We’re
consuming more information than ever before — but retaining all that knowledge
is another story. If you find yourself struggling to use what you read (or even
just remember it), you probably aren’t learning productively. To be a more
efficient learner, try three things. First, focus your reading on a single
topic for several months. The deeper you go into a subject, the stronger a
foundation you’ll have for learning about it in the future. Second, regularly
synthesize what you have learned. When you finish reading something, ask
yourself, “What are the key takeaways here?” If you can’t explain an idea to
yourself, you probably didn’t learn it very well. And third, take occasional
breaks from consuming new information. Reflecting on what you’ve read in the
past is an important part of processing it — and constantly taking in new
information can interfere with that. Give yourself time to review, consider,
and apply what you’ve already read.
consuming more information than ever before — but retaining all that knowledge
is another story. If you find yourself struggling to use what you read (or even
just remember it), you probably aren’t learning productively. To be a more
efficient learner, try three things. First, focus your reading on a single
topic for several months. The deeper you go into a subject, the stronger a
foundation you’ll have for learning about it in the future. Second, regularly
synthesize what you have learned. When you finish reading something, ask
yourself, “What are the key takeaways here?” If you can’t explain an idea to
yourself, you probably didn’t learn it very well. And third, take occasional
breaks from consuming new information. Reflecting on what you’ve read in the
past is an important part of processing it — and constantly taking in new
information can interfere with that. Give yourself time to review, consider,
and apply what you’ve already read.
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