Tag: hacks

Proven Study methods to Ace your Exams

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Scoring good marks and acing the exams should be easy if you have studied every lesson by heart, solved the questions and had good revision schedules. But majority of the students do not seem to be getting that amount of time and motivation to keep up. To keep up with the massive amount of syllabus seems impossible and as a result we have to leave out some parts of the syllabus or do not get a chance to revision the lessons. And then add procastination to it even worse. However modern research has been able to crack the code to score well in exams while eliminating inefficiency and increasing efiiciency.

So, while studying the two most important aspects are-

  1. Understanding
  2. Memorising

The first aspect is understanding. If we do not understand what we are studying we will never be able to produce the lessons in our exams. It is quite common that if we understand the lesson once we will be to remember it better. Understanding is truly the most crucial step to acing the exams.

The best scientific method to understand our lessons have been given by an American psychologist Richard Feynman. He gave a pretty simple technique or method. He said that if we are able to explain what we are studying to a 5-year-old clearly, we have understood it. And if we have understood it, we are good to go. We need to get the basic concepts clear in our head. Children like stories and easy explanations so that is what is going to help us. Get to the core of the subject. This was the main idea given by him but it is not practical to get a 5-year old to listen to you. So a better and more appropriate way to inculcate this approach is to get your friends listen to you explaining a concept. It will be beneficial for both you and your friend.

Alright, the next essential thing to studying is memorizing. The two most helpful study methods are

  1. Active Recall and
  2. Spaced Repetition

So the idea behind spaced repetition is that the more we actively recall something, the brain cells register them better in our memory. This is the main idea behind active recall. The ways by which you can practise this method is by first understanding a topic and then answering all the possible questions from it. If you cannot answer a question it is completely fine, go back and check the answers. This will strengthen the brain connections and you will be good to go for a long time. Just be active with your studies even if you sit to study for just 30 minutes.

Another great method that is extremely good for memorizing is Spaced Repetition. To follow this technique is by studying a lesson deliberately at intervals. So if say you decide to study something for the first time then the next time study it for revision only when you have forgotten it to a certain extent. So again the idea behind this technique is to actively strengthen the brain cells when you have forgotten them. A study has shown that with time the brain connections seem to fade away. So the best way to recall is to delay the study only when you have forgotten some parts of it.

Ali Abdaal, a famous youtuber explains these concepts in his videos really well, do not forget to check them out.

I hope this article helps me as much it did to me.

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION.

COMMUNICATION:

Two-way process of reaching mutual understanding, in which participants not only exchange (encode-decode) information, news, ideas and feelings but also create and share meaning. In general, communication is a means of connecting people or places. In business, it is a key function of management–an organization cannot operate without communication between levels, departments and employees.

The ability to communicate effectively with superiors, colleagues, and staff is essential, no matter what industry you work in. Workers in the digital age must know how to effectively convey and receive messages in person as well as via phone, email, and social media. What skills do employers look for? Which communication skills will help ensure your success?

Top 10 Communication Skills Here are the top 10 communication skills that will help you stand out in today’s job market.

1. Listening communicator. No one likes communicating with someone who only cares about putting in her two cents, and does not take the time to listen to the other person. If you’re not a good listener, it’s going to be hard to comprehend what you’re being asked to do.

Being a good listener is one of the best ways to be a good

the time to practice active listening. Active listening involves paying close attention to what the other person is saying, asking clarifying questions, and phrasing what the person says to ensure understanding (“So, what you’re saying Through active listening, you can better understand”)

Nonverbal communication – Your body language, eye contact, hand gestures, and tone all color the message you are trying to convey. A relaxed, open stance arms open, legs relaxed), and a friendly tone will make you appear approachable, and will encourage others to speak openly with you.

Eve contact is also important; you want to look the person in the eye to demonstrate that you are focused on the person and the conversation (however, be sure not to stare at the person, which can make him or her uncomfortable).

Also pay attention to other people’s nonverbal signals while you are talking.

often, nonverbal signals convey how a person is really feeling. For example, if the person is not looking you in the eye, he or she might be uncomfortable or hiding the truth.

3. Clarity and Concision – Good communication means saying just enough – don’t say too little or talk too much. Try to convey your message in as few words as possible. Say what you want clearly and directly, whether you’re speaking to someone in person, on the phone, or via email. If you ramble on, your listener will either tune you out or will be unsure of exactly what you want. Think about what you want to say before you say it; this will help you to avoid talking excessively and/or confusing your audience.

4. Friendliness – Through a friendly tone, a personal question, or simply a smile, you will encourage your coworkers to engage in open and honest communication with you. It’s important to be nice and polite in all your workplace communications.

This is important in both face-to-face and written communication. When you can, personalize your emails to coworkers and/or employees a quick “I hope you all had a good weekend” at the start of an email can personalize a message and make the recipient feel more appreciated.

.Confidence – It is important to be confident in all of your interactions with others.

confidence ensures your coworkers that you believe in and will follow through with,what you are saying. Exuding confidence can be as simple as making eye contact using a firm but friendly tone (avoid making statements sound like questions), of course, be careful not to sound arrogant or aggressive. Be sure you are alive listening to and empathizing with the other person.

6. Empathy – Even when you disagree with an employer, coworker, or employee, it is important for you to understand and respect their point of view. Using phrases as simple as “I understand where you are coming from” demonstrates that you have been listening to the other person and respect their opinions.

7. Open-Mindedness – A good communicator should enter any conversation with a flexible, open mind. Be open to listening to and understanding the other person’s point of view, rather than simply getting your message across. By being willing to enter into a dialogue, even with people with whom you disagree, you will be able to have more honest, productive conversations.

8. Respect – People will be more open to communicating with you if you convey respect for them and their ideas. Simple actions like using a person’s name, making eye contact, and actively listening when a person speaks will make the person feel appreciated. On the phone, avoid distractions and stay focused on the conversation. Convey respect through email by taking the time to edit your message. If you send a sloppily written, confusing email, the recipient will think you do not respect her enough to think through your communication with her.

9. Feedback – Being able to appropriately give and receive feedback is an important communication skill. Managers and supervisors should continuously look for ways to provide employees with constructive feedback, be it through email, phone calls, or weekly status updates. Giving feedback involves giving praise as well – something as simple as saying “good job” or “thanks for taking care of that” to an employee can greatly increase motivation. Similarly, you should be able to accept, and even encourage, feedback from others. 40 Picking the Right Medium – An important communication skill is to simply know the form of communication to use. For example, some serious conversations layoffs, changes in salary, etc.) are almost always best done in person.

what form of communication ;

should also think about the person with whom you wish to speak – If they are very busy people (such as your boss, perhaps), you might want to convey your message through email. People will appreciate your thoughtful means of communication, and will be more likely to respond positively to you.

What Are Communication Skills

if someone has superb communication skills, he or she probably has an aptitude for clearly and collectively conveying and receiving messages to and from others both verbally and through body language, including facial expressions, eye contact, arm movement, and posture. General communication skills are important for everyday communication in all situations when you are exchanging conversation with someone else. They are helpful from small talk to deep conversation.

Steps to Improve your Communication Skills

1. Understand what is communication?

Communication is essentially passing the message either verbally or non-verbally. In today’s changing world the verbal communication has taken over the written language.

2. Think before you act ;Remember that once something is said, you cannot take it back. So you must think before you speak.

3. Maintain eye Contact ;Eye contact is something which most of us miss out on. One has to keep in mind that maintaining eye contact with the listener or listeners will make sure that even the listener or the audience is responding to what you say.

4. Body Language Body language is again one of those things which are taken for granted. One has to keep it in mind that your body language will tell more things than you intend to say

The said body language also includes gestures & posture. So when you speak, you will have to speak clearly & stand or sit professionally.

5. Pronunciation Telling a word correctly, i mean pronouncing the word correctly is another important thing that one should concentrate on. And if at all you are not that good or perfect in pronouncing the words then it is advised that you start working on Hey, Google will come to your rescue. All you will have to do is type the wordadd “Pronunciation” next to it.

6. Speak Slowly ;Next on the list is the way you speak. Basically, one thinks that if you speak fast then you are at your best. But hey that is not the deal! As a matter of fact, the firE has to be on the way you speak & not the speed. So, starters, see to it that you may speak slowly but make sure that you speak correctly & without any grammatical errors.

7. Be Brave Oh yes! You will have to be brave enough to speak. Generally, People tend to be a little nervous when it comes to speaking; as they fear that what they speak may not be right. But dudes you will have to understand the fact that until you speak you will not know whether you can speak correctly or not. So, you better start making sentences & speak.

Ah! We all like to watch movies or some or the other show. And the best part of it is that you hear ‘n’ number of background music. The same thing is to be applied when you speak. You will have to have expressions in your tone. When you have an expressive tone or voice automatically people begin to listen to you.

Life hacks to be Successful!

Treat Failure Like a Scientist

When a scientist runs an experiment, there are all sorts of results that could happen. Some results are positive and some are negative, but all of them are data points. Each result is a piece of data that can ultimately lead to an answer.

And that’s exactly how a scientist treats failure: as another data point.

This is much different than how society often talks about failure. For most of us, failure feels like an indication of who we are as a person.

Failing a test means you’re not smart enough. Failing to get fit means you’re undesirable. Failing in business means you don’t have what it takes. Failing at art means you’re not creative. And so on.

But for the scientist, a negative result is not an indication that they are a bad scientist. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Proving a hypothesis wrong is often just as useful as proving it right because you learned something along the way.

Your failures are simply data points that can help lead you to the right answer.

Failure Is the Cost You Pay to Be Right

None of this is to say that you should seek to make mistakes or that failing is fun. Obviously, you’ll try to do things the right way. And failing on something that is important to you is never fun.

But failure will always be part of your growth for one simple reason…

If you’re focused on building a new habit or learning a new skill or mastering a craft  of any type, then you’re basically experimenting in one way or another. And if you run enough experiments, then sometimes you’re going to get a negative result.

It happens to every scientist and it will happen to you and me as well. ‘ Failure is simply a cost you have to pay on the way to being right.’

Treat failure like a scientist. Your failures are not you. Your successes are not you. They are simply data points that help guide the next experiment.

To Boost Happiness, Stack the Pain

Here is an example…

On a normal day, you might have something annoying or painful to do (like paying the bills). And you also might have something good happen to you (like a friend sending you a thoughtful email).

If you read the email on your lunch break and then pay the bills when you get home from work, you will remember your day as going from a good experience to a bad experience. That’s the opposite of what you want.

However, if you decide to stack the pain early in your day — for example, if you pay your bills in the morning before you go to work and then read the email from your friend on your lunch break — you will remember your day as going from bad to good. As a result, you’ll feel happier because your brain likes it when experiences improve as time goes on.

Stacking the Pain for the Long-Term

It’s easy to worry about making the right choices with your life. However, if you choose to pursue things where the pain of the experience is largely in the beginning — like building a business, losing weight, or creating art — then you will tend to look back on those experiences fondly because they improve over time.

By comparison, doing things like trying to beat the stock market or become a professional gambler are very inconsistent. They can provide big wins, but they can also provide big losses at any time. The pain isn’t necessarily in the beginning. Because of this, these experiences are less likely to make you happy over the long-run.

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