I’ve picked up tips on how to learn from the book Learning How to Learn by Barbara Oakley and Terrence Sejnowski, which I’ll share with adults and teens who want to improve how much information they retain. The following are ways that can help me:

Get lots of sleep. Don’t skimp on this key aspect of our lives. The brain rejuvenates, in a sense upgrades, while it’s resting. It resets the button on what information you’ve gathered during the day with neurons changing while you’re asleep. New dendrites grow on the neuron after learning and after sleep. It’s like magic. So students, please review what goes on in class before bedtime. The next day, you’ll remember it. You’ll wake up smarter. You won’t be lost in class when new material dependent on picking up material from the previous day’s lesson in presented. Continue this procedure every night so that when a test comes you’ll be ready. You won’t need to cram, which isn’t effective in retaining material.

Combat procrastination Yes, teenagers often put off what they should do. They dread doing homework or studying for a test or writing an essay. Instead, they much prefer to relax, have fun, text friends, and play video games. But the work needs to be completed. What’s the least painful way to do this? Well, first get rid of all distractions. Put away your cell phone, get away from your computer, and turn off the television. Then set a timer for a certain length of time–let’s say 25 minutes–and sit down to work. Twenty-five minutes is a manageable amount of time. If you focus for that length of time, you’ll be surprised how much work you get done. The key: Don’t be tempted to get out of chair to get something to eat, use the bathroom, or worse, look at your phone. Stay focused on the task at hand.

Exercise. Get outside and walk, run or throw a football. Exercise pumps up your brain, making a chemical called BDNF, or brain-derived neurotrophic factor. This makes new neurons strong and healthy, and protects them from injury. So, don’t be a couch potato. Get up. Find a physical activity you like to do and devote time to it. Your brain will thank you.

Recall. Review the notes you took in class and summarize them. What are the main points? Can you tell them to a friend or family member? Try to explain what you learned from the lesson to someone. Look at the textbook or information on Google Classroom to refresh your memory. Try to recall what the teacher told you in class. Once it’s test time, you won’t be stumped.

I’ll be sure to remind students of these key points I picked up from the book. I can also benefit from staying focused when I have work to do and distractions get in my way. Maybe I need to set a timer when I have something that must be done quickly.