How to remember more, using the method 50/50

What is the essence of the method

To make it easier to recall information at the right time, it is necessary initially to structure and link with your existing knowledge. It is also important to come back as often as possible to the material by using it in practice.

Spend only 50% of the time to study the information and the other 50% - on its processing.

To store information from books is not enough just to read it in its entirety. And even repeated twice or thrice. So do not waste your time and do not try to master everything in one day.

Read a few chapters and pull the rest of the time out to recite them and discuss with someone, or simply record key ideas that you have learned. So you note read much better.

Why it works

according to a studyA rebuttal of NTL Institute's learning pyramid, Students remember about 90% of the information, if you just find a use for it or explain to someone else.

This is because that for this we have to stretch the brain, ponder the material and reformulate it.

American journalist and writer Daniel Coyle in his

book says that people who read ten pages, and then close the book and make resume reading is stored in the the long run 50% more material than those who read the same 10 pages four times in a row and just trying to Remember them.

All the matter in the effort: the more of them when dealing with the information, the better the learning process takes place. Superficial reading and simple repetition virtually nothing is required from you. And to make the recording or paraphrase, it is necessary to identify the key points, handle and organize them.

How to apply the method 50/50

Take notes

Every time when you learn something new, read a chapter of a good book or listen to an important lecture, take a moment and write down key ideas.

Even better - to force yourself to take notes directly in the learning process.

Again returning to the study, you interrupt the process of forgetting and helps the brain to consolidate the new information. Psychologists call this effect testing.

Training to be more effective, take notes with a pen and paper. scientists sayThe Pen Is Mightier Than the Keyboard: Advantages of Longhand Over Laptop Note TakingThat it creates a stronger bond with cognitive studies materials, as compared to using the keyboard. The reason is that we print too quickly and the brain does not have time to absorb the information. And let out of the hand we write slower, but more and remember better.

Explain the material to other

Do not worry if you still do not know much about the subject, and do not think how many people you have to retell it. It generally does not matter. The main thing - focus on what you learn, and how can you share it with others.

You can start to blog and write in it with new ideas that you have learned. Try to record podcasts or create video and share their knowledge on YouTube. You will see the progress regardless of whether you have readers and listeners.

This approach is a lot to do with the technique of the American physicist Richard Feynman. He is popularly known for his ability to explain complex topics like quantum physics. His way of teaching is precisely to transmit knowledge to other people as much as possible in simple language. So you can quickly identify gaps and see what you do not yet understand. In other words, you teach others to yourself.