Learn How to Learn; Ten Simple Ways to Make Learning Fun

How To Learn Effectively

Learning is not about memorizing or committing things to memory. Learning is more than that. The Faculties of the mind, body, mind among others must be in good state of health to assimilate any topic an individual is learning.

Many people think that the mere opening of a book guarantees effective learning.

The mind works best when it is at rest. Until students get to know the most effective ways to learn, they will waste their energies but end product will be zero.

To learn effectively, one must follow the following recommended steps;

1. Prepare the Mind

The mind must be at peace, the mind must relax. There’s no need to be tensed. Don’t put any pressure on the mind. Dont be anxious. Statemens like “i have to learn”, “i have a lot to cover”, “i am behind” are examples of learning under pressure.
Let the mind relax, be at ease, feel feel etc. You are not competing with anyone. Learn at your own pace.

2. Make Learning Fun;
Do you know you can make learning fun?
Do you know you can tune your mind to see learning not as a stressful activity but a fun filled game? Yes you can. Its all in your mind. Do u know why you can remember movies, soccer matches, soap opera etc? The answer is simple. Your mind see it as fun, enjoyable, exciting, lovely etc. Everything you enjoy, you always remember. Make learning fun. How do you do that… Learn with some drink, biscuit, chips, water etc. Take a sip or bite when you are stressed, listen to your favorite music for a while to take the stress away. Enjoy your learning experience.

3. Take Notes of What is New
As you read through the notes, you will come across new ideas, concepts, knowledge etc. Jot them down. Dont rewrite full notes. Just the exact thing you wish to take notice of. Put it down and go over them periodically. It will surely stick.

4. Teach Someone Else (Or Just Pretend To)
After going over your lessons, teach someone or pretend to teach someone what you just learn. Don’t just try to recall. Picture someone sitting and listening to your teach. Teach someone what you have learnt. When you get stuck or you don’t remember something, refer to the book quickly and come back to continue teaching. Doing that gets the lesson to stick very well.

5. Learn to keep things in your mind by developing your own catch phrases. There are times all you need to remember is just the first word and everything begins to come back. Find simple catch phrases that helps you to remember what you have learnt. If it is a concept or idea that is difficult to recall, then take the first letters of each word and form catch phases or statements that makes you recall the concept easily.

6. Rest, Learn, Rest ;
Dont continuously learn for more than 30 minutes. Take short breaks, take a short walk, listen to music or do something that takes your mind away or refreshes your mind for some time before you return to the books. Dont stress yourself by learning continously for hours. Anything less than 30 is just not enough, but anything more than 50 is too much information for your brain to take in at one time.
Your mind is not a machine.

7. Learn With a Guide/ Change your pattern of learning.
Dont just learn any subject that comes in mind. Prepare a good schedule of learning or time table. Dont put so many subjects for a time. Two subjects or at most three for a day.
Change your pattern of learning when it becomes important.

8. Have a Study Partner for your Weak Areas.
There are areas, you are weak, you don’t have it all. Learn with someone who ia strong in that area. Let him guide you. Don’t skip topics where you are weak. Ensure that you have been helped by someone who is strong in that area.

9. Practice Consistently: Dont learn and leave it for a ling time before you return to the topic again. It will look new to you again. Be consistent, practice more. Don’t abondon topics after one session of learning.

10. Challenge Your Self on Difficult Topics/Subjects
At times, it it feels frightening when you think about going to learn something you are not comfortable with. To overcome that, see it as a challenge you want to deal with, a threat you must overcome, a boxing match you must wing, a wrestling match you can’t loose. Psychologically prepare your mind. Tell yourself, you are ready for that topic, get all the aides like pamphlets, past questions, any material that will help you overcome it. See those materials as the weapons you need to conquer that subject. You are on the winning track.

Good Luck. Make Learning Fun.