How to review lecture notes effectively is a secret that I only uncovered very late in my studies.

But you don’t have to make the same mistakes that I did, and many others still do.

I wish I had known the techniques that I am about to show you much earlier.

In this video, I’ll show you 5 strategies to transform the chaos in your notebook and your mind into structured knowledge and A+ grades.

Why Revising Lectures is the Key to Success

Knowing how to review lecture notes properly is the missing piece to your puzzle. During the lecture, you collect the other pieces—facts, concepts, ideas.

In your revision, you assemble these into a meaningful whole.

This process is crucial for a deeper understanding and the long-term retention of the material.

Active learning is the key here: It’s not just about absorbing information, which you do during the lecture, but truly processing and applying it, after the lecture.

When Should you Review Your Lecture Notes?

The ideal time to revise your lecture notes is as soon as possible after attending the lecture.

Why?

Your brain processes fresh information most effectively. Based on Ebbinghaus’s forgetting curve, you should ideally begin within 24 hours.

Otherwise, according to this curve, you might forget about half of the lecture material within a day.

Starting your revision right after the lecture provides the best foundation for effectively embedding the information in your long-term memory.

Additionally, instructors are generally more available during the lecture period than during the exam period, when suddenly all students come with questions.

If you still don’t understand something after reviewing the lecture, it’s best to ask the teaching staff directly or attend their next office hour.

How Much Time Should You Spend on Revising Lectures?

You might be wondering, “How long should I spend revising my lectures?”

A good rule of thumb is to allocate at least half the duration of the lecture for revision. So if the lecture was 90 minutes long, try to block about 45 minutes for review within the next 24 hours.

Remember: quality over quantity.

It’s not about grinding for hours, but truly understanding the material.

If you find a topic particularly challenging, take more time. If something is clear right away, you can go through it more quickly.

During revision, you might apply techniques like the Pomodoro Technique: 25 minutes of focused work followed by a 5-minute break. Another session, and that’s it.

This helps you stay focused and productive. It’s important that you don’t just spend your time reading the script over and over. Instead, you should actively engage with the material during your revision time.

5 Strategies for Revising Your Lecture Notes Like a Pro

#1 Clarify Uncertainties

If you noticed any uncertainties or had questions during the lecture, now is the perfect time to clear things up.

If the lecture notes aren’t enough, look into the specialized literature recommended by your instructor. Sometimes the topics there are complex but explained from a different perspective.

Look for a YouTube tutorial or ask Perplexity AI.

These sources often present the material in an understandable and beginner-friendly way. And if you still have questions, don’t hesitate to get help from others.

#2 Separate Important from Unimportant – Focus on the Exam Phase

You might be at the beginning of the semester and are just revising your notes from one of the first lectures. But this is exactly when you can be smart and keep the exam period in mind.

Examine your lecture notes closely to see where the instructor placed their focus, where they explained many examples, or referenced further readings.

All these can be clues as to what might be relevant for the exam.

It’s crucial to distinguish between central concepts and less important details to make the most of your study time.

Ask yourself which information contributes to a deeper understanding of the core topics and which is more supplementary.

This way, you can set your priorities correctly, for example, if you want to start your spaced repetition sessions early.

#3 Identifying Key Concepts and Central Ideas

The goal is to organize your lecture notes and check if they are complete. Focus on the main topics and central ideas of the lecture.

Begin by breaking down the lecture content into smaller segments.

Examine each topic or section individually and ask yourself:

• What is the main message?
• Which examples support this idea?

This analytical approach helps you understand the structure of the study material and distinguish important information from less important details.

After you have identified the central ideas, consider how they relate to each other.

• Are there connections between different topics or concepts?
• How do these pieces fit into the larger picture of the course?

Making such connections is crucial for deep understanding and helps you develop a comprehensive view of the material. Try representing these connections with a mind map.

#4 Making Your Lecture Revision Tangible

When revising your lecture notes, try to integrate examples or analogies to facilitate understanding of complex topics.

Ensure that these examples are closely linked to the study materials. Sometimes, using everyday situations can help make theoretical concepts tangible.

For instance, if you are trying to understand a specific economic principle, relate it to real-life shopping behavior in a supermarket.

Such real-life examples help you better understand and remember abstract ideas.

#5 Test Yourself

Pose questions about the study material to yourself and try to answer them without looking at your notes.

Focus on complex questions that require deeper understanding. By attempting to explain the concepts in your own words, you gain a clear picture of how well you truly understand the topic.

A combination that many have found to be key to success is using the flashcard app Anki and the principle of active recall.

Use practice problems or past exams to test your knowledge and see where you stand. If you encounter difficulties, do not hesitate to review those topics again.

Honest self-assessment is crucial. It’s easy to overestimate yourself and assume you’ve understood a topic. But the real challenge is to challenge yourself and admit where more work is needed.

Tools and Resources for Lecture Revision

Having the right tools and resources is indispensable for mastering the question of how to review lecture notes effectively.

#1 Digital Note-Taking Apps

Let’s start with digital note-taking apps like Evernote or OneNote. These digital tools are perfect for organizing your notes, making them searchable, and enhancing them with additional information such as images or audio recordings.

Pull what you need from your university’s Learning Management System, like Moodle or Canvas, and feed it into your “Second Brain.”

This way, everything is in one place.

#2 Research Tools

If you want to dive deeper into a subject, online databases like Google Scholar are invaluable.

Here you have access to a vast array of academic articles and studies. And if you prefer having complex topics explained to you, check out platforms like Khan Academy or Coursera.

They convey complex topics in simple and understandable ways.

#3 Flashcard Tools

For the study sessions itself, try apps like Quizlet or Anki. They make reviewing material with flashcards and clever memory training methods really effective by leveraging Spaced Repetion with personalized algorithms that always suggest you to study a certain topic at the right time.

#4 AI Tools

Moreover, always keep an eye out for the latest AI tools. They can assist you in all areas, from summarizing and researching to reviewing the learned material.

Browse my channel for some ideas for AI prompts you can implement in your study routine.

#5 Other People

Last but not least: don’t forget the social aspect of learning!

Study groups offer a great way to interact with your peers and learn together. Learning is often easier together, and sometimes new perspectives and solutions emerge in a group setting.

Plus, procrastinating together is more fun than alone 🙂

Are you wondering how to be productive without burning out?

Well, I might just have the solution for you.

It’s called “Slow Productivity,” the title of Georgetown Professor and bestselling author Cal Newport’s latest book.

I’ve just finished reading the book, and… I’m impressed. So much so that I can’t resist sharing with you the key lessons.

The book deeply resonates with me because for years, I have been struggling with doing too much at the same time and often feeling stressed out. A PhD, a YouTube channel, writing a book, you name it.

In this video, I’ll introduce you to the three core principles of the “Slow Productivity” philosophy and offer my insights on how you can best put them into practice—no matter whether you are doing your first job, work for yourself, or study in college.

Who is Cal Newport and why should we listen to him?

In my videos, I often draw upon ideas from Cal Newport’s earlier books on achieving success in academia and, of course, his more renowned works “Deep Work” and “Digital Minimalism.”

Cal is a professor of computer science, consistently produces bestsellers, writes columns for The New Yorker, and hosts a podcast. So, if anyone embodies objective productivity criteria, it’s him.

In “Slow Productivity,” Cal shares his latest philosophy on knowledge work productivity, and it’s quite compelling. It’s not about cramming more into less time, which eventually wears us down.

Instead, it’s about accomplishing fewer things over an extended period—but things that truly matter.

#1 Do fewer things

Knowledge work involves using our cognitive abilities to add value to the world. This covers all sorts of tasks and jobs that can be done in an office or, these days, from home. But also, studying could be seen as a type of knowledge work.

What many people overlook is that knowledge work is still influenced by the Taylorist paradigm of the second industrial revolution. This means tasks are split up based on expertise, people come together in one place, and work outputs are measured quantitatively.

The idea of working from Monday to Friday and then spending our paycheck in the city over the weekend also comes from that time.

But knowledge work is changing rapidly. Especially since the beginning of the Covid pandemic, we don’t always gather in one central place anymore. How do you even measure how productive an individual knowledge worker is?

Pseudo-Productivity

According to Newport, this is where pseudo-productivity comes into play, where productivity is measured based on visibility. What’s your level of “busy” during work? How fast do you respond to emails? How many meetings do you have per day, or how often do you participate in lectures?

All of these are metrics that employers and universities use to gauge the productivity of knowledge work.

But that’s nonsense.

True productivity isn’t achieved by merely showcasing visibility and “busyness,” but by working quietly on a few, valuable projects.

To return to this state, Newport recommends a two-tiered system for managing your active projects. Projects are knowledge tasks that can only be completed over an extended period, such as writing a term paper, launching a social media campaign, or compiling a job application portfolio.

Level 1 consists of your 3 active projects

List no more than 3 active projects. Not a single one more. Only when a project is completed does a new one take its place.

Try to work on just one of these projects per day. Mentally switching between them consumes unnecessary energy.

Level 2 is your waiting list of new projects and ideas

Whether it’s your boss, your academic advisor, your client, or yourself coming up with a new project, it goes on the waiting list along with an estimated timeframe for when you’ll get to it.

If you already have 3 active projects and 2 on the waiting list, then this project takes the 6th spot. You can even communicate this if necessary.

#2 Work at a natural pace

By following Principle Number 1 and tackling fewer but more meaningful projects, you unlock an entirely new level of productivity.

What you achieve in 3 months doesn’t matter. That’s not the benchmark. The timeframe that truly speaks volumes is what you accomplish over the next 3 years (for example, the duration of your studies).

Did you know that Isaac Newton, Copernicus, or Marie Curie spent several decades working on their groundbreaking ideas before publishing them? If you were to pick any random month in their lives, they would appear quite unproductive by today’s standards.

They spent a lot of time walking, took weeks off to vacation in the countryside, and dedicated themselves to their work at a moderate pace. Yet, these individuals profoundly influenced human history with their work. They were as productive as we may never be!

So, if you expand your time horizon wide enough, you can afford to take time for other enjoyable aspects of life and avoid short-term stress. The prerequisite, of course, is that you heed Principle Number 1 and choose projects that are meaningful and important to you, so they have the potential to make an impact over a long period.

A short-term tactic Newport recommends in this regard is ritualizing your work. Associate it with something special that inspires you.

If you’re writing a vampire novel, do it at night. If you’re working on a paper about the hotel industry, do it in the lobby of your favorite hotel. These rituals help you get into a natural flow, and the work that matters to you gets done almost effortlessly.

#3 Obsess over quality

By taking on fewer projects with Slow Productivity and only seeing results much later, you’ll inevitably have to pass up short-term opportunities and say “no” to many things.

The things you do, you do them right. And by giving yourself time, you can invest more in the quality of these things.

Examples

In my research discipline, business informatics, there are two top journals. Publishing an article in one of these journals typically takes four years. During these four years, one has to forgo small successes and appears “less productive.” However, once such an article is eventually published, it influences the discipline ten times more strongly than ten small publications one could have made in those four years.

Delaying gratification for your work for so long is incredibly difficult. But if the quality of the result is significantly better as a result, you have achieved much more “productivity.” Just slowly.

Another example is articles on Amazon. A product with 4.9 stars sells 100 times more than a product with 4.5 stars. So, even if it takes 10 times longer to bring the product to this level of quality, you still get 10 times more results than from 10 4.5-star products!

Of course, Cal Newport also has a technique to increase the quality of your projects. Simply double each of your deadlines for a project. But remember, just double. Not more. You should still feel the commitment to complete the project and put in enough work. But with the extended project timeline, you have more room to focus on quality.

But never forget that high quality also requires corresponding effort. With Slow Productivity, you shouldn’t give yourself a free pass to procrastinate. Instead, give yourself enough time to achieve true mastery in your project. Create the necessary space for creativity and the freedom to breathe, so that you can approach your work with passion.

Your results will speak for themselves. Don’t be a hamster. Be a turtle. Slow is smooth and smooth is fast.

Prompt engineering for students might be the most important skill in 2024 and beyond – if you want to succeed in academia.

Have you ever asked ChatGPT or another AI model for advice and felt underwhelmed by the response? You might start to question all the hype—if AI can’t nail the basics, what good is it?

Hold that thought—before you pin the blame on AI, consider this: maybe the way you’re asking is part of the problem.

Yes, you heard that right! The issue might not be the AI itself but how you’re communicating with it.

In the next decade, mastering the art of crafting the right prompts—known as Prompt Engineering—will be crucial to unlocking the full potential of AI.

In this article, I’ll dive into what Prompt Engineering for students really entails and how you can start improving your interactions with ChatGPT and similar technologies immediately. Mastering this skill can not only impress your peers but also dramatically boost your productivity as a student.

Understanding Prompt Engineering for students

In today’s world, AI isn’t just a futuristic idea—it’s a part of our daily lives.

AI appears everywhere: powering search engines, guiding us through apps, and facilitating customer support through chatbots and virtual assistants.

Being able to communicate effectively with AI simplifies life and amplifies your efficiency at work, making Prompt Engineering a critical skill in the modern job market.

Good Prompt Engineering for students hinges on your ability to give precise, clear instructions. Think about it—how much time do you actually spend crafting a prompt for ChatGPT?

If it’s merely 5 seconds, that’s likely not enough. Taking a bit more time to consider your prompt can make a world of difference. A hastily typed sentence can lead to misinterpretations, whereas a thoughtfully crafted prompt, though taking a few minutes longer, can yield results that are ten times better.

How to Formulate Prompts that AI Understands

By learning how to make your requests more precise, you unleash the AI’s potential to deliver exactly the answers you’re looking for.

There are 5 basic principles that can help you successfully communicate with AI models like ChatGPT or DALL-E. These principles are Clarity, Context, Conciseness, Explicitness, and Iteration.

1. Clarity is crucial for the AI to understand exactly what is expected of it. A clearly formulated prompt reduces misunderstandings and leads to more accurate responses. It’s about being unambiguous without leaving room for interpretation.
2. Context provides the AI with background information relevant to answering the query. It helps the AI understand the request in the correct frame and respond appropriately. For example, adding that a text is intended for a specialist audience can influence the type of response.
3. Conciseness aims to keep the query as compact as possible. A long, rambling prompt can confuse the AI. Instead, the prompt should be to the point, without unnecessary details.
4. Explicitness means that specific instructions or expectations are clearly communicated. The more precisely the request is formulated, the better the AI can deliver the desired results.
5. Iteration and Experimentation acknowledge that not every prompt is perfect right away. Prompt Engineering for students is a process of trial and adjustment. You ask a question, analyze the AI’s response, and refine your next inquiry based on the feedback. This cyclical process helps you perfect your prompts, so you receive more accurate and relevant answers.

The quality of your prompts also directly influences how developers train and improve their AI systems. Understanding which types of prompts lead to the desired responses allows developers to more specifically tailor their models to better respond to human queries.

To professionalize your prompts and systematize your Prompt Engineering, consider creating a Prompt Library today.

What is a Prompt Library?

A Prompt Library is essentially a database full of prepared questions or instructions designed to elicit specific and high-quality responses from AI language models.

These collections can range from simple request examples to complex prompt sets developed for advanced applications.

3 Benefits of a Prompt Library

1. Time-saving and Efficiency: Having access to a collection of tested prompts allows you to interact with AI systems more quickly and effectively. It saves you the effort of constantly formulating new prompts by providing proven options right at your disposal.
2. Quality Improvement: The prompts in a library are usually optimized and tested by you or someone else to ensure they deliver reliable results. This ensures greater consistency and quality of responses from language models.
3. Source of Inspiration: A Prompt Library serves not only as a practical tool but also as a source of inspiration. As you browse the library, you might come across new ideas for formulating your AI queries, leading to more creative and effective prompts.

For knowledge workers and students who regularly work with AI, integrating a Prompt Library into their daily workflow can be a real game-changer. Many tools and platforms now allow for the direct integration of Prompt Libraries, simplifying access and use.

Platforms

Some platforms, like PromptHero or PromptBase, offer a wide range of prompts specifically for image generators. Here, users not only share the prompts themselves but also useful information about the creative process and the results achieved. FlowGPT, on the other hand, focuses on prompts for ChatGPT and allows users to try them out directly on the platform.

In addition to using these existing libraries, you can, of course, create your own collection. Simply use an Excel spreadsheet or a Notion page and sort your prompts by category or frequency of use.

If you’ve used individual prompts and maybe made slight adjustments, save the improved prompt each time. This keeps your Prompt Library up to date, and you save valuable time the next time you need the prompt.

Prompt Engineering for students isn’t just helpful in the short term. If you’ve been following my channel for a while, you know that lifelong learning is one of my core values.

Starting to think and act like a Prompt Engineer will not only help you with your next term paper but also in applying for a job next year, your probationary work in 2 years, your important client project in 4 years, and your big career leap in 10 years.

AI is here to stay. Whether you like it or not doesn’t matter. Acting pragmatically means making friends with AI. The sooner, the better.

Why Should You Use Prompt Engineering as a student?

Why should you dive into Prompt Engineering starting TODAY? Here are the reasons why it can be of great benefit to you – whether you’re a student, a creative, or a knowledge worker:

Sharper Research

Students and knowledge workers often rely on search engines and specialized AI-powered tools to gather information. A well-formulated prompt can help filter out more precise and relevant information from a flood of data. This is crucial for academic work, literature reviews, or gathering data for projects.

Soon, companies will use their own specialized language models. These will be integrated into products from companies like Microsoft or SAP and will have access to the databases and systems within the company.

The better you become at Prompt Engineering NOW, the more valuable your skills will be for any company or for yourself.

Save Time and Increase Your Efficiency

Effective Prompt Engineering enables you to save time by generating quicker and more targeted responses from language models and other AI systems.

And time is the most important resource you have.

With good Prompt Engineering for students, you can not only gain a productivity edge but also more time for the essentials. If you work more efficiently, there’s more time for travel, your family, or your hobbies.

Who says you still have to work 40 or 50 hours a week in the future? It’s up to you to define what the future of your work looks like.

Become More Creative

Whether you want to write an original text or design a unique graphic, AI needs specific prompts to generate useful suggestions. Learning how to formulate creative and inspiring prompts can support your creative process and lead to more innovative ideas.

A fairly well-known study by Professor Andreas Fügener and colleagues concluded that humans, in collaboration with AI, make both the AI and the human look old.

Relying solely on AI or ignoring it will cause you to fall behind. The key is to combine your skills with those of AI.

Understand the Mechanisms Behind AI

Learning Prompt Engineering gives you better insights into how AI models work.

This knowledge enables you to use the technology responsibly and understand its limitations.

This knowledge is valuable in an increasingly AI-driven world and can help you better understand and critically examine the ethical, technical, and social implications of using AI. This can help you position yourself as an expert and always be one step ahead of others.

Stay Flexible and Future-Proof

The ability to create effective prompts is a transferable skill that can be adapted to new AI systems and technologies.

As AI development progresses rapidly, it’s important to remain flexible and quickly adapt to new tools.

Maybe ChatGPT will no longer be relevant in a few years. But communication via natural language will remain, regardless of which tools come next.

Here, Prompt Engineering for students offers you a long-term competitive advantage. It’s not just about keeping up with current technology, but also about preparing yourself for what’s to come in the next few decades.

Applications of Prompt Engineering

Generating images and writing texts isn’t part of your job?

No matter.

Prompt Engineering is already making big waves in many areas, not only in creative fields but also in technical professions or the education sector.

In the world of technology, Prompt Engineering enables developers to work more efficiently, whether it’s creating code with tools like GitHub Copilot or automatically troubleshooting software. Researchers use AI to analyze data and make scientific discoveries by using specific prompts that direct the AI in the right direction.

Prompt Engineering is also finding applications in the education sector. It enables the creation of customized learning materials and supports interactive learning experiences that are precisely tailored to the needs of learners. Through targeted prompts, the teaching material can be dynamically adjusted, making learning more effective and interesting.

These examples are just a snippet of the many possibilities that Prompt Engineering offers. It combines creativity with technical solutions in a way that was unthinkable a few years ago.

Act Now! Your Prompt Engineering Challenge

Now it’s your turn!

Use Prompt Engineering to take your next study project, a report for your supervisor, or your side hustle to the next level.

Here’s a small challenge for you: Choose a topic you’re currently working on or a project that’s coming up. Maybe you want to conduct comprehensive research on a specific subject or analyze complex data.

Apply the principles of Prompt Engineering to make more effective use of AI tools.

Start with a clear, context-related request. For example, formulate a prompt asking ChatGPT to give you a summary of the latest research findings on a specific topic, or use an AI tool for data analysis to identify patterns in your research data.

Document your steps, the various prompts you try, and the results you obtain in your own Prompt Library. Reflect on how adjusting your prompts has influenced the AI’s responses and which techniques were most effective.

Share your discoveries and insights with your classmates, in a study group, with your colleagues, or in the comment section under this video.

Let’s discuss together how we can use Prompt Engineering to inspire others with our work.

What’s a Second Brain for students, you might ask?

Imagine, on your way to university today, you listened to a podcast and thought to yourself at several points, “Ahh yes, that sounds interesting and would be a great angle for my next term paper.”

Then, during your lunch break, you read an engaging blog post and watched a YouTube tutorial in the evening – but you’ve already forgotten the interesting facts from the podcast.

Darn it! You really wanted to remember them.

To manage the flood of information you’re exposed to today effectively, you need a system.

The “Second Brain” method has accompanied me through my studies, my doctoral thesis, and while building up this YouTube channel.

In this article, I’ll show you how you can better organize your thoughts and ideas to be even more successful in your studies and all other areas of life.

The Challenges of Information Overload

Do you know the feeling when you’re trying to remember something important, and it just won’t come to mind?

Or when you spend hours searching for a document you were sure you had saved somewhere?

You watch YouTube for hours every week to educate yourself, but what actually sticks?

I know this situation all too well.

The flood of information we are all exposed to today can be overwhelming. Our brain is not capable of absorbing all these details and information but can only store a limited amount of it.

But here comes the good news: You don’t have to keep everything in your head. The solution lies in outsourcing the task of remembering to technology.

The concept of the “Second Brain” allows you to store and access information in such a way that you can easily retrieve and use it later.

Then your “First Brain” is no longer so occupied with storing information but can develop more ideas and be creative.

The Basic Idea of the Second Brain Method

The Second Brain is a term popularized by author and productivity expert Tiago Forte. In his book “Building a Second Brain,” he details a four-stage approach known as the C.O.D.E system.

2.1. The C.O.D.E. System

Capture

The first step is capturing information. This process is crucial because this is where you lay the foundation for your “second brain.” It’s about being attentive and consciously capturing information you take in – whether from books, lectures, movies, or conversations.

That means you really write down the information. Of course, not every piece of information is worth noting. Focus on what truly speaks to you or stimulates your thought process.

In the context of the Second Brain method, you would have definitely noted down the interesting podcast facts from the introductory example.

Use digital tools like Notion, Evernote, or even a simple notebook to capture your thoughts and discoveries. Make notes, draw sketches, save quotes – whatever inspires you.

Organize

After capturing information, the next step is to organize it. Good organization allows you to quickly access your collected ideas and information.

Create categories to sort your notes. This way, you can quickly find everything related to “Psychology” or “Programming,” for example.

Remember: Your system should be simple and intuitive. Complicated structures often lead to frustration. In your digital system, you can also always use the search function (Ctrl+F) to find information even faster.

Distill

The third step is about filtering out the essence of your notes. It’s important to identify the core messages and summarize them in a way that is personally useful to you.

Therefore, it’s best if you don’t just copy notes from a webpage into your Second Brain, but instead process them in your own words once. This not only aids in understanding but also in truly internalizing the information.

Imagine you had to explain the most important points from your notes to someone else – how would you express it? This approach helps to pinpoint the essence of your thoughts.

Express

The final step is expression. This is about transforming your collected and processed information into something tangible – be it an essay, a blog post, a project, or a presentation.

The contents of your Second Brain are of no use if you don’t apply them. In the phases when you are not consuming but creating, you should always have your Second Brain at hand.

By internalizing the CODE system, you turn the collection and processing of information into an active, creative process. Thus, your second brain becomes a tool that can enrich your studies, your sports, or your company forever.

2.2. PARA Method

In addition to the CODE system, the PARA method is a crucial component of the “Second Brain” concept.

PARA stands for Projects, Areas, Resources, and Archive. By organizing your information according to the PARA method, you ensure that you always know exactly where to find what and how best to use the information for specific purposes.

Projects: These are short-term endeavors with a specific goal. For example, a project in your studies could be preparing for an important exam or writing a term paper.

Areas: These represent long-term responsibilities or aspects of your life that require continuous attention, such as your progress in studies or personal development.

Resources: Here, you collect information on topics that interest you or could be useful in the future, like research articles, interesting websites, or specialist books.

Archive: Everything not currently in active use but might be important later ends up here. The archive serves as a kind of memory storage that you can always refer back to. The PARA method organizes your digital information so that you always know where to find what and how to optimally use it.

In addition to his foundational book on the Second Brain approach, Tiago Forte has now also published a second book specifically on the PARA method.

It’s currently on my To-Read list. Which, by the way, is part of my Second Brain.

Tips for Implementing Your Second Brain

To conclude, here are some insights from my nearly decade-long journey with the Second Brain concept. They might serve you well.

Start Small

Don’t feel compelled to capture everything from the get-go. Taking on too much too soon can lead to quick burnout due to the overwhelming nature of extensive note-taking, marking a significant shift in routine. Start by focusing on one subject or a particular area of interest. Gather notes, ideas, and insights focused on this domain. Once this becomes a norm and feels effortless, introduce a second domain (“Area” as per the PARA method).

Leverage Technology

Tools such as Notion, Evernote, or even basic Word documents can streamline your note organization. Explore various applications to discover the most suitable option for you. My journey began with Evernote, transitioning to Notion later on. While Evernote offers simplicity, Notion demands a learning curve but presents unlimited potential. Absolute Second Brain enthusiasts swear by Obsidian, a sophisticated software that enables you to implement your own Zettelkasten method, facilitating a deep, interconnected note-taking approach.

Filter Aggressively

When assimilating new information, ponder its applicability in real-world scenarios. Storing an impactful quote is beneficial, yet its true value lies in future creative applications. Ensure that only information with a realistic potential for future application by you gets included in your Second Brain.

Reflect Regularly

Carve out dedicated time for regular review and reflection on your amassed information to enhance comprehension and connectivity. This practice not only enhances long-term memory but also aids in drawing connections across different knowledge segments. The greatest challenge I face with the Second Brain is maintaining consistent curation, pivotal for maximizing its benefits.

Share Your Knowledge

Actively engage in discussions about your ideas and insights with peers, as sharing perspectives can significantly enrich your understanding and creativity. For collaborative ventures, consider making sections of your Second Brain accessible to peers, allowing them to contribute to and enrich your repository.

The Second Brain transcends mere project utility, evolving into a companion for lifelong learning. Persisting with it over a year or two quickly makes one wonder how they ever managed without it.

Hence, the most important advice I have for you is straightforward: Just start!

The Spaced Repetition Study Method is about to change everything you thought you knew about studying.

Do you usually start studying for exams just 5 days in advance? No wonder you forget 80% of the material by exam day.

Educational research suggests that Spaced Repetition is the solution.

By applying this method before your exams, not only will you spend fewer total hours studying, but you can also continue your daily routines totally relaxed in the week leading up to the exam AND expect a top grade.

In this article, I’ll show you how to implement the method in 5 simple steps.

How Does Spaced Repetition Work?

Early 20th-century psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus, a pioneer in research on human memory, conducted a series of self-experiments.

He attempted to memorize a series of nonsensical syllables and documented his success.

He found that he forgot information over time if he didn’t repeat it.

This observation led to the development of the forgetting curve, which shows how memories fade if not actively refreshed.

The curve flattens over time, meaning the intervals between repetitions can increase to achieve the same level of recall.

This effect is explained by the multi-store model of memory, suggesting that memories move from short-term to long-term memory.

Spaced Repetition is a study method based on this principle, aiming to anchor information more effectively in long-term memory. The key idea is that you retain information better when repeated over longer periods in increasingly larger intervals, rather than cramming in short, dense intervals.

First repetition: Shortly after initially learning the information. Subsequent repetitions: At increasingly longer intervals.

#1 Understand the Mechanics of the Spaced Repetition Study Method

Imagine retaining everything you study not just for the next exam, but for years. Spaced Repetition makes this possible.

By repeating study material at progressively longer intervals, Spaced Repetition deeply embeds information in your long-term memory, similar to muscle training: regular, well-timed training leads to well-developed muscles.

Just like muscle memory, your brain builds strong recollections for your exams with Spaced Repetition.

Why is Spaced Repetition So Effective?

Each time you recall information after a longer interval, you strengthen the neural connection to that information, akin to turning a path in a dense forest into a broad road. These “roads” in your brain help you quickly retrieve information years later.

Studies support Spaced Repetition’s effectiveness, showing that recalling study material at increasing intervals challenges your brain to retrieve information from deeper memory layers (e.g., Cepeda et al., 2008).

This process of active recall solidifies your knowledge more sustainably than repeating information in short, dense intervals.

To outperform 95% of your peers, start studying with short, semester-spanning sessions as soon as you get the lecture notes, rather than cramming at the last minute.

#2 Your Spaced-Repetition Schedule

Moving on to the foundation of the study method: the schedule.

While the science and principle of Spaced Repetition sound great, without a good plan for its implementation, it’s pretty useless.

First, get an overview of your study material and break it into manageable parts. Then, distribute these parts over a period leading up to your exam or the end of the semester, starting as early as possible.

The trick: You don’t repeat each part at regular intervals but in increasingly longer ones, e.g., on day one, then after three days, a week, two weeks, and so on. This may sound complex, but don’t worry—there are apps and software to help (more on that soon).

All you need to do is adjust your schedule for various exams so that the more frequent repetitions at the start don’t all cluster in the first week of the semester. Begin with the material for the exam scheduled earliest at the end of the semester.

Now that you have a plan, it’s time to integrate it into your daily life.

Make Spaced Repetition a (nearly) daily habit by finding a fixed time each day, perhaps in the morning or between lectures, and dedicate this time to your Spaced-Repetition study sessions.

Tip: Pair this session with something you enjoy, like your favorite café or an episode of your favorite podcast afterwards. This makes learning less of a chore and more a part of your daily routine you can look forward to.

Example Spaced-Repetition Schedule: Let’s say you want to learn a specific topic for an exam.

Here’s a simple schedule for applying Spaced Repetition:

Day 1: Study the new topic (e.g., Lecture slide deck No. 1)
Understand and process the information thoroughly. Clarify any questions (e.g., in a tutorial).
Day 2: First repetition. Review the previous day’s learning to solidify it. Use flashcards or software.
Day 4: Second repetition. Repeat the topic to strengthen the memory. Day 7: Third repetition.
Day 14: Fourth repetition. Review the topic again.
Day 28: Fifth repetition.
Day 30: Exam.

Maintain these intervals for all sub-topics (e.g., lecture slide deck). If you can stretch the period even further, to 60 or 90 days, even better.

This schedule is just an example and can be adjusted based on individual progress and needs.

The key is increasing the intervals between repetitions, maximizing the method’s effectiveness.

But in our digital world, you don’t have to create your study plan from scratch; there’s software for that.

#3 Software Tools

Traditional flashcards are great for manually implementing Spaced Repetition. Write a question on one side and the answer on the other.

If you answer a card correctly, move it further back in the stack. Incorrect answers go to the front.

Utilize the Active Recall principle at this point.

As we live in the digital age, you don’t have to make things harder for yourself.

There are many tools like Anki, Quizlet, or Memrise that help organize your study material and automatically adjust repetition intervals. These apps use algorithms to determine when you’re ready to revisit specific information.

In a comparative study among 3 groups (1: without Spaced Repetition, 2: Spaced Repetition, 3: Spaced Repetition with algorithmic personalization), the group with algorithmic personalization achieved the best exam results (Lindsey et al., 2014).

An algorithm can analyze how well you remembered information last time and how long ago that was.

Based on this, it calculates the ideal time for the next repetition, meaning the repetition intervals aren’t fixed but dynamically adjust to your study progress.

A major advantage of these apps is personalization. Everyone learns differently, and these tools take that into account.

If you make faster progress on a topic, the repetition intervals extend.

For topics you struggle with more, they shorten. This ensures you use your time efficiently and focus on areas needing more attention.

Many of these apps also offer tracking and gamification features, allowing you to monitor your progress.

This not only provides transparency but also motivation. It’s incredibly satisfying to see your knowledge build over time and how your efforts pay off.

#4 Time Management and Efficiency: Study Smarter, Not Harder

“Spaced Repetition sounds good, but that means I have to start studying in the middle of the semester. That seems quite laborious.”

Ultimately, Spaced Repetition doesn’t necessarily mean investing more time in studying. You’re just distributing your time differently. Instead of cramming for 7 days and nights before the exam, you study continuously throughout the semester for a few hours each week.

Spaced Repetition is a real time-saver.

Rather than spending hours cramming and then forgetting most of it, Spaced Repetition allows you to learn more efficiently. By repeating information at optimal intervals, you spend less time reviewing things you already know and more time on what you need to learn.

This also means you spend less time studying and more time for other important things – whether for other courses, hobbies, or just relaxing.

Spaced Repetition helps you learn more—in less time.

#5 Combine the Spaced Repetition Study Method and Active Recall

If you combine Spaced Repetition with the study method Active Recall, as hinted earlier, you’ll not only reach your goals faster but also with a deeper understanding and longer-lasting memory.

With this approach, your next exam is sure to be a success. I’ve linked a video on Active Recall here for you.

Further Reading:

Cepeda, N. J., Vul, E., Rohrer, D., Wixted, J. T., & Pashler, H. (2008). Spacing effects in learning: A temporal ridgeline of optimal retention. Psychological science, 19(11), 1095-1102.

Lindsey, R. V., Shroyer, J. D., Pashler, H., & Mozer, M. C. (2014). Improving students’ long-term knowledge retention through personalized review. Psychological science, 25(3), 639-647.

Studying with ChatGPT could be the game-changer for your next exam preparation.

Are you sitting at your desk wondering how to cram all this knowledge into your head for the upcoming exam?

You could go to the library and pore over some books. Or you could start a study group, hoping to find someone who can explain the concepts to you in an understandable way.

But as you know, we’ve arrived in 2024, and it’s time to rethink exam preparation.

With the help of artificial intelligence, you can prepare for your exams in a way that has never been possible before.

In this video, I’ll show you 7 ways to make ChatGPT your personal tutor and outshine everyone else in your next exam.

#1 Achieving Your Goals with the Right Study Plan

Use ChatGPT as your personal assistant to help you organize your study material effectively. With a well-thought-out study plan, you’ll navigate your exam preparation with ChatGPT confidently.

Just tell ChatGPT what exams are coming up and what your weekly schedule looks like. Whether you’re a night owl or a morning person, ChatGPT can suggest a plan that fits your most productive hours and includes enough breaks.

Example prompt: “I have a microeconomics exam in 4 weeks and I learn best in the morning. Assign a learning topic for each week and specify which topics I should study. I have 2 hours a day to study. Include study breaks. What would my study plan look like?”

ChatGPT will then create a personalized plan for you. If you have access to ChatGPT’s Pro version, you can also send a topic overview of the subject along with it.

If you’re using the free version of ChatGPT, you could attach this overview to your prompt via copy-and-paste.

Extra tip: Once you’ve created the study plan, you can also ask ChatGPT for ideas about how to collect additional resources on the exam contents. Never settle for the study material that your professor hasn’t updated in 10 years.

#2 Mind Maps as a Study Booster

Mind maps are incredibly helpful for keeping track of complex topics. ChatGPT can assist you in creating a visual map of your study material.

Here’s how it works: Ask ChatGPT to organize the key topics of your exam into a mind map. You’ll receive a clear, visual representation of the material, showing how everything is connected. Perfect for grasping the big picture!

Example prompt: “Can you create a mind map for the main topics of microeconomics, including the connections between supply, demand, and market prices?”

The more information you provide to the AI, the better the outcome. The best result comes from using a GPT specifically adapted for creating mind maps. Look for a “Mind Map Generator” in the GPT database.

If you’re using the free version of ChatGPT, get creative and have the AI describe what the mind map should look like, then draw it using a free tool or by hand.

#3 Turning Long into Short

Your professor’s slide deck is over 100 pages long and written like in 1995.

Unfortunately, not every professor is a pedagogical genius.

However, these contents are often crucial for exams. What do you do to understand this jumble of words and formulas?

Don’t worry, if there’s one thing ChatGPT excels at, it’s summarizing large amounts of text and data.

The summaries created by the AI can be key for you to manage all the study material. Provide ChatGPT with a text or your notes and ask for a summary. The AI filters out the most important points, saving you hours of compiling.

Example prompt: “Here’s a lecture slide deck about Adam Smith’s market theories. Can you summarize the main points for me?”

The concise versions you have now are invaluable when you want to focus on the essentials and quickly get up to speed. They’re also great for quickly revisiting topics before an exam. Just save ChatGPT’s response in Notion or whatever you use as a second brain, and you can access it anytime.

Note: If you’re using ChatGPT 3.5, you’ll need to paste the content via copy and paste. Unfortunately, you can only process a limited number of words per prompt. With ChatGPT 4, it’s more convenient as ChatGPT can access entire PDF files via plugins. Alternatively, try other LLM’s such as Microsoft’s Bing AI to summarize PDF files for you.

#4 Your 24/7 Study Buddy

There are days when your study group just doesn’t cut it – whether it’s because everyone has different schedules, or because your meetings turn more into coffee chats than effective study sessions.

Then, there are those nights when you, being a night owl, learn best.

In such moments, you can turn ChatGPT into your tutor. The best part: AI can always adapt precisely to your needs.

With ChatGPT, you can dive deep into topics that give you a headache. Ask the AI for precise questions, request clear, detailed explanations, or seek support for the trickiest tasks.

You can ask ChatGPT to explain things as simply as if you were a 6-year-old – ideal for getting to the heart of complex topics.

Imagine having someone by your side who explains everything at your pace, without the pressure of a group or the constraints of a fixed schedule.

Example prompt: “I don’t understand how cross-price elasticity works. Pretend you’re a microeconomics expert. Can you explain it in a way that a third-grader would understand?”

ChatGPT provides quick feedback and helps you close gaps in your understanding. And don’t worry if you still don’t get it after the fifth follow-up question. ChatGPT is cool with you asking a ton of questions – so go for it!

#5 Mastering Past Exams

In my studies, I preferred studying with mock exams. It gives you a feel for the questions you can expect in the exam.

ChatGPT can help you understand and answer mock exam questions.

Simply give ChatGPT questions from previous or mock exams and ask the AI for sample answers. This way, you get a sense of what’s expected and how you can structure your answers.

Furthermore, ChatGPT can provide explanations and tips on how to best structure your answers. This helps you understand the mindset behind the questions and adjust your answers accordingly.

Additionally, you can ask ChatGPT to review your answers and provide feedback, helping you identify and specifically improve weaknesses in your knowledge.

Example prompt: “Here’s a question from an old microeconomics exam: ‘Describe the effects of subsidies on the market.’ Can you give me a sample answer and explain how I should structure my answer?”

#6 Question Generator for Deeper Understanding

Solving questions from previous exams is a good idea, but what if there are no mock exams available? No problem, because ChatGPT can also help you generate your own exam questions.

This method is not only a good substitute for past exams but also allows you to view topics from different perspectives and dive deeper into the material.

Extra tip: Use ChatGPT to create various scenarios or case studies. This way, you can prepare for different types of questions and ensure that you’re comprehensively equipped for the exam. Additionally, you can use ChatGPT to check your answers and get feedback, helping you identify weaknesses in your knowledge and improve them specifically.

Example prompt: “Can you give me some exam questions on price elasticity in microeconomics?”

Save the questions and answers so you can review them later, following the principles of the Spaced Repetition learning method.

#7 Creating Flashcards

Flashcards are a classic.

With ChatGPT, you can quickly and efficiently create them, perfect for reviewing the lecture contents before an exam.

Simply provide the AI with the desired content and ask it to create corresponding flashcards.

ChatGPT analyzes the main concepts of the content and develops suitable questions and answers. You can also ask it to provide the result in a specific format, such as for flashcard apps like Anki.

You can create a table with two columns: one for the questions on the front side and one for the answers on the back.

Example prompt: “Create a list of flashcard questions on market power in microeconomics with corresponding answers. Use two columns, one for the question and the other for the answer.”

Alternatively, you can copy and paste your own notes or scripts, and ChatGPT will create flashcards from them. When studying with your flashcards, remember to apply the principles of Active Recall. You can find a corresponding tutorial linked here.

Are you already feeling the stress of the exam period at the start of the semester? Has your semester break not been enough to recover from the rigors of the last term?

And do you find it frustrating that despite hours of memorizing and studying, you only managed a mediocre grade?

What do those top students know about study techniques that you don’t?

If this resonates with you, then this article is just what you need. In this article, we will go through the 8 most common mistakes that prevent you from learning any subject and achieving top grades in your studies.

#1 You Start Studying Too Late

We all know that feeling, as the exam approaches, our motivation to study really kicks in – after all, you don’t want to fail.

The pressure is a real motivator to stop procrastinating.

If you’re someone who crams right before the exam and enjoys your free time during the semester instead of sitting in the university library, you’re not alone.

This is how most students study.

However, this method of exam preparation is not really smart and is extremely stressful – this learning strategy is probably the main cause for long nights of cramming and all-nighters.

What if you spread your study hours more evenly throughout the semester?

You don’t need to study more, just more evenly distributed.

Instead of handling the entire study load at the last minute, distribute your sessions evenly over the time you have available.

This means starting early in the semester and regularly reserving time for studying. This way, you won’t panic as exams approach, because you have already laid a solid foundation.

One of the main advantages of this approach is that the number of study hours you invest throughout the semester remains consistent.

You don’t have to catch up last minute on what you typically would have missed until then. This not only leads to a deeper understanding of the material but also makes it easier to remember it.

This is also why the Spaced Repetition technique is so effective.

Determine at the beginning of the semester how many hours per day or per week you want to study and then stick to your spaced repetition schedule until the end.

Instead of fear and panic, you’ll walk into the exam with confidence.

So set yourself a goal. For some, it may be 2 hours of study a day, for others, 5. Everyone learns at a different pace. Don’t compare yourself to others. Stay true to yourself.

If you can’t imagine this strategy paying off for you, challenge yourself.

Maybe start this type of exam preparation with just one exam. After that, you’ll see whether you ever want to prepare differently again. 😉

By the way, the Spaced Repetition technique has been around for a while.

It was described as early as 1932 in the book “The Psychology of Study” by C.A. Mace and has since been found to be maximally effective in countless scientific studies.

This approach is a fundamental part of learning how to learn, as it allows for better distribution of study time and long-term memory.

#2 You Study Non-Stop

If you want to takt the learning how to learn thing serious, it’s vital to incorporate regular breaks.

To understand how important this is, think of studying similar to muscle training in the gym.

When you activate neurons and absorb new information while studying, it’s akin to your muscles being exerted during exercise.

Just as your muscles need rest periods after intense exercise to grow and recover, your brain cells also need breaks to consolidate what you’ve learned.

Studies in neuroscience and psychology have confirmed a relationship between learning and breaks and even naps.

Groups of learners who incorporated regular breaks into their study routine achieved better learning outcomes than control groups that did not take breaks.

This means that the brain has the opportunity to process and organize the absorbed information during these breaks.

If you only start studying a week before the exam, you probably have little time to take breaks.

After all, you have to cram all the material into your brain. So this gives you another reason to start right at the beginning of the semester.

Okay, but how exactly should you study now? To find the ideal learning strategy, it’s important to take a look at Bloom’s Taxonomy.

#3 You’re Not Familiar with Bloom’s Taxonomy

This framework elevates your learning how to learn strategy from simple memorization to higher-order thinking skills.

Bloom’s Taxonomy is a classification system for learning objectives, developed in 1956 by Benjamin Bloom.

It differentiates various levels of learning. In the lower levels, it’s about the learner being able to remember and understand basic course concepts.

However, the tasks of an exam or assignment are often on the higher levels of the taxonomy, where you are asked to apply, analyze, evaluate, or create new concepts.

To achieve this, you must really process information, not just memorize it. Always check during your study whether you have understood the material on a deep level.

For example, you can summarize concepts in your own words and then apply this knowledge by actively solving practice problems of varying difficulty.

These tasks should test your ability to analyze and evaluate information. When studying, ask yourself at which level you are.

• Can you solve problems?
• Are you able to critically evaluate information, compare concepts, and derive recommendations for action?

For instance, if you’re studying medicine and learn new things about the workings of the heart, you shouldn’t just limit yourself to memorizing medical facts like the function of heart valves.

Instead, you should go a step further and ask yourself how heart valve defects manifest and why they occur.

To reach the top of the pyramid and truly master a subject, teaching others and creating your own teaching materials is one of the best methods.

In doing so, you force yourself to go through the entire taxonomy, develop your own opinions, and teach others based on your own understanding.

#4 Learning How to Learn: You Don’t Enjoy the Process

Learning is supposed to be fun? Yeah, great phrase, but not really possible in reality.

Wrong!

Try to see it differently. For me, learning used to automatically mean memorizing, which I found terribly monotonous and boring.

So, one day I decided, I didn’t just want to learn economics, I wanted to really understand it.

Instead of plowing through textbooks and lecture scripts, I approached it differently.

I first familiarized myself with the subject. And that’s super easy with entertaining content on YouTube, documentaries, or podcasts.

I could hardly believe it myself, but documentaries like Inside Job, Money Never Sleeps, or the books by Ray Dalio for example not only made the subject more accessible but genuinely sparked my interest.

This new approach turned learning into an exciting adventure rather than a tedious obligation.

So, learning can indeed be fun if you find the right ways to make it engaging. And who knows, maybe you too will find an entertaining way to delve into your study topics.

#5 You Only Focus on Your Favourite Topics

Naturally, we prefer to engage with things we are already good at. It’s easier to learn new things in these areas, as it requires less effort. And of course, we prefer the easy path over climbing the mountain.

And besides, learning should be fun, as I just told you.

But unfortunately, you also have to pass subjects that are not your strong suit. To finish with good grades, you have to invest time. So challenge yourself and turn your weakness into your strength.

Believe me, economics was not my favorite subject.

I even disliked it, so I tried to make it easier for myself to access the subject. Try it out, and you might find that the topic isn’t as terribly boring as you thought – sometimes it’s really the boring professor. 😉

Challenging yourself to study less-preferred subjects is crucial for learning to learn.

#6 You Study with Flashcards

My beloved flashcards, that’s how I always used to study!

Nearly all of my fellow students also had a stack of 268 flashcards on the table in the library. Why should that be a mistake?

Let me explain.

On one side of a flashcard is the question, and on the other is the answer.

And what is the goal of flashcards?

Memorization.

And if we recall Bloom’s Taxonomy, memorization is at the lowest level. So, you are most likely not going to get an A+ in the exam using them.

Flashcards are not optimal because they focus on isolated facts and not on the overall context. Yet, it is this context that is important for comparing information, showing contrasts, and applying learned material to new situations.

These tasks are higher up on Bloom’s Taxonomy and secure you the top grade.

Move beyond flashcards and embrace Active Recall as a powerful tool in your learning how to learn arsenal.

1. You read a part of the material and then put it away.
2. Then write down everything you remember and phrase it in your own words.
3. Then read the text again and check which information you missed.

Repeat this process until you know everything.

#7 Focusing on Memorization

I’ve already hinted at it, but this point is so important that I can’t stress about it enough.

In most cases, you can actually completely save yourself from memorization techniques, apart from a few exceptions like the first semesters of a medical degree, for example.

If you start solving problems and achieve a deep understanding of the material, you’ll not only understand connections better but will also automatically remember the facts over time.

Even though it seems counterintuitive at first, if you focus on memorization, you will forget information faster than if you build relationships between facts. This way, the learned material goes not only into your short-term but also your long-term memory.

So, in exam preparation, focus on tasks that are at the application, analysis, and evaluation levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy.

This means you shouldn’t just passively read your notes and books. Engage with the material and don’t just highlight text in color.

Really think about what you read. Answer questions that arise while reading and research information that goes beyond the script.

#8 You Study Without Using Mock Exams

Incorporate previous or mock exams into your learning how to learn journey. Right at the beginning of the semester, you should download past exams.

Old exams provide insight into the format and style of the exams. This can help you better prepare for the specific requirements of the test.

Also, you see which topics or types of questions were more common in previous exams. This allows you to focus your preparation on the areas that are likely to be tested.

By solving old exams, you can improve your time management for the test. You can find out how much time you need for different tasks and how to divide them most efficiently.

Furthermore, by going through the old exams, you can identify your knowledge gaps and weaknesses and focus your revision on exactly these areas.

But here’s another important reminder. Don’t just memorize the answers to the old exams. It is very unlikely that the same questions will be asked again. Therefore, focus on a deep understanding and application of your knowledge.

Do you feel overwhelmed by a mountain of scripts, presentation deadlines, and assignment due dates? Mastering time management for students can be a huge challenge amidst all this chaos.

No need to panic.

That’s precisely the challenge. In your studies, you’re being tested—tested on whether you can organize yourself well enough to meet all the requirements for your desired degree. The pressure that arises from this is artificial and exists only in your mind.

There’s a simple way to transform time pressure into boundless energy.

In this video, I want to show you how by revealing three crucial secrets. Once you have understood these secrets, you can master the mercilessly ticking countdown of each semester and achieve all your academic goals with ease.

#1 Setting priorities

The first secret most students do not know that time is not the issue. The issue is setting the right priorities.

Take a step back and look at your semester from a bird’s-eye view. It’s best to take a sheet of paper and write down all your subjects.

Now, break down each subject into its respective tasks (e.g., exams, presentations, assignments, etc.).

Now, put the individual tasks in order by evaluating them based on certain criteria:

• number of credit points
• proximity to the deadline
• personal interest in the topic
• current progress/knowledge level

Some of these factors may be important to you (e.g., credit points), while others may be more secondary (e.g., fascination with the topic). But it could also be exactly the opposite. Only you can make this assessment.

It’s important that you do.

By considering the proximity to the deadline, you’ve added a time dimension, which is helpful for visualization.

The whole thing might look something like this:

[Here, you can create a visual representation with the courses and tasks ranked according to the criteria mentioned above.]

The end of each bar marks the submission date, and the length of the bar marks the time you allow for each project.

#2 Goal Setting

The obligatory quote to emphasize the importance:

“The slowest one who does not lose sight of his goal will still move faster than the one who wanders aimlessly.” (Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, German Philosopher)

Setting goals while you study is essential. Otherwise you don’t know in which direction you need to go.

Plus, it’s not enough to just think about your goals.

Goals must be written down and regularly reviewed.

For managing your time during the semester, I suggest a three-tiered structure: months, weeks, and days.

Monthly Goals: Let’s assume the scenario I showed you with the exam, the presentation, and the assignments takes place within a single month. Your four tasks can be formulated as four monthly goals:

1. I pass my retake in Course B with a grade of X or better.
2. I receive a grade of X or better for the presentation in Course A.
3. I pass the assignment in Course A with a grade of X or better.
4. The poster in Course C earns me a grade of X or better.

If the timeframe for completing an assignment (or the study phase for an exam) extends over two months, you can formulate your goal differently:

1. By the end of the month, I have completed the literature review and theoretical framework (at least 6 pages of text) for the assignment in Course D.
2. Summarize and review scripts 1-8 for the exam in Course E twice each by the end of the month.

Weekly Goals: Your weekly goals differ from the monthly level in that you can be more specific about your intermediate objectives.

1. By the end of the week, I have watched and transcribed 8 out of 12 learning videos from Course B.
2. The literature research for the assignment in Course A is completed by the end of the week (at least 40 high-quality literature sources).

Review your weekly goals every Sunday evening and set new ones for the upcoming week.

• What worked?
• What didn’t?
• How can you approach things better to achieve all your goals this week?

Of course, you must approach goal-setting in a way that aligns with your monthly goal (If you plan to watch 2 learning videos per week, but there are 12 in total, you won’t achieve it in one month).

Daily Goals: Now, go one level deeper and divide your days. There are two possibilities:

1. Create themed days: In this first approach, you dedicate each day to only one thing (in this case, a task for a specific course). For example, Monday to Wednesday could be study days for your exam, and Thursday to Saturday could be solely for your assignment.
2. Plan every day the same: The right strategy depends on your daily schedule. If you have full-day lectures or work on three days a week, you need to adjust your daily planning flexibly.

During the lecture-free time, you can structure your perfect study day by dividing it into blocks that correspond to your priorities and other factors such as your biological rhythm and learning type (e.g., morning person vs. night owl).

Place the activities for the top priority at the beginning of the day as willpower will decrease later.

An optimally structured study day could look like this:

[Here, you can create a detailed schedule for a study day with different blocks of activities, taking into account your preferences and circumstances.]

#3 Treat studying like a job

When it comes to time management in your studies, you are allowed to think completely in black and white for once.

What do I mean by that?

When you close your book, you’re done for the day.

Studying doesn’t have fixed working hours like a job. You have to create them for yourself.

If you don’t, thoughts about tasks will haunt you right after waking up, before going to bed, or even on weekends.

You can forget about all tasks with a clear conscience once you’ve completed your daily goal.

It’s crucial to switch off completely.

When you’re doing sports or meeting friends, university-related thoughts should have no place in your mind.

Conversely, the same applies.

When you’re in a study session, your phone has no place on the table.

If you get distracted, you won’t achieve your goal, and you’ll need more time to reach the same result. Leave your phone in a locker at the entrance to the library; it helps.

Final Thoughts

The achievement of your goals, even if they are just small ones, must be celebrated.

Reward yourself with something that brings you joy and that you look forward to.

I have discussed this topic in more detail before in my video on study motivation.

You can also motivate yourself by making your progress visible.

You can add small checkboxes to your daily goals if you find satisfaction in ticking off tasks.

I use the same technique for my research papers.

Whenever a paper reaches a new round of revisions or is accepted somewhere, I give its entry in my list a new label and a nice colour.

This small ritual gives me tremendous satisfaction. And it motivates me to master this list, even though I am the only person that knows this list exists.

Additionally, keep reminding yourself why you are doing all of this.

There is hardly a greater motivation than pursuing the dream that lives deep inside you.

And have fun along the way.

Finding out how to eliminate self-doubt as a student can be a major challenge.

What if I don’t pass my next exam?

Or, heaven forbid, if I end up with a lousy grade?

Then all my dreams of completing my degree and landing my dream job will go down the drain! There is only one way out: You must focus on how to eliminate self-doubt and fear.

As you read these questions, you can feel your heart racing, and those pesky negative thoughts are exactly what occupy your mind, right?

Whether you find yourself questioning your abilities, drowning in the overwhelming workload of your studies, or constantly comparing yourself to your fellow students, self-doubt can become a real mental burden that chips away at your self-confidence.

But don’t give up just yet!

The silver lining is that self-doubt is actually a normal part of the learning process, and with effective strategies, you can conquer it.

That’s precisely why I’ve put together this article with 7 invaluable tips on how to overcome self-doubt and fear just for you. They’ll help you silence that critical voice in your head and tackle your upcoming study tasks with a renewed sense of enthusiasm. So, let’s dive right in and kick self-doubt to the curb!

Step 1: Recognize and Identify Your Self-Doubts

The initial stride on how to overcome self-doubt and fear is acknowledging its presence and realizing that it’s a completely normal and human experience.

Self-doubts act as a defense mechanism, shielding us from the potential sting of failure. In a healthy dose, they can even be a catalyst for motivation, propelling us to give our best and refine our skills to bolster our self-confidence.

However, when doubts and fears overpower us, they can hinder our performance and become a heavy burden.

The first step on how to overcome self-doubt and fear is to consciously acknowledge and precisely identify its triggers. It’s easy to initially attribute it to a general fear of exams, but it’s crucial to delve deeper within yourself.

• Which specific exam evokes this unpleasant sensation?
• What is it about this particular exam that instills fear in you?
• What specific outcome are you afraid of and why?

By gaining a clearer understanding of your mental barriers, you can directly confront your self-doubts and ultimately fight them.

Step 2: Your Thoughts Don’t Define Reality

When it comes to assessing our own abilities, we often let our feelings cloud our judgement. It’s crucial to recognize that our emotions don’t always reflect the objective reality of our competence.

To conquer self-doubt and free yourself from feeling inadequate, it’s essential to separate our emotions from the objective evaluation of our abilities.

Take a step back and try to assess yourself on a rational level. Jot down your past achievements and identify your strengths. You might even consider starting a success journal to track your progress.

When self-doubt starts to creep in again, referring to your journal can provide a genuine confidence boost.

However, especially when you’re caught in the throes of self-doubt, recognizing your strengths can be challenging.

In such instances, seeking honest feedback from mentors, professors, or fellow students can be immensely helpful.

Oftentimes, we tend to be our own toughest critics, while others can offer a more objective assessment, offering a clearer perspective of our actual skills.

This enables you to better identify areas that require improvement and differentiate them from minor distractions that you might unnecessarily obsess over.

Step 3: Create a Worst-Case Scenario to Eliminate Self-Doubt

Hold on a second! I know I’m already caught up in my worries, so why should I bother sketching out a specific worst-case scenario?

Well, here’s the thing.

When you take a moment to consider the absolute worst outcome in this situation, it triggers your mind to start thinking about solutions almost automatically.

And these small steps towards finding a solution are exactly what you need to combat your worries and overwhelming feelings. Besides, is your worst-case scenario, which is highly unlikely to even happen, really so catastrophically awful that there’s no way out?

Let’s say you actually fail the statistics exam. What’s next? You’ll have to retake it! Sure, it’s not the most enjoyable experience, but it’s not the end of the world either. Life goes on.

Visualizing the negative doesn’t make your thoughts even more negative – quite the opposite, in fact.

If you do encounter a setback, you’ll be emotionally better prepared to handle it.

The ancient Stoics like Seneca and Marcus Aurelius understood this well. For them, visualizing the worst-case scenario was an integral part of their daily meditation practice.

Step 4: Develop Your Self-Confidence

When it comes to overcoming self-doubt, a healthy dose of self-confidence is absolutely essential. But let’s be honest, it’s easier said than done, right? How to overcome self-doubt and fear? How can you actually build more self-confidence and conquer your self-doubts?

In this context, you’ve probably come across the concepts of positive thinking and affirmations. And guess what? Scientific research has shown that they work, at least to some extent.

So, it won’t hurt to give yourself some positive pep talks. However, I firmly believe that taking proactive steps will lead to even greater success (and shrink the foundation of your self-doubt, wink).

Let’s revisit the statistics exam, which was like the final boss and a major source of self-doubt for many students during my studies.

If you find yourself tormented by thoughts of potential failure, here’s my tip: Prepare for the exam as thoroughly as possible.

I know it may sound mundane, but trust me, from my own experience, it’s the best way to combat self-doubt. Being well-prepared increases your chances of passing the exam significantly.

But what if you’re completely clueless about dispersion parameters and scale levels? In that case, passing the statistics exam might seem like a distant dream. However, why not tackle exercise 1.5 for your next tutorial? Give it your best shot and then discuss it with your tutor.

The principle is crystal clear: Instead of facing an overwhelming task head-on, break it down into smaller, manageable subtasks.

As you successfully complete these subtasks, your self-confidence will naturally grow, and that nagging inner critic in your head will gradually quiet down.

Step 5: Reach Out for Support

Do you ever feel like you’re the only one dealing with your worries? Your fellow students seem to be unaffected by crippling self-doubt, and no one dares to talk about this uncomfortable topic.

But here’s the thing: that’s precisely the problem! Many students try to handle their concerns alone or simply push them aside. Unfortunately, that approach doesn’t lead to much progress.

Wouldn’t it be so much easier if you could openly address your fears? By doing so, you can support one another and provide much-needed encouragement.

When self-doubt starts taking over your thoughts and impacting your quality of life, it’s a clear sign that you should seek support.

It’s truly amazing what a difference it can make to realize that you’re not alone in your doubts and that others have gone through similar experiences. Reach out to people you trust in your circle, such as your friends or your family.

They might help you in finding out how to eliminate self-doubt because they have done it themselves.

Additionally, universities and colleges often have resources like psychological counseling services with trusted professionals who can lend a helping hand. Remember: Every worry can be overcome, even if it may not seem that way at first.

Step 6: Embrace Failure as an Opportunity for Growth

Even if you didn’t pass an exam, had a mental block during an oral exam, or had a disastrous presentation in a seminar, it’s important not to define yourself by those failures.

Instead, see them as chances for learning and personal development. Remember, nobody is immune to failure, and even the most successful individuals have faced numerous obstacles on their journey.

Stephen King’s book “Carrie” was rejected by 30 publishers before it finally got published in 1974.

Tim Ferriss’ book “The 4-Hour Workweek” was rejected 25 times.

And even the manuscript for Harry Potter faced rejection 12 times. J.K. Rowling even received feedback like, “You do realize you will never make a fortune out of writing children’s books?”

But they didn’t let those setbacks define them or stop them from pursuing their dreams.

By accepting failure as a normal and necessary part of the learning process, you can free yourself from the fear of making mistakes and self-doubt.

Take the time to analyze and reflect on what went wrong in those challenging situations. Use that reflection to identify areas for improvement and develop an action plan for overcoming similar challenges in the future.

Remember, failure doesn’t have to be the end of the road. It can be a steppingstone towards growth and success. So, don’t be discouraged by setbacks.

Embrace them, learn from them, and use them as opportunities to become a stronger and more resilient individual. Keep pushing forward, keep learning, and keep growing.

Step 7: Celebrate Your Progress and Every Little Success

And finally, it’s time to celebrate! Take a moment to rejoice in your progress and success, no matter how small they may seem.

Give yourself credit for the efforts you’ve put in, the hard work you’ve invested, and the achievements you’ve attained.

By rewarding yourself for reaching milestones, you’ll give your self-confidence a well-deserved boost and foster a positive mindset.

Remember, finding out how to eliminate self-doubt is a continuous journey, and every step forward is worth celebrating! So, let’s give a big “Whoop Whoop!”

How do your grades look like at the moment? Could they be better? It doesn’t matter if you’re aiming for top grades or trying to swim out of the uncomfortable lower grade range – improvement is always possible and I will show you how to improve your grades.

And not just better than others, but better than the grades you received last time. If you have set a goal to improve your grades, then this article is exactly what you need. I will show you 7 unusual things at first glance that will immediately improve your grade point average and propel you to new heights.

If you take these 7 things to heart, you won’t just get good grades. You’ll earn them.

#1 Time Blocking to Improve Your Grades

The biggest enemy of good grades is procrastination.

Distractions.

It has always been that way and will always be. To improve your grades, you don’t need to work harder, but smarter.

Those who achieve outstanding grades are rarely more intelligent or talented than you. They have simply found the right learning systems that work for them.

Here’s how time blocking works:

Every morning, at the same time, write down your most important tasks for the day. Start with the most important task. Important tasks are those that will have the biggest impact on your grades, such as reviewing study materials, completing sample exercises, or producing written work.

It’s best to do this with pen and paper in a notebook. Divide the time you have available into 90-minute blocks and schedule at least 20 minutes of break time in between.

Assign your first block to the most important task, the next block to the second most important, and so on. As your willpower decreases throughout the day, the likelihood of getting distracted increases.

#2 Journaling to Improve your Grades

For time blocking, you can use a journal. I always buy a simple black notebook without lines and place it where I start working every morning.

You have complete freedom in how you use your journal. It’s yours. The important thing is that you use it.

At the beginning, it’s extremely difficult to turn it into a habit. You have to persist with it. If you find it uncool to write down your thoughts, plans, and goals, then you have an ego problem. Transferring thoughts onto paper is key to mental clarity, creativity, and systematic success.

If you’re unsure how to start, here are three widely used techniques:

Gratitude: Write down 3 small or big things you’re sincerely grateful for every morning. Goals: Write down your 3 most important goals every morning. These usually remain the same. Reflection: Write down 3 situations every evening where you were dissatisfied with yourself. Consider how you would act differently next time.

Step out of your comfort zone and start a journal. Not because you saw it in a YouTube video, but because you want to do something for yourself.

#3 Mind Mapping to Improve Your Grades

Lists with 3 things or situations are nice, but there are even better techniques to work on yourself or develop your ideas. Mind maps.

One mind mapping techniques I find fascinating is called Creative Yield of Word Associations. With this technique, you write the topic or your idea as a single word horizontally on a page.

For example, CAREER. What does it mean to you? Now, you can only come up with words that start with the letters from the word CAREER. Then, you connect these words to the central word on the page.

For me, it could be Ambition, Reflection, Concentration, Energy, Empowerment, Relaxation.

Since you have only a few letters to work with, you have to think carefully to find the perfect terms that you associate with the word. When you start the exercise, you can almost hear the gears turning in your head.

#4 Spaced Repetition

The biggest mistake I made during my study years was starting too late. If I had known about spaced repetition back then, I could have achieved much better grades with the same effort.

You review your content (e.g., using flashcards) over an extended period of time. Instead of cramming all your studying into a few days before an exam, you spread those days out over a longer period and leave space in between. The opposite approach, intensive repetition in a short period, is significantly inferior to this method. This effect has been demonstrated by many studies.

The spacing effect causes the content to move into your long-term memory, making it easier for you to recall on the day of the exam. For this distributed repetition, you need to set time intervals that become increasingly larger. This way, you’ll effortlessly improve your grades.

Example: On Day 1, you learn Topic A, but you don’t study it on Day 2. On Day 3, you review it, but not on Days 4 and 5. On Day 6, you review it again, but not on Days 7, 8, and 9. And so on…

#5 W=TxI

This formula comes from Cal Newport’s book “How to Become a Straight-A Student.” W represents the work accomplished through studying. T is the time, and I is the intensity.

Now, let’s say you study for 20 hours for an exam, dividing it into 2 days. That means you study 10 hours per day. It’s practically impossible to study for 10 hours straight, and if we’re honest, about 5 hours are filled with distractions. So, the intensity, how deeply you engage with the material, might be around 5 on a scale of 1 to 10.

Thus, your W would be 100 (20×5).

However, if you spread those 20 hours over 5 days, studying for 4 hours each day, you can achieve a much higher intensity. Maybe an 8 out of 10.

In this case, your W would be 160 (20×8).

What an improvement in the same amount of time!

#6 Developing Joy in Reading to Improve Your Grades

Exams are not everything, of course. As you progress on your journey, your written assignments become increasingly important. The greatest lever to improve your writing skills is reading. There’s no if or but about it. What you read is not as important as the act of reading itself.

If the last book you read was Harry Potter Part 7, then you have a problem. Reading must become a normal part of your life. It must become a part of your daily routine.

If you feel like you’re not reading enough, try two things.

#1 Reading must be enjoyable for you. You can achieve this by not starting with Foucault, but maybe with Newport (as we mentioned earlier).

The more we use technology and social media, the harder it becomes for our brains to release dopamine while reading. We can’t manage to read for 30 minutes straight without succumbing to distractions. It has gotten so bad that it happens to us even while watching television. Do you sometimes watch TV and use your smartphone simultaneously?

If so, you have a long way to go. Start with 10 minutes of uninterrupted reading per day and gradually increase it.

#2 Try to read at the same time every day. When you consistently pick up a book at the same time or in the same situation, reading becomes automatic. I read for 30 minutes every evening before bed. Every day. For the past 10 years.

If that doesn’t work for you, find another situation. Read during every train ride or right after waking up. Read novels for fun and non-fiction books for learning. Read out of curiosity. Be hungry for new knowledge.

#7 Sleep Hygiene

If you’ve never read the book “Why We Sleep” or heard of its author Matthew Walker, there’s a good chance you underestimate the importance of sleep.

Did you know that people who consistently sleep less than 6 hours per night over a long period of time suffer brain damage?

Have you ever heard that older people need less sleep? Complete nonsense. It’s just that as we age, our bodies aren’t able to sleep continuously for long periods.

In terms of learning success, Professor Walker’s research has produced particularly interesting results. Your brain only stores what you’ve learned in the right places if you get enough sleep after studying.

According to Walker, participants in his study improved their ability to recall learned content by up to 30% when they increased their sleep duration.

So, when you’re faced with the decision the night before an exam: Study for another hour or go to bed early? Always choose your bed! If you have a challenging exam in the afternoon, take a nap. It will give you an extra boost for recalling your memories.