Limitless - Jim Kwik Page 0,76

and that greatly enhances learning.

And while we’re on the subject of writing, I’d recommend handwriting your notes. Even if you’re using a tablet computer to store your notes, use an electronic pen to do so. For one thing, there are readily available programs that can convert your handwriting to text for later organization. But most importantly, writing by hand requires you to start processing the material immediately, and that has proven to be more effective.

“The present research suggests that even when laptops are used solely to take notes, they may still be impairing learning because their use results in shallower processing,” write Pam A. Mueller and Daniel M. Oppenheimer in their study on this topic. “We found that students who took notes on laptops performed worse on conceptual questions than students who took notes longhand. We show that whereas taking more notes can be beneficial, laptop note takers’ tendency to transcribe lectures verbatim rather than processing information and reframing it in their own words is detrimental to learning.”12

Most importantly, make sure you are really listening. You’re not there as a secretary; you’re there as someone who is receiving information for later use. Therefore, it is important to actually hear what others are saying. Take note of what’s being emphasized. Make sure you’re understanding the points the speaker is making and, if the opportunity is available, ask questions. This can only happen if you’re devoting at least as much attention to the information being delivered as you are to your recording of that information.

While you’re taking notes, use a method that I call “capture and create.” On the left side of the paper, you’re capturing, you’re taking notes; on the right side, you’re creating, you’re making notes. You’re writing your impression of what you’re capturing. How can I use this? Why must I use this? When will I use this?

After your note-taking session is over, review your notes immediately. This will help you retain the information much more effectively than if you don’t read your notes for days. As an added benefit, you’ll be able to supplement your notes with anything you might have missed while taking them, because the information will still be fresh in your mind.

A TIP FOR UPGRADING YOUR NOTE-TAKING

If you want to make sure you’re always getting the most from your note-taking, remember the mnemonic TIP:

T is for Think: Before you begin any session where you’re going to be taking notes, think about what you’re hoping to retain most from this session. This will help you filter the high-value information from the information that is less relevant to your goal.

I is for Identify: Listen carefully to the information being presented and identify what is most important in the context of your goal. Remember that attempting to write down everything is going to make it impossible to process the information at the time and will probably make studying harder. Identify what you need the most and write that down.

P is for Prioritize: As you review your notes after the presentation, prioritize the information that is most valuable to you, perhaps adding additional notes as necessary to make the priority information clearer or making an outline to highlight key points.

BEFORE WE MOVE ON

If you acknowledge that unlimiting yourself means being a student for life, then how you go about your studies is vitally important. Before we move on to the next chapter, let’s try a few things:

Take your active recall out for a spin. Introduce yourself to some new material and immediately assess how much of it you retained.

Find a music playlist that works for you. There are many of them available, and the right music is likely to enhance your ability to absorb information, so take some time to find one that you like. Maybe you’ll even want to have it in the background while you read the rest of this book.

Try out your new note-taking tools. Maybe go through this chapter again and take notes about it. Or watch a TED talk and take notes on that instead. Use the skills you’ve learned here to upgrade this experience.

13

MEMORY

What can I do to improve my memory right away?

How do I keep a big chunk of information in my memory?

How can I easily access this information when I need it?

A few years back, I walked into our office early in the morning, before anyone else had come in. The phone started ringing, so I went to answer it. Immediately, a woman’s effusive voice sang out from the other end.

“I