Endless studies
When I was 3 years old I started studying in pre-school. Now I am a medical doctor with 10 years of experience. I am still studying every day to ensure I don’t forget what I have learned in medical school and to stay updated with the ever-changing field of medicine. Not to mention, I am also a YouTuber, blogger, and digital entrepreneur.
Now the question is how do I memorize all the information? How do I manage my time effectively?
In this article, I will talk about a few scientifically proven techniques of studying and time management to maximize productivity.
1. Pomodoro technique
The Pomodoro Technique is a time management system that encourages people to work with the time they have—rather than against it. This technique was developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s.
Basically, it means you should do the studies in short bursts of time. Numerous research proved that a human being cannot fully focus on something for more than 20 minutes. Therefore, studying continuously for a few hours is not a very efficient way. Pomodoro technique works best if you want to memorize a large amount of information as in my case. Being a doctor I have to memorize a lot of medical information.
All you have to do is to study for 25 minutes and then take a 5 minutes break. During the short break time you can listen to music or walk. Walking can increase blood circulation in your brain which is very good for memory. Your brain gets nutrition and removes toxic elements through blood. After the 5 minutes break, you should study for another 25 minutes and take 5 minutes of break. You have to do this 4 times and it will take 2 hours of time. After the end of two hours you will take 30 minutes of break. In this 30 minutes you can have some snacks to ensure glucose supply to your brain. Then you can start the cycle again.
You can use a timer to count 25 minutes precisely. This technique will keep you focused and energetic for a long time.
2. Maintain a routine
Most of the students do not use a calendar like a google calender regularly. They think these calendars are mostly for business people. While business people use calendars to organize their daily activities, students can also use them to organize their strategies for study.
A good student needs to do a lot of work e.g. creating notes, reading textbooks, completing assignments, group studies, extra-curricular activities, etc. If you organize your time using a calendar you will be able to better manage all the activities you do throughout the day. Otherwise, you may find that your examination is knocking at the door and you have lots of studies to do in a short period of time.
So, create your study strategy with the help of a calendar. If you go out of the track then your calendar will send you reminders to pull you back on the track.
3. Be a teacher
When we read a book, watch a video, or listen to a podcast, we receive information. Students spend most of their time receiving information. But in an exam situation, they have to do the complete opposite, that is deliver information in a well-structured way. To be able to deliver information efficiently you can try to be a teacher for your friends. You can try to explain what you have understood by reading the course materials.
Creating and updating study notes can also somewhat improve the information delivery process. Alternatively, you can record your own voice and then listen to it and judge yourself for proper information delivery. I do this quite regularly.
4. Develop a second brain
Our first brain is inside our head. It is a very powerful brain for decision-making, doing calculations, etc. But it is terrible for memorizing a large amount of information for a long time. Hard discs and SSD drives are much better at memorizing things. So you can use these storage systems as your second brain.
Let me give you an example, when I was in medical school I created lots of nice study notes. But with the passage of time, I have lost most of these notes. I think this happens to almost everybody. I wish I have all these study notes and I could easily retrieve information from these notes!
The irony is, even if you have a bunch of study notes, you cannot easily retrieve information from them. And here comes the importance of apps like Evernote and Notion. I discovered Evernote in 2013 but I did not understand the full potential of this app. And it is the biggest regret of my life.
Evernote or Notion can keep all your study notes, presentations, assignments, thoughts, and activities in an organized and easily retrievable way from your smart devices. And this is what a second brain is! All students should start developing and enriching their second brain. Over time, this becomes a personal library and one’s greatest asset.
I am using ClickUp for this purpose. It not only keeps my second brain organized but also helps me to manage my business projects.
5. Try to recall
We don’t easily forget something that we recall often. Make a habit of trying to recall what you have studied throughout the day before falling asleep at night. Trying to recall will make your neurological connections stronger. Many brain research proved that recall is the best way of making permanent memories.
I have been doing recalls before sleeping time for many years. I sometimes feel it opened some doors in my thoughts that were previously closed. It is difficult to explain and prove scientifically. But at times I have seen dreams where I got solutions to my problems. I somewhat felt trying to recall just before falling asleep made my dreams positive and productive!
EndNote
Here, I have shared my study secrets. If you think this topic is a good one feel free to share it. There are many other techniques for better studying, time management, and productivity. If you want to know more about how to study more effectively, productivity, and time management you can follow my Instagram. Thank you.
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