Do you want 3 secret study tips? Well, if you had the success genie under your command, it would have been much easier to get these 3 secret study tips right away. And even if you don’t have one, the good news is that a bit of knowledge about how our brains process information  is gradually making us all better learners! 

Neuroscience has revolutionized how we understand learning. We may still be at the beginning of new eras of discoveries about our complex learning systems, but we have still learned a lot of new information about how we learn. Maximizing on these discoveries, you can get access to 3 secret study tips. 

In this article, we will talk about the tips that might just change the way you have been studying. So let’s get started! 

#1 Learn how our memory works

Want to learn how to get good grades? You must have noticed that crammed information for exam preparation doesn’t last long. You tend to forget the information you have memorized without understanding. 

Also, there is a good chance that you will forget the crammed information during the test or exam. Therefore, it becomes counterproductive to learning. So, how does memory work? 

Types of memory 

There are two types of memory: working memory (also known as temporary memory) and long-term memory (also known as storage memory). 

Whenever we receive new information, it is spread out into different parts of the brain, as our brain figures out where and how to put that information. Eventually our brain creates connections between the new and old information and stores away the new information. 

Whenever we recall a piece of information, our brain brings out the information with the connections it had built earlier. 

Moving information between two types of memory 

Information moves from permanent storage memory to the present memory and back into the storage memory. If your memories are “fresh” or come in constant use, you will be able to make this exchange between memories really quickly. That is the reason why you would take some time to recall the information that you learned in a subject last year! 

If you are trying to recall information that you used to revisit very often, such as your math tables, you will be able to recall very quickly. 

How to use memory for studying?

Make small pieces of information and remember them. For instance, you have to remember a ten digit number. You should first split it into threes and a four digit number. Then memorize bigger chunks of information. 

Another example is how we learn a new concept in chemistry. First, memorize definitions, then the supporting details, and finally combine everything together in one big piece of information.  

How to use memory? 

• You can use memory by using a technique called spaced repetition. In this technique, you are required to repeat what you have learned after some time of memorization. Some suggest recalling after a day in a different place and situation. 

For example, if you are memorizing names of plants, try recalling the names of plants with a friend or note down (from memory alone) what you remember after a day. 

• Use interesting ways to memorize difficult data, such as numbers, dates, years, and complex information such as long lists or long formulae. Using mnemonic devices such as TREE (where each letter represents Thesis, Reasons, Explanations, Examples) is a good technique to remember information. 
• Another way to remember is through rhyming words and using mind palace technique. In mind palace technique, you have to associate an object around you with one piece of information. 

For instance, if you have to memorize difficult words and their meanings, you can associate each word with a different room in your house and then associate the meaning with corresponding rooms. 

• Take good notes! Note taking is an underestimated skill. Some students take notes in class, which is a good thing. However, if you are taking notes to memorize, then you need to write down the main points in note-form, short-hand, or sketch from memory alone! 

Two practical ways to make notes are:

1. The Cornell method: Divide your page into three sections. The main section is for the teacher’s points. Bottom section is for writing questions that come to your mind. Right section is a one or two word summary of the teacher’s points. You can fill in the right section from memory alone. This way, all of your notes can be consolidated in one place. 
2. The mind mapping method: Use this technique after class. Mind mapping is a graphical representation of how you understand information. You will make a center circle or any shape that contains the main idea in one word.

Connect that with other main ideas and supportive details. You can think of this as a tree of information that branches out. 

#2 Learn how to overcome procrastination

Procrastination or the habit of delaying studying, taking notes, and preparing for exams is perhaps the most common cause behind poor performance. We believe that every student has the ability to become a successful student with techniques to overcome this barrier to performance: 

Pomodoro technique: 

One of the smart study tips is to follow Pomodoro technique. Study with a deep focus for 25 minutes then give yourself a short break. Give yourself a small reward for coming so far. Then start studying again for 25 minutes and so forth. 

Learn how to make new habits: 

Want to know how to get good grades? You need to make new habits. Every time you want to create a new habit, it may not be easy at first. After practice and repetition of the same habit, you will become more accustomed to it. 

Therefore, nothing is hard to do when you get used to doing it. This includes reaching school on time, doing homework everyday, and not leaving exam preparation till the last minute. 

How to ignore old habits?

While you are trying to develop new habits, you might still be clinging to some old ones too! For instance, if you are trying to not attend to the phone while studying, you may still attend it on some days and become distracted when it rings. 

Habits activate with a cue 

Know that your habits activate with a cue. Here, the cue is the ringtone. If you can turn your phone off completely, you are not going to receive the cue. Therefore, you won’t be distracted while studying. 

Similarly, when you are trying to create a new habit of doing homework on time, then create a cue! Such as, when 4:00 PM can be your cue to start. Think of cue as the lights of a traffic signal: the moment you see the red light, you stop, even without thinking. Red light is the cue to our habit of stopping. 

Eventually habits start to work like magic! They happen by themselves and you wouldn’t have to worry about how to activate them. 

Habits need a reward! 

Rewards can come in many forms. So, when you stop at the red light, your reward is a sense of satisfaction and responsibility that makes you “feel good”. Similarly, when you attend to unnecessary surfing of the web while studying, you have a feeling of excitement. In other words, we fulfill our habits because we receive rewards! 

If you come across a person who wakes up every morning at 3:00 AM, your reaction might be of surprise or shock. However, the person who has this habit feels rewarded every single day. The same is true for long distance runners and people who accomplish impossible tasks by habitual practice.

How are these people able to do this? Because they receive a reward. If you can set a reward for yourself after each successful practice of a habit, your brain will easily remember the habit next time. 

Need some examples? If you want to break the habit of eating while studying, then promise yourself a favorite snack every 30 minutes of studying. 

If you want to break the habit of looking at the phone for news, promise yourself an hour of news at the end of an hour of work. 

The 5 minute rule: If there is anything that needs attention and can be addressed in less than 5 minutes, you should go ahead and first handle that before studying. But once you sit down to study, let nothing distract you till you have completed your target. 

#3 How to study effectively at home and prepare for tests

How to study effectively at home doesn’t always mean studying for long hours. To prevent the study burn-out and maintain good grades, you need to learn to study smart:

• • Don’t be afraid to not study. You will return from breaks much more focused! 
  • Remember to have some fun while immersing yourself in studies. Enjoy the process of learning more than the grade. 
  • Sleep well. At least 7-8 hours of sleep before the exam is very important to a focused performance during the exam. 

• Keep time for friends, family and chores to avoid monotony and boredom! 

• Making timely schedules is one of the smart study tips. It is the key to not panic at the last minute. Remember how the brain works: you cannot productively memorize information at a short notice. Making meaningful memories of information takes a long time. 
• Learn how to stay relaxed! Remember that if stressed out, even the most well prepared students can do poorly on exams. 

Here end our 3 secret study tips. Share your favorite study tip with us in the comments below! 

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This article has been inspired by Baraba Oakley.