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Posted Feb. 20, 2013

5 Tips for Faster Postgraduate Study

As a postgraduate student you'll want to be in the know when it comes to accelerated and effective learning. Apart from all the frustration that can be avoided, it will also save you heaps of time!

Learning how to learn quickly yet effectively will be one of the most valuable skills you will ever possess.

Here's 5 power tips to get you started...

1. Take a Break It may sound counterproductive, but taking a break can work wonders for your capacity to absorb new material. When you sit in one place for too long invisible stress that can only be banished by a change in physical or mental perspective can build up. Even as little as a 5 minute break every hour during a study session can be beneficial. Nonstop study does more harm than good!

2. Speedreading As a postgraduate student you'll need to read a lot of online and offline material if you want to fully understand your area of pursual. Problem is, you only have so much time to do it. This is where speedreading comes in. Practicing speedreading will allow you to read faster and smarter, whilst simultaneously improving your comprehension. Get to know what you're going to read, decide what parts you want to focus on, then keep moving steadily along at an increased pace without re-reading. You'll double your reading speed in no time!

3. Pen and Paper The underrated pen and paper are some of the most powerful tools that you can harness to help you learn faster. Working with tangible tools such as these will make room for more creativity and free flowing thinking. Make sense of all your scribblings by creating mind maps that you can review and memorize at a later date.

4. Food for Thought Do you know how many people skip breakfast because they don't have the time or they simply can't be bothered? Too many! Creativity is optimal in the morning, and if you aren't fuelling your brain without adequate food you're missing out. It's not just breakfast either. What you eat at lunch is equally as important. Heavy lunches have the tendency to make people feel drowsy, and that's certainly not going to boost your rate of postgraduate study.

5. Multi-sensory Techniques Once you discover your preferred postgraduate learning style you can leverage this to your advantage. The only way to figure out what type of learner you are is to put it to the test. From visual and auditory learning to tactile and kinesthetic learning, once you know what works for you your brain will absorb information much more quickly and effectively. You may find you learn best through a combination of techniques!

 

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