Studies have shown that incorporating random pauses during work sessions, where you allow your brain to idle for about 10 seconds, can reactivate the same neural circuits that were engaged during the practice. What's fascinating is that these neural replays occur at an accelerated pace, possibly up to 20 times faster than normal!
Essentially, this means you can achieve more repetitions without exerting any extra effort. When I learned about this phenomenon, I was intrigued and decided to implement it into my deep work sessions. I found an online buzzer that would randomly sound off, and each time it went off, I intentionally let my brain idle for a few seconds.
I certainly had to tote the line between taking too many of these 10 second breaks and not taking enough of them. If I were to take them only once a session, I wouldn't attain the benefits of enhanced learning. Conversely, if I were to take them too frequently, such as every 10 seconds, it would become highly distracting and counterproductive. Moreover, there isn't a consensus on the optimal duration for these micro-rests, so I encourage you to experiment and find what works best for you.
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After much practice, I truly believe that this method was one of the final pieces to my study system as it's increased both the speed and depth of my learning. While it didn't immediately boost my energy like the nap or deep rest protocol, it enabled me to work for extended periods.
This was mainly due to the physical benefits it offered, such as releasing muscle tension and reducing stress. I've even implemented gap effects during exams whenever 1 found myself feeling immense pressure. This practice provided immediate relief and granted me a sense of clarity.
Actually Putting Together the Perfect Study System
I will now outline how to apply each of the four principles we've just covered as you look to study more effectively moving forward.
1. Review your syllabi and identify the important topics of study for all your classes.
2. Create a basic prospective revision timetable for the term integrating spaced repetition and interleaving.
3. Apply active recall before class, during class, immediately after class, and also during your study sessions. Experiment with all the techniques provided in the "Applying Active Recall" section and optimize to your learning preferences.
4. Prioritize breaks with gap effects during study sessions.
5. Prioritize breaks with naps / non-sleep deep rest after study sessions.
6. Record your progress after each session and create a retrospective revision timetable that allocates additional time for difficult topics while reducing time allocated to easier topics.
If you've never studied this way before, I warn you that it will take time to perfectly adopt this study system. It is totally normal to stumble and to tweak along the way, but please provide yourself enough time to experiment fully.
Every one of these principles are based in research and their applications have been shown to work for millions of students across the world. I have personally never worked with a student that has not been able to benefit from this study system when applied correctly.
Therefore, if you feel tempted to give up, I urge you to revisit the "Evidence-Based Learning Techniques" section of this guide and persist in trying out new approaches, whether it's by experimenting with different combinations or durations. It is highly likely that you will find your optimal system sooner or later!
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