monitor and adjust.
  • Learn from the past: evaluate what went well and where you can improve.