How to Learn a New Skill

Try practicing differently, making small but smart changes, spacing the practice sessions.

A waiting period internalizes your practice. It makes you evaluate the results, focusing on what works and discarding what does not work. Constant modification and refinement, along with a 'cooling-off' period sets the skill properly.

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These 10 Scientific Ways to Learn Anything Faster Could Change Everything You Know About Dramatically Improving Your Memory

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But what you know, and what you can do, matters a whole lot more. So let's jump right in.Here are ten ways, backed by science, to speed up the learning process. 1. Say out loud what you want to remember.

Key Ideas

Say it out loud

Learning and memory benefit from active involvement. When you add speaking to it, the content becomes more defined in long-term memory and more memorable.

Take notes by hand

Most of us can type very fast, but research shows writing your notes by hand will allow you to learn more.

Taking notes by hand enhances both comprehension and retention.

Chunk your study sessions

Studying over a period of time is more effective than waiting until the last minute.

Distributed practice works because each time you try to remember something, the memory becomes harder to forget.

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Six Brain Hacks To Learn Anything Faster

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Whether it's a new technology, a foreign language, or an advanced skill, staying competitive often means learning new things. Nearly two-thirds of U.S. workers have taken a course or sought additional training to advance their careers, according to a March 2016 study by Pew Research Center.

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Scientific Backed Ways To Learn Better

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Learn faster and retain more by imagining that you have to teach someone else what you are learning.
Sleeping between two learning sessions greatly improves retention.
Changing the way you practice a new motor skill can help you master it faster.
Dedicating 30-50 minutes sections to learning new material separated by 10 minute breaks is an efficient way of learning.
Make note cards by hand for the more difficult concepts you are trying to master so you can use them in idle moments.
Taking notes with pen and paper instead of digitally will help you learn and comprehend better as it takes more focus, making you listen more actively and better identify concepts.
Practice distributed learning, or “spacing.” It consists of reviewing the information one to two days after first studying it.
Downtime is important when it comes to retaining what you learn, and getting sleep in between study sessions can boost your recall up to six months later.