WHYARE FLASHCARDS EFFECTIVE LEARNINGTOOLS?
“If you don’t prioritize your life, someone else will,” writes Greg McKeown in “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less.” When he set out to write the book, McKeown wanted to know what keeps skilled, driven people from achieving as much as possible. What he found was that many people suffer not from being lazy, but from allocating their time ineffectively. The impulse to “do it all” keeps folks from spending their time on the things that actually matter. This book serves as a guide to cutting out the extraneous and focusing on the essential. “Life is not an all-you-can-eat buffet,” McKeown says. “It’s amazingly great food. Essentialism is about finding the right food. More and more is valueless. Staying true to my purpose and being selective in what I take on results in a more meaningful, richer, and sweeter quality of life.” This metaphor can be applied to your work life as well. There aren’t enough hours in the day to accomplish every task. The essentialist works to spend their time diligently by pursuing what actually matters, rather than filling their days with meaningless busywork. Early in the book, McKeown uses famed Braun designer Dieter Rams as an example of an essentialist. He notes that Rams’ design philosophy can be characterized by three simple words: less but better. This, in essence, is what essentialists believe. Why do flashcards work so well? A lot of their effectiveness comes down to the repetitive nature of the cards and associated learning techniques. This makes them ideal for retaining (and recalling) information. Through their design, flashcards utilize “active recall,” a process of learning that helps with memory and information retention. Repetition itself is a critical learning tool and an important aspect of retaining information. Flashcards make this process quick and easy. Additionally, flashcards can be used to identify areas of study that need the most improvement. When you need to focus on one area over another, you can simply remove the flashcards that cover the material that’s already known. It’s an ideal way to hone your skills in a subject in a time-efficient manner. For individual learning, this is a huge benefit. Flashcards can also be gamified. In other words, virtually any type of flashcard can be turned into a game, with memory and matching games being the most common. This gamification process aids in information retention and recall. Plus, adding an element of fun makes study time much more appealing.
Another major plus is the cost-effectiveness of flashcards. Out of the study tools on the market today — and there are many — flashcards are typically the most economical. Not only are they a budget-friendly option, they often last through everyday wear and tear and can be easily used anywhere. What kind of flashcards are available? If you can think of a subject, chances are you can find a set of flashcards to cover it. At Mometrix, we offer flashcards that cover everything from college admission exams to medical school exams. You can see the full lineup of flashcards by visiting mometrixmedia.com/products.htm and navigating to our flashcard directory.
GREGMCKEOWN’S ‘ESSENTIALISM’ WILL HELP YOU DECLUTTER YOUR WORKLOAD
McKeown puts it, “It is about making the wisest possible investment of your time and energy in order to operate at your highest point of contribution by doing only what is essential.” Instead of having their energy spread out in a million different directions, essentialists channel it into what really matters. McKeown also advocates for defining your purpose in order to accurately assess what’s essential and what isn’t. The more a task contributes to your purpose, the more essential it is. Many business owners and leaders struggle to let go of tasks that are best left to other employees. If you’ve ever found yourself struggling to manage a massive workload while resenting the fact that much of what you do is needless, then it’s time to pick up a copy of “Essentialism.”
Doing your best work where it matters and cutting out the superfluous will allow you to better manage your time and increase your performance. As
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