How to study better, faster and smarter - Increase Memory

Each and every person has each and every unique ability. Some are born to make history in cricket, some are born to write theorems some are journalist. Scientifically we all people are born with special abilities. If someone tells you that you are born as a fool. It is the biggest lie ever. Because, we may fail in math but may draw an art which could be sold for 1 Million $. "Anyone can learn anything" is not a myth. It depends on how much we are involved in that. A great example for this was taught by my favorite lecturer, He said "if we put a common man into the room with only a piano he will return after 5 months as an expert pianist. He doesn’t have any other choices to spent his time. so that he could try further and further and become an expert". Basically, our brain has billions of cells at each portion of the brain part is capable of handling some specific knowledge. So if the person is playing piano again and again his brain cells will work repetitively. So that those neurons will be very active and efficient. Don’t wait. Just start doing what you want to do. Practice those things at what you want to be.

The memory is storing the things very quickly if it is different from the origin. As an example, we remember the person who angered on us we remember his words, face, expressions etc. But we may forget the person who greeted well. It is a human nature. Our mind will remember the different things from its origin. So here we are going to learn a trick. Now we are going to change each and every word into a picture. But the picture will be forgotten. Therefore, we think that word as a picture and give an unrealistic attribute to that. Example for the word Elephant we think that it is a very tiny elephant. Next word is tractor. We think that word as an image of the tractor and the interesting story is the elephant is driving that tractor. We imagine that in our mind as a mythical story. We connect each and every word according to the order. Hence, the entire words can be memorized easily. Don’t take too much of time to create stories like this. Just spent 2-5 minutes to imagine these. After practicing you will be very quicker. As the same way think each and every word, transform into an image, give them different attributes and connect them as a story. After creating the story now, it is time to recall them. When you are recalling just remember the story and tell the words in order.

SQ3R Method is used to read the things effectively. This method will greatly increase your efficiency of your studies and marks. Each letter in SQ3R method represents a word.

S-Survey,

Q- Question,

R-Read,

R-Recite,

R-Revision.

S-Survey: Before you start reading a book you have to conduct a survey. That means you just go through from the cover age to the end page by watching the headings, bold letters, especially the pictures, highlighted ideas, diagrams etc. This should be done within 5 - 10 minutes. Spend a small amount of time to analyze the entire book before you start reading that. Q- Question: After you have surveyed the book you have to ask questions to yourself. The questions should be related to the tropic in the book. Such as if you read a heading

about a topic, just ask questions what might be the meaning of that. Think about the answers by yourself. No matter how familiar you are to the topic. Your understanding about the topic is the matter. Just daydream it about what it might be. And then start reading each and every page of the book carefully.

R-Read: Reading means you are comparing your answers with the book’s answers for your questions that were claimed on your mind. This way you are reading the entire book. This will definitely enhance your study routine instead of reading the book by page to page. But keep in mind that our brain is only capable of concentrating on a single task for 25 minutes. Some may have more or less according to their concentrating power. This is a disadvantage of our brain. But we can overcome that problem by applying the "POMODORO Technique". Prepare a Mind Map while you are reading.

R-Recite: This means you recall the entire book from your mind. Suppose if you have read 5 pages of a book per day, you try to recall the 5 pages on that day before you go to sleep. Because, in our short-term memory, it will store the items for only 24 hours. After 24 hours, it will be vanished. So, keep in mind that to recall the studied things before a day pass. Recalling is done by your mind. You can close your eyes and try to find the answer of your internal questions about the topic and remember the answers you found rom the book. If any part of the page is not coming to your mind you can simply go back and try to save that in your memory. Basically, the recalling also should be done within 5 - 10 minutes. Recall them rapidly. This will boost your brain power and processing speed. I prefer to re- member them for longer period you have to re recall them within 4 days. Don’t read the book entirely. Just go thorough each and every page by your mind. Don’t take much time. Quickly remember them within 4 days. If you do this, the book will be stored in your long-term memory (subconscious memory). Therefore, you don’t have to worry about the exams to study the whole things again.

R-Revision: This means you try to answer the questions that are from out of your scope. There are some related questions for a subject or model papers or past papers available. You can try to answer them by your knowledge about the book you have read. I prefer to do this first before I conduct the survey. So that I am prepared earlier to focus on the main things in the book or subject. Firstly, I go through the past papers or model papers about the subject and then, I start studying the subject by using the SQ3R method. This will help to achieve my purpose. This way you can easily read the book with having understandings. Try to practice this method for your studies.

POMODORO Technique found by Francesco Cirillo. This technique says that read or work on a particular task for 25 minutes and take a break from that task for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, continue your work for 25 minutes and take a break for 5 minutes. In this way you can loop the tasks to finish the work or reading effectively. In the 5 minutes breaks, you can work on other tasks which will also enhance your brain rather wasting it. You can draw arts, learn a new language, play brain games, sit and watch the environment, meditate, practice yoga or even you can have a nap. But, the major problem you will face that returning to your previous main task. Because, you turned into another passion which will never let you to read or study again. Simply overcome that problem too by scheduling your time or setting an alarm for 5 minutes and 25 minutes.

Mind Mapping is a technique used to solve problems, organize tasks, memorize, time management activities, etc. The usage of mind map is countless. We can use them from our day to day activities to managing projects. This was used by famous scientist and business mans to properly map the task to complete. It is very easy to make. Table A below shows do’s and don’t s while making a mind map. There are several kinds of software in PC and Smart phones to draw mind maps digitally.

Example: Mind Mapper iMindmap, Etc.

American physicist Sir. Richard Feynman invented a technique to learn more effectively a subject. This technique is very simple and elegant. Everyone can use this technique to learn anything. This technique consists of 4 simple steps.

Step 1: Select a topic and study.

Step 2: Explain it to someone unfamiliar with that topic, otherwise explain it to a child or explain it to your friends. During this time, try to simplify the words and explanations in a simple way. Think about it and try to explain it. By doing this, you will understand the topic better.

Step 3: Find the gaps between your teachings and the topic. Try to answer the questions were arisen by

Step 4: Go back to that lesson and try to re-interpret what you don’t know.

Use your 5 sensors to learn those topics. That means learn using your eyes, ears, nose, tong and skin. Look at the place you read when you read it, put your finger on it, and read it loudly at which the sound could reach your ears. Use an aroma while reading them smell it when you are reading. Then after whenever you feel that smell again, what you read will come to your mind again. When all our senses are used while we study this will increase the engagement further.

Sometimes, when we are reading a book our thoughts may be in our favorite movies. The reason behind this is we don’t have the eager to study the book. In other terms we are out of focused on what we are doing. It is necessary to concentrate on what we are doing in order to achieve the task efficiently and effectively. The question is how we can increase the concentration power? We have some of the best tips to increase the concentration power in this chapter. Just practice them. It is compulsory to practice the technique continuously for 21 days. A scientific research says if we practice a habit for 21 days continuously, we will be addicted to that habit. On the other hand, if we stop a habit for 21 days it will be stopped permanently. Hence, we are going to practice this technique for 21 days. Here the following image is shown in the figure below. Watch the center of the image for 2 minutes continuously. While you are seeing this, you can do the hypnotizing. As an example, you can hypnotize your brain for studying or focusing on the work what is necessary for you. In this way, you can increase the focus.

Do this activity for twice a day for 21 days. Day by day, you can increase the watching time by 30 seconds. So that first day you will watch this image for 2 minutes, the next day 2 minutes and 30 seconds, next day 3 minutes likewise you can continue practicing this. After some days, you have to focus on the image without seeing it. In your mind hypothetically you have to focus that there is the image and watch the center of the image while closing your eyes. After a good practice your concentration power will be increased and you can focus on your studies very easily, you can feel that’s studying once is enough for you to remember. There will be a side effect in this practice that when you are focusing on one thing in your work, suppose, if someone called you, you cannot be able to reply them. Because, you have reached a higher level in concentrating you can think and improve your works or studies.

The image shows you the color confusion. Our left brain will tend to read the words, our right brain will tend to read the colors. To increase the concentration power read the words one by one. After you finish read the colors one by one. Just start slowly and increase the reading speed of them. In this method you both sides of the brain will function collaboratively to achieve the task. Download the image, do the practice and continue this practice for 21 days.

This is a free downloadable book for the enrolled students of the course How to Study Better Faster and Smarter. You can download the book which was written by me ( Author: B.A.Mohamed Nishad). This book includes the techniques about increase memory, concentration, creativity and study techniques.