Want to study faster? 15 tips to improve your learning!

Who wouldn't want to study faster? Working, learning, and absorbing information more quickly has many advantages. Not only can you achieve better results, you'll also have more time for fun things and increase your chances of pursuing higher education.

Want to study faster? We've compiled 15 handy tips for you. Think about putting your phone away from the room, taking regular breaks, and testing yourself effectively. These 15 tips will give you the tools you need to study faster.

Most people study the material they need to know by reading it as often as possible. This way, you always see the text and the information in the same way. A good tip to help you study faster is to ask yourself questions about the material.

This will help you look at the information differently and present it in your own words. You'll also learn to see more connections between different paragraphs and chapters. You'll look for solutions and answers that are important to the topic.

By asking yourself questions, you actively engage with the material, which means you will remember it much better.

Similar to the tip above, summarizing in your own words is also a good way to get a better grasp on the material. You can easily skim through everything without fully understanding what you've read. By summarizing the information in your own words, you process it at a deeper level.

This technique also involves actively engaging with the material. You'll structure it, reorganize it, and make connections. Keep your summary concise and simple. A summary provides the main points, so don't go into details.

Many people use computers and laptops while studying. Typing and reading online is fast, but the information usually doesn't stick for long. If you want to ensure that what you're learning actually stays in your memory for a longer period of time, write with pen and paper, not on a computer.

Research shows that information we write by hand is retained much better and longer than information we retain when we type it [1] . This is probably because different areas of the brain are involved when writing by hand.

All the information stored while writing by hand gives your brain more tools to retrieve it later. It might take more time, but you'll gain that time back in the end, because you'll retain what you learn more effectively.

Write your notes while reading or listening and review them afterward to help you remember everything. This way, you'll ultimately study faster.

Anyone who wants to study effectively is well-advised to study aloud. If you read the key points of the material aloud to yourself, the information will come through multiple channels.

This information is then stored not only in visual memory, but also in verbal and auditory memory. And the more places something is stored, the easier it is to remember and retrieve.

Research has also been conducted on this. McLeod and Forrin studied 100 Canadian students. They had to learn 80 words, choosing between four ways to remember them:

• Reading in silence
• Listening to someone else
• Listening to a recording of oneself
• Read aloud

They were then tested, and after two weeks, they were given a list of new words and had to indicate which of the words was already on the first list they had learned. Those who had read aloud performed best [2] .

While reading aloud is a good way to learn, combining all four methods seems to yield the best results. So, alternate between the different methods to learn faster.

Using images can be a great way to absorb information more effectively and quickly. Draw a picture of what you've read, or try processing information in graphs or charts. Your brain can process images 60,000 times faster than words. Therefore, using images can dramatically accelerate the learning process.

Presenting information visually can help you grasp new, complex concepts more quickly and connect topics. It also helps you remember your material better. If you first read something in text and then see it as an image, your brain stores the information in different places.

It's not for nothing that we say a picture can tell a thousand words! So, harness the power of images while studying.

A good way to learn faster is to test yourself. Once you've worked through the material, create a test for yourself. Use open-ended or multiple-choice questions, ask yourself to summarize something, or write down keyword definitions.

Then close your books (or turn off the internet) and take your own test. Of course, do this without cheating. Afterward, review what you did well and what you didn't. This will quickly show you where your weaknesses are and where you need to spend more time. This will allow you to study faster and more effectively.

It's important to give your brain regular breaks. This prevents mental exhaustion and keeps you sharp. A constant stream of information can prevent your brain from processing. A 5-minute break every hour is enough to help you unwind.

Leave your work for a moment, get up, and do something else. Make sure you're not doing anything that requires you to process new information. So, don't watch TV, YouTube, or browse social media. This keeps your brain active and isn't a restful activity.

Take a walk (without music or a podcast), look out the window, and drift off for a moment. You could also do some gentle physical exercise, like yoga or stretching. After this relaxing break, you'll find you can concentrate well again and have renewed energy for your studies.

Explaining what you've learned to someone else also helps you study effectively. Ask a friend to listen to you and try to explain what you've been learning. Try to do this in a clear and concise manner. Explain everything in a way they can understand.

Ask the other person if they understood everything or if you need to explain something further. To explain a topic to someone, you need to be thoroughly familiar with the material and be able to recall all the key points. This way, you'll actively engage with the material and master it faster.

You'll also get a clear picture of what you already know well and what you don't. If you don't have anyone to discuss your study material with, try writing down what you would tell someone else.

Mnemonics are useful tools for remembering information more easily and studying faster. You can combine the first letters of words and sentences to easily memorize complex information. Or create a song, rhyme, or abbreviation for what you need to remember.

This gives your brain more tools to store information, making it easier to retrieve. The information is also usually simpler, allowing you to learn it faster.

Examples of mnemonics:

The formula ab + c = E

I'm Always Eating Cake

Or to make it easier to remember the order of the animal kingdom, use the sentence: When Little Otters Go Steal Bicycles

• Department
• Class
• Order
• Family
• Gender
• Kind

Studying hard for a test or quiz? Put alcohol aside for a while. Alcohol promotes neuroinflammation, which means it causes low-grade inflammation in the brain [3] . This can cause your brain to function less effectively, which you may notice as poorer concentration and reduced information retention.

So it's a good idea to avoid alcohol on the days you have to study. This way, you ensure your brain can function optimally when you need to perform.

It's wise to distribute your study time throughout the day. You'll be able to store information better in your long-term memory if you practice regularly for short periods, ultimately allowing you to study faster. It's better to study five times for one hour than one time for eight hours straight.

So, prolonged cramming isn't actually all that effective. Your brain becomes overloaded with information and doesn't absorb as much. Spread your studying over shorter periods; this is more efficient and helps you retain the material better.

If you want to study faster, it's recommended to silence your phone and put it in a different room. Your phone is a major distraction, and many people are easily distracted if they leave it nearby. They want to check regularly to make sure they haven't missed anything, which interrupts their work.

Research shows that your concentration is significantly reduced when your phone is in plain sight, even if it's turned off. Every interruption disrupts your focus and makes it harder to reengage with your studies.

So make it easy on yourself, put your smartphone away, and enjoy the peace and quiet. Once you're done studying, you'll have plenty of time to catch up on what you missed (or didn't miss).

We've already discussed disrupting your concentration. Studying works best in a low-stimulus environment. If possible, work in a space with minimal distractions. If your own study space isn't quiet enough, find a spot at school or in the library.

The fewer distractions (think housemates, music, street noise, television, or computer), the better you can focus on your studies and absorb information. Choosing the right study space can significantly impact your performance.

Physical exertion is also a very effective method for learning faster, especially if you do strength training. Doing muscle-strengthening exercises before studying increases the concentration of dopamine and acetylcholine in your blood.

These neurotransmitters sharpen your concentration and help you remember what you learn better. So, exercise for an hour before you start studying: work out with dumbbells, kettlebells, a barbell, or your own body weight—there are many exercises you can do.

Are you so happy you're done studying that you want to go out for a good night's sleep or have a long movie night? That's probably going to make for a short night, and unfortunately, that's not a good idea. While you sleep, your brain is busy processing and organizing all the information you've just absorbed.

Especially if you get a good night's sleep (at least 8 hours), you'll remember what you've learned. Postpone the partying for a while and treat yourself to a good night's sleep. Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, and comfortable, so you can sleep undisturbed and your hard work during the day won't be in vain.