How to learn and not forget: 11 proven strategies

Although terabytes of training materials are available online and hundreds of courses are conducted live, many people are incapable to cope with even short training, lasting little than a month.

We propose what to do to complete even boring and hard training.

Create roadmap

Roadmap is simply a kind of plan, arranged from zero level to advanced subjects, according to the order in which a beginner should absorb them. This avoids unnecessary (for beginners) information that could overload it.

Roadmap as a tool is widely utilized in the IT industry, it is easy to find a ready-made plan for learning circumstantial specialisation. These types of action plans are besides utilized in another industries, of course not for all professions you can find a ready roadmap, but based on reviews, advice can be made specified a plan yourself, or ask a mentor or course lecturer to do so.

Include lessons in advance in the timetable

That's advice for those who don't learn in courses with a schedule.

Planning for learning erstwhile there is "free time", without mention to circumstantial dates and hours is simply a very bad practice. specified a strategy can work for any time, specified as a week, until motivation is exhausted. However, this way fails rapidly erstwhile another things arise to do: e.g. the boss asks you to stay at work longer, the girl invites you on a date, or just leaves a fresh period of the favourite show.

Therefore, a loose learning plan is simply a bad choice. The longer the interval and the harder the problem, the sooner you quit studying, or start taking longer breaks.

Science should be integrated into everyday life, given circumstantial dates and hours, and treated as seriously as work or classes at university. It is not essential to devote all leisure time to learning; besides tight a agenda will sooner or later prove to be a failure. The better solution is the appropriate distribution of forces, leaving free time for another activities or rest.

Intertwin topics to learn

Continuing learning of the same subject is not easy: the brain gets tired quickly. It is much more effective to intertwin the same profession. This can be compared to the school timetable: there are no 7 math lessons in any school all day throughout the month, lessons from a given subject are extended throughout the school year.

The same is actual of learning a profession or skill. For example, if you learn how to arrange tiles, read about the types of tiles today, next day you will learn about the types of glue, the day after next day get to know the tools needed to do the work, and on another day – watch a video on YT, on which the professional tells about traps and nuances of the profession.

Find a mentor

A point not for all, due to the fact that a good mentor is not cheap. It is best if we are able to find a specialist in the manufacture among friends, relatives, coworkers and will be able to aid us free of charge.

How can a mentor aid us:

● make a training plan: tell you what you truly request to learn and what can wait or is not required at all;

● Tells about the pros and cons of the profession without beating around the bush (although specified reviews can besides be seen on YT);

● test our skills, catch and discuss mistakes;

● delegate tasks.

If you do not have money for a fixed "mentoring", you can choose to usage its services erstwhile – for example to make a training plan.

Enter microlearning

Microlearning is simply a short (e.g. 5-10-15 minutes) "approach" to learn simple issues. The benefits of microlearning:

● Repetition and consolidation of knowledge

● Deeper cognition – especially useful erstwhile the course is demanding and covers only the most crucial elements.

Microlearning can execute in any form: it can be articles, pictures, video, podcasts or audio. You can usage it in your spare time, for example, erstwhile you drive public transportation, or eat lunch.

Create outlines and order notes

Knowledge gained should be stored somewhere. For this purpose, a conspect or file (and preferably both) is best suited. Conspects may be in average paper form, or in electronic form. The advantage of the paper version is that the process of its formation is longer and more thoughtful, by which information is better absorbed. The electronic context is distinguished by the fact that it is easier to modify the material and the creation itself is much faster.

A separate fewer words about the file — it is an electronic version of the conspect, but the material alternatively of the format of 1 document, is broken into more folders and files by main and side themes. Text papers are created in each folder concerning the subject. 1 paper is 1 short thought, frequently with attached video link or more detailed information.

Find interesting applicable activities

Since almost all courses focus on practice alternatively than theory, applicable classes should be a lot. For applicable classes to be more easy digestible, tasks should be interesting for the student. Example: a individual participates in a course on the glazer, during which he places the tiles himself above the kitchen table or in the pantry, then in the bathroom, and then in the kitchen.

Build Responsibility

Let's take an example. You signed up for the electrics course. You can offer your “services” to relatives or acquaintances, possibly 1 of them has an uncomplicated and not very urgent task, e.g. connecting an electrical socket in the garage or on the terrace. Even if you've just finished your first class, you can promise to do that. This will give you additional motivation: you will be ashamed if you neglect to keep your promise.

Motivate

If courses are chosen due to hobby, e.g. playing guitar or drawing, most likely learning will not be a problem. However, if courses are not for pleasance but are needed straight or indirectly to get promotion or increase income, fresh information will be harder to absorb and the learning process itself will require greater focus.

Therefore, it is crucial that even boring activities associate with something pleasant. Imagine how cognition gained will change your life and the benefits. For example, promotion at work means more pay, so that you can buy a motorbike and drive in fields and forests on weekends.

The motivator must stay in memory. any are helped by a photograph printed and hung above the desk. any people like to browse online from time to time, choosing the ones they buy after receiving a raise. inactive others are content to watch a video review. Choose the option that suits you best and usage it erstwhile the training will be in the right place.

Make your goals and advancement available

It is 1 of the ways to support motivation, suitable for people who actively usage social networks. erstwhile you decide to learn something, compose about it on your profile and promise to study on advancement and achievements. For bloggers, this is simply a double benefit: on the 1 hand, it acts as a motivator, on the other, it provides themes for content creation. In addition, the Watchers may supply valuable advice.

If you quit your education, or if you start to get behind, watchers can motivate you to act: support morally, or on the contrary, embarrass you for not keeping your promise.

Find interesting courses with an accessible form of application

Even the favourite subject can be hard to grasp due to the way the teacher presents the material. A monotonous lecture, dry definitions, deficiency of understandable examples and applicable tasks that will strengthen knowing of explanation – all of this can discourage. And if discipline was not easy without it (e.g. in case you don't learn for pleasure), then the chance to complete the course will fall to zero.

Therefore, before enrolling in the course, it is worth checking reviews, watching how lecturers behave (if there are links to their accounts on social networks) and whether they have the appropriate competences in the industry. Even better, sign up for a free trial class or watch a recording of earlier classes.

Where can you find popular online courses?

To avoid having to choose for yourself popular online courses and wasting valuable time, you can subscribe to courses offered by Laba Poland. The Laba task collects only proven courses on its platform with the current materials provided in an accessible form.