| It's essential to learn new skills quickly in today's | | | | application is the use of mnemonics. Find a word |
| information economy. Today, you are what you | | | | or phrase and associate each letter (or initial letter |
| know. If you want to progress forwards in life, | | | | of that word) with the topic you're learning. |
| you need to learn new skills. | | | | For example, the first letters of Richard Of York |
| But most adults resent learning. When was the | | | | Gave Battle In Vein spells out the colors of the |
| last time you learnt something significant in your | | | | rainbow in order: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, |
| life? Like a new language? New software? When | | | | Blue, Indigo, Violet. |
| did you last learn to play a musical instrument? A | | | | Google 'mnemonics' and you'll find plenty of |
| new sport? Most people don't learn because they | | | | websites listing mnemonics for a huge range of |
| fear it's difficult. | | | | subjects. |
| Is that you? | | | | 5. Think in pictures |
| Learning needn't be that way. Here are five | | | | Everyone's mind works in pictures. It's much |
| strategies that will help you pick up a new topic | | | | easier to remember something when you visualize |
| faster than ever before. | | | | it, rather than trying to remember an abstract |
| 1. Repetition | | | | word or concept. For example, what is the color |
| Repeat something new over and over and you'll | | | | of your front door? I bet you had to recall a |
| develop 'muscle memory' that will help you | | | | picture of your front door before you could |
| memorize a new subject. Whether is a particular | | | | answer the question. Memorize concepts in |
| set of words or phrases in a foreign language, or | | | | pictures and you'll be able to recall them much |
| cooking a recipe, the secret is to repeat the task | | | | faster. The more unusual the image, the easier it |
| over and over several times until it's stuck in your | | | | is to remember. |
| memory. | | | | Here's how. The Spanish word for hair is Pelo, |
| I recently needed to learn a new programming | | | | pronounced "pay-lo". It sounds like the English |
| language for a project I was involved with. The | | | | word Halo. So to memorize that Spanish, I think |
| fastest way for me to learn the new language, | | | | of a bald man with a glowing, hairy halo floating |
| was to sit down at my computer at the start of | | | | above his head! |
| the weekend and, write lots of new software, | | | | I don't speak Spanish. I learnt that particular |
| over and over. I spent the whole weekend | | | | example about five years ago and have never |
| working in the new language, writing the same | | | | forgotten it since! |
| software many times. By the end of the | | | | 6. Watch video tutorials |
| weekend, I was confidently fluent in the new | | | | It's easy to learn from other people, and one of |
| language. | | | | the best ways to do this is by finding how to |
| 3. Listen to music | | | | videos and tutorials. Learning a new piece of |
| Playing music in the background is a great way to | | | | software becomes a piece of cake when you can |
| concentrate on learning. Find songs that boost | | | | sit in front of your computer, be talked through |
| your mood and help you focus. Mozart is | | | | the process, see exactly what's on their screen |
| supposed to temporarily increase your intelligence | | | | as they talk, and then repeat the actions yourself. |
| when you're listening to it. Brian Eno's Music for | | | | You can do the same for playing a musical |
| Airports is another popular album. | | | | instrument, learning a foreign language, drawing, |
| 4. Association | | | | making things, learn new concepts, and more. |
| Associating new subjects with ones you know is | | | | Have a search around, you'll find hundreds of |
| a great way of learning. The most popular | | | | examples online. |