“When emotions are high, intelligence is low.”
Imagine yourself hungry, irritated or fresh out of a stupid argument with your significant other. You can bet you’re not in the best state for learning! Gotta clear out the unnecessary drama first – whatever it is – and then get down to what’s important!
Believe it or not, you can get more learning done in a short 20 minute study period than with an all-nighter if you’ll just follow a few simple steps.
The bottom line: Effective Reading is State Dependent! Dependent on your mental and emotional state, that is. Here how to prepare mind and body for reading, studying or taking in new information so that it sticks!
- Prepare. That means gathering your materials, and put all else aside for the time you have available. I said put ALL ELSE aside and get ready for the task at hand.
- Establish a clear purpose. For example: “My purpose for the next 20 minutes is to read through this material and grasp the main points so that I can write an excellent paper for next week’s assignment.” The mind is like a GPS. Tell it what you want from it and it will deliver. If not, it goes on vacation!
- Breathe. Close your eyes and take several deep breaths to calm the body and send oxygen to the brain. Relax and try to clear your mind of distractions. This simple step is a small investment that yields huge payoffs.
Getting into the right state with a clearly established purpose GUARANTEES improved results. A stressed out, distracted and scattered brain can’t get the job done. With preparation and the right mindset, you’ll easily develop a new study skill set and watch your accomplishments soar.
Smiles,
Millicent
About Millicent St. Claire
