How to Learn Anything in 5 Steps

Picking up a new skill or learning something new is always a difficult task. When we are facing the unfamiliar, it takes extra energy to concentrate and dissect what is in front of us.

Hence, if you have always wanted to pick up something new but don’t know where to start, read on as we thought of five steps to help you learn anything!

For those who love our videos, take a peep at the one above!

To pick up a new skill immediately and be an expert overnight is the dream. However, since not everyone is a prodigy, it is important to then build a strong foundation by learning the basics!

So start by deconstructing the skill into smaller pieces as it helps you identify the things you need to learn first, making it more manageable to learn.

For instance, if you are learning the guitar, break it down to a few components: reading music, learning scales, and practicing chords. So take advantage of the Priority Pages in our Planner and you’ll see improvement in no time!

Here’s a memory-boosting tip, pen your notes down! By translating what we are hearing and thinking into written format, it tells our mind that this particular information is worth noting.

In fact, research has shown that when students took notes by hand, they listened more actively and were able to identify important concepts. It seems that when we are consciously taking notes, our minds are more alert!

So next time when you are struggling to learn something new, try taking notes! If you are a more visual learner, try doodling or using mind maps! Anything to keep that motor in our brain running!

“Practice Makes Perfect”

The more we do something, the more familiar we are, and naturally the more it will be etched onto our memory! After all, learning requires frequency in performing the skill over and over again to know it by heart.

According to the “study-phase retrieval theory”, it says that every time we successfully recall something from memory, it becomes harder to forget. However, it’s important to remember the difference between mere repetition and deliberate practice!

Make sure to pay attention to your weaknesses, and work on the small details so you can better each time. Consistency is key so use our Planner to keep track of your schedules!

When you pick up something new, it can be handy to keep the mindset of a teacher! For instance, you can think about:

• How can I explain this?

• How do I simplify this information?

When you keep this mindset, you can either find a friend to share your teachings with, or pretend that you’re teaching your younger self. So ask yourself questions and actively seek the answers.

By doing so, you can improve your understanding of what you’re learning. This too can help increase your ability to retain the information longer as it is difficult to forget something you understand so well!

It is tempting to just spend all day picking up that new skill. However, spending tireless hours does not necessarily mean you will get your expected results! Learning is more effective when sessions are spaced out. In fact, this is called the Spacing Effect.

Experts say, dedicating between 30-50 minutes to learning new material is the most ideal. Anything past 50 minutes, our brains will start to lose momentum and won’t be able to take in new information.

On the other hand, doing anything new for less than 30 minutes is too little time for our brain to process and learn anything effectively. So learn to do things in moderation to not get discouraged easily. When you need breaks, take it!

Try using our Habit Trackers when you need a little push and when time gets rough, get some sleep!

In the end, to learn something new should not be an intimidating task. We are all after all, equipped to learn things so just keep to your own pace and be patient!

What you want to learn is always going to be there so don’t put too much pressure on yourself to pick it up right away.

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What are some new things you would like to learn? Let us know in the comments below or DM us @mosseryco on Instagram!

Thank you to @moodoodles for collaborating with us on the video!