In the last blog post, I spoke about the importance of creating the conditions for learning, but I did not spend much time on how to actually do that. Let’s take a closer look. Here are five simple (but not always easy) things you can do to strengthen your learning outcomes:
#1: Give it your best energy
Learning requires energy. Your brain relies on limited cognitive resources to focus, process, and retain new information. When those resources are low, attention drops and learning becomes less effective (Kahneman; Baumeister et al.). Pay attention to when your mind feels most alert during the day and use that window for learning. Even a short, focused session during your peak energy is more effective than pushing through when you are feeling depleted.
#2: Go slower than you think you should
If something feels hard, it is often a sign that you are taking in more than your brain can process at once. Working memory can only hold a small number of new elements at a time, typically around 3 to 5 chunks of information (Sweller; Cowan). When too much information is introduced at once, cognitive load increases, and the brain struggles to encode it effectively. Slowing the pace reduces that load and improves comprehension, allowing information to move into long-term memory more efficiently.
#3: Clear the noise
A busy mind has less room to learn. Thoughts, stress, and distractions compete for the same limited working memory resources needed to process new information. When attention is divided, encoding becomes less effective and retention suffers (Kahneman). Even brief moments of mindfulness can help regulate attention and reduce internal distraction, improving working memory and focus (Mrazek et al.). Creating mental space before you begin allows your brain to fully engage with what you are learning.
#4: Take breaks
Learning requires periods of rest. Your brain needs time to consolidate and integrate new information, especially after focused effort. Memory consolidation continues after learning, strengthening and stabilizing what you have taken in (Walker; Diekelmann and Born). Without breaks, attention declines, and new information becomes harder to retain. Stepping away, even briefly, supports this process and improves both focus and long-term retention when you return.
#5: Find your why
Learning is easier to sustain when it matters to you. Intrinsic motivation increases attention, persistence, and depth of processing, all of which support stronger learning outcomes (Deci and Ryan). When you are genuinely interested in something, your brain is more likely to prioritize and encode that information. Research also shows that curiosity activates reward-related systems in the brain, which enhances memory and retention (Gruber et al.). When you connect what you are learning to something meaningful, your attention follows more naturally.
Works Cited:
Baumeister, Roy F., et al. “Ego Depletion: Is the Active Self a Limited Resource?” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, vol. 74, no. 5, 1998, pp. 1252–1265.
Cowan, Nelson. “The Magical Mystery Four: How Is Working Memory Capacity Limited, and Why?” Current Directions in Psychological Science, vol. 19, no. 1, 2010, pp. 51–57.
Deci, Edward L., and Richard M. Ryan. “The ‘What’ and ‘Why’ of Goal Pursuits: Human Needs and the Self-Determination of Behavior.” Psychological Inquiry, vol. 11, no. 4, 2000, pp. 227–268.
Diekelmann, Susanne, and Jan Born. “The Memory Function of Sleep.” Nature Reviews Neuroscience, vol. 11, no. 2, 2010, pp. 114–126.
Gruber, Matthias J., et al. “States of Curiosity Modulate Hippocampus-Dependent Learning via the Dopaminergic Circuit.” Neuron, vol. 84, no. 2, 2014, pp. 486–496.
Kahneman, Daniel. Attention and Effort. Prentice-Hall, 1973.
Mrazek, Michael D., et al. “Mindfulness Training Improves Working Memory Capacity and GRE Performance.” Psychological Science, vol. 24, no. 5, 2013, pp. 776–781.
Sweller, John. “Cognitive Load During Problem Solving: Effects on Learning.” Cognitive Science, vol. 12, no. 2, 1988, pp. 257–285.
Walker, Matthew P. “The Role of Sleep in Cognition and Emotion.” Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, vol. 1156, no. 1, 2009, pp. 168–197.