Madeline
I came across A Mind for Numbers after writing a question on Reddit in regards to improving my study practices. I am currently enrolled in an online post bacc program at Oregon State for computer science. And I wanted to know how people attacked the class content and come out with straight As. Without a class schedule or discussing topics with other students in a casual environment, it is easy to feel alone when enrolled in an online program. My goal was how to make the most out of this experience.
Tips And Tricks I’ve Picked Up From A Mind for Numbers
To be completely transparent, I did not pick up a lot from A Mind for Numbers. I would expect to learn a lot more from a book this size. Much of this book felt as though the author was filling up pages by writing the same thing again and again and adding a lot of common sense into the content. That being said, everything I did learned was worth while and I can transcribe into a short post. For the details that really hit home, I would recommend picking up the book, otherwise, this post should provide the general guidance.
Here are the pointers I have picked up from A Mind for Numbers:
- Skim the headers of the content before reading the content
- Do concentrated focus and then walk away and do something mindless
- Beat procrastination by setting a focus timer for 25 minutes (the pomodoro technique)
- Chunk the material to understand small amounts
- Don’t multitask when trying to learn something new
- Test yourself at regular intervals
- Do the hardest parts or the hardest problems first
How I Will Attack Schoolwork Moving Forward
Many of the pointers above from A Mind for Numbers, I already do; however, I don’t use deliberate practice when I use them. A lot of my current study practice is not regimented but I have put it into small easy to understand chunks and focused on the hard parts first. Now that I know that I’ve been on the right track, just a few tweaks to what I am already doing will put me well on my way to successfully learning the material.
Final Thoughts
Do not waste your time reading through the book in detail, just skim the headers. In fact, I did a lot of skimming through the book myself. Do pick up the tips and tricks that are detailed above by either reading this post or skimming the book. The pointers are good suggestions, but the details are a waste of time. Spend the time you save from reading this book to read another useful self improvement book.
