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How to Learn Anything Faster (Even If You're as Distracted as a Goldfish)

The science-backed shortcuts to speed up your learning process

Author

Ray Blakney
July 08, 2025

Hi, this is Ray. I’ve spent the last decade trying to learn things faster… partly because I love it, and partly because I have the attention span of a squirrel at a nut buffet. If there’s a faster way to learn, I want it. If there’s a scientific reason not to waste time with the wrong method, I want that too.

So today we’re diving into a deceptively simple question: how can you learn anything faster? Not “how to learn more,” not “how to look smart on LinkedIn,” but actually, scientifically, learn faster.

And no, the answer is not “just grind harder, bro.” That’s how you end up burnt out and watching YouTube videos about productivity instead of, you know, being productive.

Part 1: What Does "Faster Learning" Actually Mean?

First, let’s define what we’re after. Faster learning is not just cramming more stuff into your brain in less time. That’s short-term memory at best, and mental indigestion at worst.

Real fast learning means:

  1. Acquiring knowledge or skills quickly

  2. Understanding them deeply enough to apply them

  3. Retaining that knowledge over time

If you’re missing one of those, you’re not learning faster. You’re just speed-scrolling your brain feed.

Part 2: The Three Scientific Levers of Speed

There are three main levers science says we can pull to learn faster. Think of them as software updates for your brain:

1. Input Efficiency

How quickly and effectively you absorb information

2. Encoding Quality

How well your brain organizes and stores the info

3. Retrieval Strength

How easily you can recall it when you need it

Let’s tackle each one like a mini boss fight.

Part 3: Input Efficiency, Absorb Like a Sponge (Not a Rock)

Most people spend too much time reading and not enough time processing.

Here’s how to improve your input speed:

Use the “PREP” Technique:

Preview - Read - Elaborate - Process

  • Preview the content first. Skim headlines, intros, bolded sections. Your brain needs a map before it goes hiking through new knowledge.

  • Read actively. Highlight, make notes, whisper-swear at confusing passages. Whatever keeps you from zoning out.

  • Elaborate by paraphrasing key ideas in your own words.

  • Process by asking, “How does this connect to what I already know?”

Learn in Short, Focused Bursts

The ideal session for intense learning is around 25 minutes. After that, your brain needs a break. This is the famed Pomodoro Technique, which, contrary to popular belief, has nothing to do with tomatoes and everything to do with avoiding mental sludge.

Don’t Multitask

I used to think I was being efficient checking email, listening to a podcast, and doing a course at the same time. I was not. I was just doing all three badly. Your brain doesn’t multitask; it task switches, which kills speed and accuracy.

Part 4: Encoding Quality: Make Your Brain Care

Learning faster isn’t about stuffing info in. It’s about making it stick. That means encoding the material in a way your brain likes.

Here’s how:

Use Dual Coding

Combine words and visuals. A 2016 review found that learners who combined text with images remembered more than those who used text alone.

So if you're studying a new concept, draw it out. Create a diagram. Pretend you're explaining it to a seven-year-old with crayons.

Use the “Generation Effect”

This is fancy science speak for: your brain remembers better when it creates instead of just receives.

Don’t just reread your notes. Ask yourself questions and answer them out loud. Make mind maps. Try to re-teach the content to a friend or your cat.

Get Emotional (Yes, Really)

If something surprises you, angers you, or makes you laugh, it sticks. That’s how I remember the difference between mitosis and meiosis… because in high school someone made a meme about chromosomes speed-dating. It was terrible. It was unforgettable.

Part 5: Retrieval Strength: Don’t Just Store It, Use It

This is where most people fall off. They assume if they "learned it once," it’s in there somewhere.

But brains are not Dropbox. They’re more like sketchy USB sticks. If you don’t access the file, it corrupts.

Use Spaced Repetition

This is the gold standard of memory science. Review material right before you would forget it. Apps like Anki and Quizlet use this principle, but even a paper calendar works.

Study something on Day 1, review it on Day 3, then Day 7, Day 14, and so on.

Practice Retrieval

Testing yourself is not just for school. It’s how you learn faster. Try low-stakes quizzes, flashcards, or the “Feynman Technique”: explain the concept from memory as simply as possible.

If you can’t, go back and review. If you can, you're leveling up.

Part 6: Bonus Speed Buffs (for Overachievers and Nerds Like Me)

  • Sleep on it: No joke. Sleep consolidates memory. Pulling all-nighters? That’s like trying to glue together a jigsaw puzzle while it’s still raining.

  • Teach what you learn: Teaching forces you to clarify, organize, and simplify. It’s basically learning on steroids.

  • Move your body: Even light exercise before studying boosts brain function. Think jumping jacks, not CrossFit.

Final Thoughts from Your Friendly Neighborhood Learning Nerd

Learning faster isn’t about being gifted. It’s about using the right tools in the right order.

You absorb better when you focus. You remember better when you connect new ideas to old ones. You recall better when you practice pulling things out, not just stuffing them in.

Start small. Pick one strategy from each section above. Try it today. Then come back and level up.

This is Ray, reminding you that learning faster is not a superpower. It’s a system. And you, my friend, just unlocked the cheat codes.

Citations:

  1. Mayer, R. (2016). “The Cambridge Handbook of Multimedia Learning.”
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5072171

  2. Dunlosky, J. et al. (2013). “Improving Students’ Learning With Effective Learning Techniques.”
    https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.2044-8279.2011.02028.x

  3. Ratey, J. J., & Loehr, J. E. (2011). “The Positive Impact of Physical Activity on Cognition During Adulthood.”
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3951958