Succeeding in a world that is rapidly changing, during an age of technological evolution, depends on your continual self-education. The good news is you don’t need to have exceptional natural intelligence to master the discipline of learning. Many who have excelled before - including known names such as Charles Darwin and Leonardo da Vinci - claimed that employing the right approach to learning equipped them with the skills they needed to succeed, rather than natural born gifts.
So which habits can transform you into a super learner for the 21st century?
#1 Read, read, and read
Information is the new currency, which makes reading one of the best sources to finance your future. Reading opens the mind to new ideas, deeper emotions, different concepts, and knowledge that can help us advance in our lives and careers.
#2 Apply your learning
Learning is an investment. You get back what you put in. The more you apply new information to your everyday life, the more likely you are to master it. Take, for example, learning a language – by using new translations of familiar words, you are more likely to absorb and remember these in the future.
#3 Recall your learning
Once a memory is created, it is stored. The brain has unlimited capacity for new information, but often these get hidden away as short-term memories. By constantly trying to recollect new information, it becomes easier to recall it later.
#4 Take care of your brain
Decent sleep, regular exercise, and certain foods can help boost learning productivity. The brain will naturally decline over time, but we can slow the effects of this by adopting a healthy lifestyle where possible. There are many foods that can also help to combat age-related oxidative stress and slow cognitive decline – such as unsaturated fats, whole grains, and protein from fish and legumes. Some vitamins, such as Iodine and Zinc, can also prevent fatigue and help the brain to function more efficiently.
#5 Break out from your daily routine
Taking short breaks can help you to learn by improving your overall retention. The brain needs time to process information, so spacing out your learning can help you retain material more efficiently. Changing your routine – for example, taking a new route to work – also forces the brain to pay attention. This concept is better known as ‘Neuroplasticity’ - it helps the brain to make new connections and to keep the mind active.
#6 Test your knowledge
As a content creating company, we can’t help but sing praise to the value of online learning. In fact, certain video games, quizzes, and tests have been proven to improve memory formation, strategic thinking, and the overall learning process.
So if you’re feeling inspired to adopt the habits of a 21st century super learner, we can recommend beginning with our brain-teasers and IQ challenge.