Study less to remember more? I’m not so sure…

Posted on January 25, 2010 by The Engineer

Study hard and get good grades. Does this sounds familiar? That’s what we’re  told. So despite the monotony of re-reading and taking class notes until our hands hurt, we go on and study– really hard.

Guess what? It might backfire on you. In fact, psychology research reveals that your brain can take only “enough” information at one time. So you may ask: When is “enough” really enough? Enough is the data you can focus on for a manageable block of time.

Studying by “blocks” is actually studying smarter. Even experts suggest that you’ll remember more if you focus on a data for a short time than reading non-stop for more than an hour.

Let’s get something straight: studying less is studying smarter. Give this a try:

1. Get a timer and set a study block for thirty minutes.
2. Second, make sure the timer sounds and set your goal – studying for the entire thirty minutes.
3. Maintain your Do Not Disturb mode.
4. Take a break after a 30-minute after your study session.
5. Get back to your study table and try to recall what you’ve studied previously.
6. Repeat

This is one of those things that is going to take patience, planning, and some self-control.  How smart is that?