Use this method to study without distractions
A lot of you want to know how to study without getting distracted. Ever wonder why it’s so hard to focus on your studies? Let’s break it down.
The Brain’s Energy Consumption
The brain is the largest organ in the body, and it’s also one of the most energy-hungry. Even when at rest, the brain consumes about 20% of your body’s energy. Now, just imagine how much energy it consumes when it’s actively working, like when you’re studying. The brain, by its nature, tends to avoid tasks that require a lot of energy.
Why Learning is Challenging
Learning is a high-energy task for the brain, primarily because it involves organizing information. Think of your brain as having several “cups” where it stores information. When you learn something new, your brain has to figure out which “cup” to place that information in, so you can easily retrieve it later. This process of fitting information into the right “cup” is one of the hardest tasks for the brain.
If you only give your brain a small piece of information, like reading a single passage, and expect to understand it immediately, your brain may struggle. It doesn’t have enough context to organize the information properly. You need a broader set of information to help your brain make sense of it all.
The Importance of Comprehensive Study
Let’s compare this to organizing clothes in a cupboard. If you only have one piece of clothing, you might be confused about where to put it. But if you have 100 pieces of clothing, it’s easier to organize—shirts go in one place, pants in another, and so on. The brain works similarly. To study effectively, you need to approach the material as a whole.
Start by reading the entire chapter, not worrying too much about understanding every detail. Write notes on what you do understand and skip over the parts that don’t make sense initially. Then, read it again. With each read-through, you’ll find that the parts that were confusing the first time will start to make sense. This method helps your brain organize the information better, allowing you to register it more effectively.
The Ladder Method
This approach is known as the Ladder Method. Here’s how it works:
Read the Whole Chapter Once: Focus on getting a general understanding.
Don’t Stress Over Difficult Sections: Skip what you don’t understand and keep going.
Re-read Multiple Times: Go over the chapter 3-5 times. Each time, you’ll understand more and be able to organize the information more effectively.
An Example: The Animal Kingdom
Let’s apply this to a biology chapter, such as the Animal Kingdom. If you try to learn the characteristics of just one phylum, it’s hard to remember because you lack context. But if you read about all of them at once, your brain can start comparing and grouping them. For example, you’ll notice that certain characteristics are shared across different phylum, while others are unique. This comparative learning helps your brain store the information more effectively.
Avoiding Distractions
When you try to learn piece by piece, your brain struggles to organize the information, and it becomes easy to get distracted. Your brain might push you to do something easier, like scrolling through social media, chatting with friends, or watching a movie. These activities are less demanding for your brain because they don’t require complex organization.
To stay focused on your studies, don’t try to learn in small, isolated chunks. Study comprehensively, using the Ladder Method, and you’ll find that your brain can organize and retain information more effectively. We have created NCERT Notes on Memoneet App that helps you to understand concepts in this manner.
Try it out, and see how your focus and understanding improve!
Best regards,
Shahul
CEO and Founder, Memoneet
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