Top 10 tips to memorize faster and easily

       TOP 10 TIPS TO REMEMBER/ MEMORISE THINGS EASIER 

I know that many of you including me also hate studying with an almost physical passion. It was extremely hard just to sit down and open a text book.

Why?

Because it seemed so pointless. I knew no matter how many times I read the text book, I'd remember virtually nothing.

And re-reading over and over and over again in the hope something will stick is just … painful.

But I am currently using many tips to remember information for long time. I hope that these tips will also help you to remember information. 

1. RECORD WHAT YOU ARE MEMORISING
—This is especially useful if you’re trying to memorize information from a lecture. Use a tape recorder to track all of the acquired facts being spoken and listen to it.

If you’re trying to memorize a speech, record yourself reading the speech aloud and listen to yourself speaking. Obviously, this is most helpful for auditory learners, but it’s also handy because it ensures that you’re getting more context from a lecture that will help you learn the information faster.

2. WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN 

—Before you start trying to recall everything from memory, write and re-write the information. This will help you become more familiar with what you’re trying to memorize.

Doing this while listening to your tape recorder can also help you retain a lot of the data. This is most useful for experienced learners.

3. BE A TEACHER 

— The most effective method for me is to teach the information to someone else. You can do this in a variety of ways. You can lecture the knowledge to someone sitting right in front of you (or the mirror, if you can’t convince anyone to sit through it) and explain everything extemporaneously.

If what you’ve learned needs to be recited verbatim, then do this in front of someone as well in order to get a feel for what it will be like to recite the text to the intended audience.

My favorite method for this is creating tests for other people. Take the information and predict what questions will come out of them. Use multiple choice, matching and so on to present the data in test format and see how someone else does.

4. USE MNEMONICS 

— A mnemonic is a tool that helps us remember certain facts or large amounts of information. They can come in the form of a song, rhyme, acronym, image, phrase, or sentence. Mnemonics help us remember facts and are particularly useful when the order of things is important.

5. LISTEN TO THE RECORDING 

—While doing unrelated tasks like laundry or driving, go over the information again by listening to your tape recordings. This is certainly auditory learning but it will still supplement everything you’ve shoved into your short-term memory.

6. USE SPACED REPETATION TECHNIQUE 

—Your brain protects you from overloading with useless information. That’s why all new information is stored in the short-term memory, not in the long-term memory. If you don’t repeat it or use it, you forget it very quickly.

The Eebbisghaus forgetting curve shows that just 1 hour after learning learning that we forget more than half of the information. One week later we remember only 20% of it. 

In order to keep the information in your head for a longer time, you need to try to put it into your long-term memory. Forced memorization is not very effective in this case because your brain can’t make sense of the information quickly and form strong associations. If you want to remember things for a long time, you need to extend the memorization period. It should be as long as a few days or even weeks

So spaced repetion says after learning the information repeat it after 1 hour then after 1 week then after 1 month (if you want to remember things for long time).  If you want to remember the information for short term — repeat it just after learning then after 15 to 30 minutes then after 6 to 8 hours then after 24 hours. This is the most effective method to remember the information.

7. MAKE A STORY

— If you are trying to memorize lot of words or a long history answer then this method is the best. For example you want to learn the system of subsidiary alliance, for this you can think of small east Indian company's army taking the forces of Indian rulers and are protecting them from their (the company's army)  army and the Indian ruler are paying for this etc.. The weirder the story the easier to remember it. Try framing your story for remembering long answers.

8. USE FLASH CARDS 

—Whether learning new information or preparing for a test, flashcards can be a great way to review lots of information quickly. They are easy to make, and easy to use because you can take them anywhere. There are many good ways to help you memorize your flashcards, and you can help yourself all along the way from learning the information to acing the test. Making your flashcards the right way and practicing good study habits while using them will help you get the most out of your work. If you don't want to waste paper for making flash cards you can use quizlet app. 

9. WRITE DOWN WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED (DON'T COPY) 

— Writing requires more brain activity, activates memory, and engages you physically in putting words on paper. It's like being engaged in a dialogue, as opposed to merely listening to someone talk. There is nothing wrong with simply reading and listening, but writing and speaking engage more of your brain. Thus helping to remember it. 

10. TAKE TESTS

— By taking tests of your own will help you in remembering things for long term.  If you make questions of your own this will be more effective. Taking tests will make you familiar with your weak and strong points. 

CONCLUSION 

LET'S RECAP ALL THE TIPS 

1. RECORD WHAT YOU ARE MEMORISING 

2. WRITE IT DOWN 

3. BE A TEACHER

4. USE MNEMONICS 

5. LISTEN TO THE RECORDING 

6. USE SPACED REPETITION 

7. MAKE A STORY 

8. USE FLASH CARDS

9. WRITE WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED (DON'T COPY) 

10. TAKE TESTS 

Besides these all tips always remember that understanding is better than memorising.  But there are some things that need to be memorise like history dates, biological names, inventions, chemical equation etc..  Therefore I made this blog . I hope you like them. Also if you know any other tip that you use to memorise faster don't forget to tell us in the comments. 

Tips to study for exams

               TIPS TO STUDY FOR EXAMS

Taking exams is stressful, but you can make it easier by improving the way you study. Studying for your exams effectively and efficiently will keep you from feeling unprepared, and it will set you up for success! Studying for 12 hours or 14 hours a day is very unhealthy; yet we force ourselves to study almost all day in the days before our exam to finish our syllabus. Obviously this is not the best thing to do. So what to do in order to perform our best in exams? Are there any study tips to  perform better in exams? For those of you who neglect your textbooks all through the year, exams turn into a nightmare. It becomes a race to see how fast you can cram a year's worth of syllabus. With the Board exams around the corner, there are many of you probably doing the same.

During a time of such intense exam pressure, you first need to realise that studying for 12 hours a day is not something very healthy and you can rarely, if ever, adapt yourself to doing something like that.

What is most effective is studying with full concentration in small pockets and taking short breaks in between. Your focus shouldn't be on HOW LONG you studied but on HOW MUCH you studied.

Here are a few tips that can make your long study sessions the most effective and help you concentrate the most:

1. Apply the 30-60 principle 

   30-60 principle states that studying less than 30 minutes and more than 60 minutes is not effective. You all have heared of pomodoro technique, (study for 25 minutes and then take 5 minute break) which is a very famous technique but, I don't prefer this. I will recommend 30-60 principle or you can study for 50 minutes then take 5 or 10 minutes break. 

2. Take regular breaks

 Breaks increase productivity and creativity.

Working for long stretches without breaks leads to stress and exhaustion.Taking breaks refreshes the mind, replenishes your mental resources, and helps you become more creative. “Aha moments” came more often to those who took breaks, according to research.

3. Shift between subjects

Before you schedule your study list for the day, you need to take into account that the subjects we learn can be divided into three categories:

Memory dependant subjects like Biology, History and Geography, which contain a lot of material that need to be mugged up.

Problem-solving subjects such as Maths and Physics.

Interpretation based subjects such as English Literature and literature papers from other languages.

For most effective studying, you should alternate between each category of subjects in long study periods.

4. Make effective  notes

Proper note taking is very important for effectively completing the syllabus at the last minute. The scientifically proven method of note-taking that work the best-SQ5R 

 SQ5R is short for Survey, Questions, Read, Record, Recite, Review and Reflect.

• Survey: Skim through the textbook and mark important areas. Don't take more than 7-10 minutes

• Question: In your textbook, turn the headings and subheadings into questions that could be asked in the exam. Jot down possible questions at the side of important portions of text

• Read, Record, Recite: Go through the text again and record important points in your own words separately. Put them in bullets or in boxes for better visual representation. Recite the points you noted to yourself

• Review: Ask yourself the questions you noted and see if you can answer them properly

• Reflect: Repeat the above steps and reflect on the topic you learned till it's completely memorised

5. Pay attention in class.

 This seems like a no-brainer, but actually paying attention while you're in class will help you immensely once exam time comes. Don't fall into the trap of thinking you'll just "absorb" knowledge; be an active learner. Try sitting at the front of the class, this will make it easier to focus.

• Listen carefully, because teachers often give hints like "The most important thing about this topic is...". Or they may just place emphasis on certain words and issues. This is the real key to testing well. The more you absorb the information early on, the less studying you'll need to do.

6. Make studying a part of your habits

 Too often, it's easy to view studying as something that only gets done at the last minute in a huge overnight cram session. Instead, try setting aside some time every day to study. Scheduling it just like another appointment or class may help you stay motivated to continue the habit.

7. Ask yourself questions about your material

 This can help you tell if you have remembered what you just studied. Don't try to remember the exact wording from your notes in your answer to yourself; synthesizing that information into an answer is a much more useful tactic.

• It can also help to say the answers to your questions out loud, as if you were trying to explain it to someone else.

8. Review previous tests and assignments

If you missed questions on previous work, look up the answers and understand why you missed these questions. This is particularly helpful if the exam you're studying for is cumulative or comprehensive, meaning it covers things you also covered earlier in the course.

9. Find your golden hour
—Some of us are morning people, some of us are night owls.Personally, I find high energy levels in the morning around 4:30am to 6:30am. Often, I’ll purposely take some of that time away or schedule more less-strategic tasks during hours when I’m not as enaged. It’s suggested that we should find at least 2 hours a day to dive into the harder strategic work, and leave the other hours for meetings or less urgent tasks.

You’ll also identify patterns and when you could engage in “deep work” or the idea of focused work for longer periods of time. This is the concept from Georgetown professor Cal Newport.  Some work (like answering emails) is shallow, while others (like coming up with new campaign concepts or intense photo editing) may need more focused time or “deep work.”

 10. It's better to say 'no'

— Don’t say yes to every request. Most of us have a deep need to be liked. That translates into us saying yes to everything – which is the end of your elite productivity. This very famous quote also say this:-
'YOU HAVE TO SAY 'NO' TO MANY GOOD THINGS
IN ORDER TO
SAY 'YES' TO MANY GREAT THINGS.

 11. Eat healthy food

—Eat healthy foods throughout the day to avoid energy crashes and keep your brain properly fuelled

The food we eat is extremely important in boosting our brainpower and impacting how productive we are at work.

Imagine you eat a Snickers bar versus a fruit and nut bar – which do you think is going to give you the energy necessary to finish strong through the afternoon? Junk food not only affects your weight. It also causes decreased productivity and energy crashes.

Keep healthy snacks at your study table  to stay fuelled for a productive day..

 12. Get sunlight

— According to recent productivity studies, you’ll boost your productivity and alertness with more natural light. Why do you think offices with windows are in such high demand? It also affects the timing of the circadian clock which then impacts your wakefulness and fatigue. And obviously if you are more productive and alert, you will concentrate better in studies and in turn perform better in exams. 

13. Walk Before An Exam

It’s been proven that exercise can boost your memory and brain power. Research conducted by Dr. Chuck Hillman of the University of Illinois provides evidence that about 20 minutes exercise before an exam can improve performance.

14. Speak Out Loud Instead of Simply Reading

Although this may make you look a little crazy, give it a go! You will be surprised how much more you can remember when you’ve said it out loud. Warning: Don’t try this in a crowded library!

15. avoid studying at night 
It has been Scientifically proven that studying at night or sleep deprivation causes less working memory ,reduce ability to execute functions and also lowers your physical reaction time. Lack of sleep causes a lot of tiredness which eventually lowers your brain functionality. Studying during daytime as much as possible and have a peaceful sleep at night. 

16. Study in small chunks 
You should study for 45 to 50 minutes and take 5 to 10 minutes break. If you are not able to finish a particular topic in that time period ,this is where the ZEIGARNIK EFFECT comes into picture which says that people remember uncompleted or interrupted tasks better than completed tasks. Sitting for 8 to 10 hours at once is not a good idea now why this?  This is because in short repetitive sessions the brain is better at translating information into synapse. ( synapse is a mechanism that enables a neuron to transfer an electrical or chemical signal to another neuron) 
17. keep a goal 
Keep small Small goals for yourselves like learning the Pythagoras theory or the parts of human brain. Study one topic at a time and make sure that you not just understand the topic but you should also be able to teach that concept to someone else too. If you have one target then you can focus more and better. 

18. Music 
Good music helps in studying but what matters the most is that which type of music you are listening. The trick is to choose music that is different from your favourite genre and music with a repetitive pulse. Choose neutral music or classical music and don’t play it too loud. Remember that we are talking about music not songs. Choose a music with minimum or zero lyrics. 

19. Make flashcards 
A lot of you must be marking important statements in your book so that it will be easier for you to revise it later, there’s scientifically better option to revise that is by making flash cards when you randomly highlight a lot of things on a paper ,your brain cannot connect any of those topics together causing a fright it also draws unnecessary attention to the topics which are not very important and also on the other hand when you look at the front side of a flashcard and think of an answer you are engaging a mental faculty known as active recall ,in other words you try to remember the Idea from the scratch instead of just looking at the paragraph in your textbook.

20. Practice 
Practice as much you can the more you practice the more confident you get. By taking practice tests you can know how much more efforts you still want to put in so just practice practice practice. 

21. Keep distractions away 
Keep your phone or any other distraction away from your study area. If want to research something online then ( if available ) try to remove all the distractions from one of your electronic devices for example : delete YouTube, twitter, instagram, facebook, whatsapp etc distracting thing from your computer so that if you turn on Wi-Fi or internet no unnecessary notifications will not distract you. 

22. Create Mental Associations
The ability to make connections is not only an easier way to remember information, but it’s the fuel of creativity and intelligence. Steve Jobs famously said “Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something”.
Mind Maps are an easy way to connect ideas by creating a visual overview of different connections. Read more about the benefits of using Mind Maps to learn here.

23.  Draw Diagrams
Drawing diagrams will help you to visualise information which would be hard to describe. This creates a visual memory in your mind which can be recalled in an exam. You may even be asked to draw or label diagrams such as the human heart in your exam so get practicing!

24. Meditate
Meditation is one of the study methods that can help students stay focused when studying. Not only will meditation help you concentrate when studying but it will help reduce pre-exam stress as it improves both mental and physical health.

25. Feynmen technique 
In addition to helping you pinpoint those problem areas in the concept you're trying to learn, the Feynman Technique gives you a quick, efficient way to shore up those areas using targeted learning. It's a simple technique, but it'll help you study much more efficiently once you put into action.

Conclusion 

I hope these tips will help you to perform better in your studies and exams. If you don't study with full dedication then no tip will be useful for you therefore give your best and don't worry about the marks. If you like this blog post then don't forget to tell us in the comments down below and follow this blog to get notified whenever I upload a helpful blog post like this one. 

Habits that you should adopt right now

HABITS THAT YOU SHOULD ADOPT RIGHT NOW

Being happy is not about possessions, it is about the way you see life. We are not aware that our habits are the thing stops us on the way to happiness. When you are feeling that you lose your focus, it is time to look things from other perspective. So do you want to know some habits that can change your life? Here I will tell you 15 habits that you should adopt right now. I'm sure that will definitely change your life. I have also mentioned the benefits, disadvantages and some tips  to adopt them easily (whenever needed)

1. WAKING UP EARLY
The most important habit that will definitely change your life is waking up early in the morning. By waking up early in the morning you will get a lot of extra time that can invest in doing something that will make you productive for the whole day. You can also invest this time in habits that are mentioned later on this list. If you are not a morning person then this habit will need a lot of your will power. Every thing need about three months to become a habit. Trust me this habit will be life changing for you.
Tips to wake up early :

1. Set an alarm. The first key to waking up earlier is forcing yourself to take those first steps. ...
2. Move up gradually. ...
3. Ask a friend to keep you honest. ...
4. Make your bed. ...
5. Rely on caffeine. ...
6. Take a cold shower. ...
7. Eat a healthy breakfast. ...
8. Start with a workout.

2. Drinking warm water just after waking up
Having a glass of warm water in the morning helps in circulation in your body. Your veins and arteries expand and carry blood more effectively. Your blood flow affects everything in your body from your blood pressure to increasing or lowering your risk of getting cardiovascular diseases. Drinking warm water can provide your body with the water it needs to replenish fluids. It can also improve digestion, relieve congestion, and even make you feel more relaxed. Most people who drink hot water as a holistic health remedy do so first thing in the morning or right before bed for optimal health benefit.

3. Exercise
Regular physical activity can improve your muscle strength and boost your endurance. Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and helps your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. And when your heart and lung health improve, you have more energy to tackle daily chores.
Here are the top 10 benefits of exercise :

• It Can Make You Feel Happier. ...
• It Can Help With Weight Loss. ...
• It Is Good for Your Muscles and Bones. ...
• It Can Increase Your Energy Levels. ...
• It Can Reduce Your Risk of Chronic Disease. ...
• It Can Help Skin Health. ...
• It Can Help Your Brain Health and Memory. ...
• It Can Help With Relaxation and Sleep Quality.

4. Planning your day
Planning your day is one of the most important things you can do everyday. As Brian Tracy says, “Every minute you spend planning saves 10 minutes in execution.” By taking just 5-10 minutes each morning (or the night before) to strategically plan out your day, you'll be able to get significantly more out of your day.

5. Book reading
Reading is important because it develops our thoughts, gives us endless knowledge and lessons to read while keeping our minds active. Reading books can help us learn, understand and makes us smarter. Not to mention the knowledge, vocabulary expansion and thinking skills we develop, so read a good book today!

 Expert Tips to Reading WAY More Books This Year

1. Don't make towering reading goals. ...
2. Keep your goals to yourself. ...
3. Read books that you actually enjoy. ...
4. Always have a book on-hand. ...
5. Borrow reading time from something less important. ...
6. Partake in reading challenges. ...
7. Create a distraction-free reading environment.

6. Study
  It may seems obvious but many of us don’t have a habit of studying we just study whenever we have mood or when we are super motivated but this is not good. We should have a habit of studying. It means studying regularly at the same time. This can easily be done by making a study schedule. By doing this you will always have a mood to study at the same time.
Tips to study regularly

1. Don't attempt to cram all your studying into one session. ...
2. Plan when you're going to study. ...
3. Study at the same time. ...
4. Each study time should have a specific goal. ...
5. Never procrastinate your planned study session. ...
6. Start with the most difficult subject first.

7. Meditation
Meditation can help you deal with stress and negative emotions. Multiple studies have shown that meditation can help reduce levels of depression and anxiety, along with helping people tolerate pain better.

12 Science-Based Benefits of Meditation

• Reduces Stress. Stress reduction is one of the most common reasons people try meditation. ...
• Controls Anxiety. Less stress translates to less anxiety. ...
• Promotes Emotional Health. ...
• Enhances Self-Awareness. ...
• Lengthens Attention Span. ...
• May Reduce Age-Related Memory Loss. ...
• Can Generate Kindness. ...
• May Help Fight Addictions.

8. Bathing regularly
This is a very common habit and I know that most of you have this habit but I also know that there are some of that doesn’t like bathing regularly. This is not always necessary to bath in the morning. The correct time of bathing is :
In summers – In the morning  with cold water. This will help to be alert for the whole day.
In winters- In the night  just before sleeping, with warm water. This will help you to get better sleep.

Here are the health benefits of taking a bath:

• Bathing can improve heart health. ...
• Taking a bath may help you to breathe easier. ...
• Your brain and nervous system can benefit from bathing. ...
• Bathing can benefit your muscles, joints and bones. ...
• Take care of your blood and immunity with a bath. ...
• Balance your hormones by bathing.

9. Phone free morning
According to Dr. Nikole Benders-Hadi, “The information overload that hits [you] before you're fully awake interferes with your ability to prioritize tasks.” In other words, throughout the day, we get distracted much quicker and mess up our productivity by checking our smartphone first thing in the morning.
The effects of checking your phone as soon as you wake up start before you even get to any content — namely, doing so kicks you into alertness. ... Indeed, the single largest source of blue light is sunlight, which suggests that we're kind of hardwired to spring into alertness during daylight hours.

8 Ways To Escape The Phone-Checking Morning Cycle

1. Get An Alarm Clock. If I set an alarm on my phone, right when it goes off I know I'll be tempted to continue scrolling. ...
2. Charge Your Phone Away From Your Bed. ...
3. Start Meditating. ...
4. Make A Killer Breakfast. ...
5. Read. ...
6. Write. ...
7. Listen To A Podcast. ...
8. Exercise.

10. Silence

Silence is good for overall physical health and well-being

From a physiological standpoint, silence helps: Lower blood pressure, which can help prevent heart attack. Boost the body's immune system. Benefit brain chemistry by growing new cells. This is the first thing that you should do specially in the morning. 
scientific benefits of silence :

• Lower blood pressure, which can help prevent heart attack.
• Boost the body’s immune system.
• Benefit brain chemistry by growing new cells. A 2013 study found that two hours of silence could create new cells in the hippocampus region, a brain area linked to learning, remembering, and emotions.
• Decrease stress by lowering blood cortisol levels and adrenaline. Furthermore, according to a 2006 study in Heart, two minutes of silence relieves tension in the body and brain and is more relaxing than listening to music. This was attributed to changes in blood pressure and blood circulation in the brain.
• Promote good hormone regulation and the interaction of bodily hormone-relate systems.
• Prevent plaque formation in arteries.

11. Eat more slowly
The benefits of slow eating include better digestion, better hydration, easier weight loss or maintenance, and greater satisfaction with our meals. Meanwhile, eating quickly leads to poor digestion, increased weight gain, and lower satisfaction. ... Yet you also feel more satisfied with each meal.

Here's some advice to help you start eating more slowly:

1. Avoid extreme hunger. It's hard to eat slowly when you're very hungry. ...
2. Chew more. ...
3. Set your utensils down. ...
4. Eat foods that need chewing. ...
5. Drink water. ...
6. Use a timer. ...
7. Turn off your screens. ...
8. Take deep breaths.

12. Drinking water only when you are sitting
When you drink your water from a bottle or a glass sitting down, the nutrients reach the brain and boost its activity. It also aids better digestion this way and ensures that you don't feel bloated after having water.
It is a good idea to always sit and drink water rather than standing. ... By sitting and drinking, your muscles and nervous system is much more relaxed and helps the nerves to digest food and other fluids easily. Your kidneys also pace the filtration process while sitting.

13. Laugh!
A good, hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes after. Laughter boosts the immune system. Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease.

Laughing Too Much Could also Kill You. ... They found that intense laughter can trigger fainting, asthma attacks, "protrusion of abdominal hernias," headaches, incontinence, jaw dislocation, and arrhythmia. 

14. Be Anger free 
The long-term physical effects of uncontrolled anger include increased anxiety, high blood pressure and headache. Anger can be a positive and useful emotion, if it is expressed appropriately.

Some of the short and long-term health problems that have been linked to unmanaged anger include:

• headache.
• digestion problems, such as abdominal pain.
• insomnia.
• increased anxiety.
• depression.
• high blood pressure.
• skin problems, such as eczema.
• heart attack.

15. listen to music 

Studies have shown that music can buoy your mood and fend off depression. It can also improve blood flow in ways similar to statins, lower your levels of stress-related hormones like cortisol and ease pain. Listening to music before an operation can even improve post-surgery outcomes.

Here is a list of 10 benefits to listening to music:

• Music Increases Happiness. ...
• Music Improves Performance in Running. ...
• Music Decreases Stress While Increasing Overall Health. ...
• Music Improves Sleep. ...
• Music Reduces Depression. ...
• Music Helps You Eat Less. ...
• Music Elevates Your Mood While Driving. ...
• Music Strengthens Learning And Memory.

Conclusion 

Let's review all the habits :

1. Wake up early 
2. Drinking warm water just after waking up 
3. Exercise 
4. Planning your day 
5. Book reading 
6. Study 
7. Meditation 
8. Bathing 
9. Phone free morning 
10. Silence
11. eat more slowly 
12. drinking water only when you are sitting 
13. Laugh
14. be anger free
15. listen to music 

I hope that these habits will be effective for you as much as for me. Try them and share your experience in the comments down below and also don't forget to follow and share this blog to get notified whenever I upload a helpful blog post like this one.