How to Learn and Master Any Skill Twice as Fast, According to Science

Traditionally, we’re taught to learn using the “blocking” strategy. This instructs us to go over a single idea again and again (and again) until we’ve mastered it, before proceeding to the next concept. 

But several new neurological studies show that an up and coming learning method called “interleaving” improves our ability to retain and perform new skills over any traditional means by leaps and bounds.

... space out learning over a longer period of time, and it randomizes the information we encounter when learning a new skill. 

Interleaving causes your brain to intensely focus and solve problems every step of the way, resulting in information getting stored in your long-term memory instead.

For example, instead of learning one banjo chord at a time until you perfect it, you train in several at once and in shorter bursts.