Godwin Nwachukwu

1 At the turn of the year, I decided to invest more time and resources into my self-development; as a freelancer - constant growth is needed to keep up with the competition. I made a large bucket list of the things I desired to learn and some other things I need to improve on. Then all of a sudden I became stuck. My list looked humongous (rightly so) and I couldn't figure out how or where to start. After some days of self deliberations, my brain struck the right chord. I had this unfinished program (Learning how to Learn) on Coursera since last year - why not finish it before moving on to other things, I asked myself. I immediately logged into my Coursera account and downloaded the materials (so I could go over them in my free time). That's probably one of the brightest decisions I have made this year. It didn't take too long for me to adopt the course into my weekly schedule and I began to learn the secrets to effective learning. Secrets to Effective Learning The path to effective learning is quite easy to navigate if you know the secrets; please be warned that there are no shortcuts to effective learning. All the recommendations that will be made in this article are tools that will make learning easier. Willingness: This wasn't mentioned in the course (Learning how to Learn) but it is a strong tool to have before setting out to learn something new. Recall the famous old English saying, "Where there is a will, there is a way". No matter how hard you try, it is almost impossible to learn - if you lack the will. 2 Chunking: Possibly the most important part of the process, chunking is a way of breaking down gigantic tasks into smaller and simpler units. This way you can set easy goals, reap low hanging fruits, and lay the foundation for learning more difficult things; by setting cues, routine and rewards. I have embraced this approach in tackling my " enormous bucket list", and it's paying dividends. Promodo Technique: Many of us already practise this technique even without us knowing. Promodo has been one of my favourites techniques of studying long before I got to know the meaning of the word. A promodo is usually 25 minutes, although the duration may differ depending on the concentration lifespan of the person involved. The entire 25 minutes is dedicated to intense learning after which you are allowed to tap out and do something else. This time management technique helps you to learn and become more productive. Diffuse Mode: After the whole stress and intensity that comes with the promodo technique, you will need to diffuse a bit and allow your brain work in the background to unravel some of the difficulties you encountered. This method is as important as the promodo technique itself. I was in diffuse mode when I found the solution to my bucket list problems. Prof. Barbara Oakley and others emphasized the importance of diffuse mode during the course and a lot of great achievers and inventors depend on this method to solve difficult problems. 3 Practice: Transferring new knowledge to our long-term memory requires time and frequent practice. The process of recalling this knowledge gradually becomes easier with more practice, and after a while - it becomes second nature. Now that you know the secrets, I hope you apply them in your daily life. Avoid illusion of competence and the impostor syndrome as much as possible. Take full advantage of the concepts you've learnt to become a better learner.