With more and more companies now offering employee training, it can sometimes be difficult to remember everything you've been taught whether it was as a new hire or as you progressed in your role. Remembering what you've learned doesn't just make you seem smarter at work. It grants you access to better benefits, a larger network, aptitude credentials, and the list goes on. Recently in the past year, there has been a 40% increase in employers investing in employees' long-term success through tailored training programs. Improve your retention learning today with these simple strategies.
Learning content overload
We've all been there before. You're sitting in a training session, trying to learn as much as possible, but your mind is just racing, and you can't seem to focus. The information overload is real, and it can have a serious impact on your ability to retain what you're learning.
The good news is that there are some proven strategies that can help you improve your learning retention at work, even when the material is complex or there's a lot of it.
- 1Breaking down the material into smaller chunks: When you're faced with a lot of material to learn, it can be helpful to break it down into smaller pieces. This will make it feel less overwhelming and will allow you to focus on one thing at a time.
- 2Spaced repetition: Repetition is key when it comes to learning but spacing out your repetitions can actually be more effective than cramming everything in at once. Reviewing the material multiple times over a longer period will help embed it in your memory more effectively.
- 3Consolidation activities: In addition to review and repetition, incorporating consolidation activities into your learning process can also be helpful. This could involve something like summarising what you've learned or creating a mind map to visualise the key concepts.
- 4Taking practice quizzes: Another great way to consolidate your learning and ensure that you're retaining the material.
The growth mindset: How to use it to improve learning retention
One of the most important things you can do to improve learning retention at work is to develop a growth mindset. People with a growth mindset believe that their abilities and intelligence can be developed through hard work, good teaching, and practice. They view obstacles and setbacks as opportunities to learn and grow. People with a fixed mindset, on the other hand, believe that their abilities and intelligence are static and cannot be changed.
There is a lot of research that supports the idea that a growth mindset leads to greater academic achievement and workplace success. For example, studies have shown that people with a growth mindset are more likely to persevere in the face of difficulty, persist in the face of setbacks, and bounce back from failure.
So how can you develop a growth mindset?
One way is to focus on effort rather than ability. When you think about your ability in terms of effort instead of talent or intelligence, you're more likely to see it as something that can be developed over time through hard work. For example, instead of thinking "I'm not good at this" when you face a challenging task at work, try thinking "I just need to put in some extra effort."
You can also develop a growth mindset by seeking out opportunities for learning and development. When you approach learning as an opportunity to grow and improve, you're more likely to be open to feedback and willing to put in the effort required to improve. Finally, you can model a growth mindset for others by sharing your own stories of growth and development. When people see that you're continually learning and growing, they're more likely to believe that they can do the same.
Why and how willpower can affect your achievement of goals?
Willpower is the ability to resist short-term temptation in order to achieve long-term goals. It is a key factor in achieving success in any area of life, including work.
There are two types of willpower: hot willpower and cold willpower. Hot willpower is when you're motivated by an immediate reward (such as a raise or promotion) to stick to your goals. Cold willpower is when you're motivated by a long-term goal (such as retirement) to stick to your goals.
Willpower is like a muscle: it gets tired with use and needs to be replenished. When you're feeling tempted to give up on your goals, take a break. Recharge your willpower by doing something enjoyable or relaxing.
When you think optimistically and with motivation, what does that do for your performance?
Thinking optimistically and with motivation gives you a clear purpose for why you're working hard. If you have a positive outlook, you're able to see challenges as opportunities instead of roadblocks. This mindset produces better performance because you're constantly looking for ways to improve.
This is backed up by research. Studies have shown that employees who have a positive outlook are:
So if you want to perform at your best, make sure to keep your motivation high and your outlook optimistic.
How is breathing linked to learning retention?
Breathing is linked to learning retention in several ways.
Take a break from information overload
It can be difficult to keep up with the constant stream of information we're bombarded with on a daily basis. It's no wonder that we often feel overloaded and stressed out. Taking a break from this information overload can be very beneficial for our mental and physical health.
Getting enough sleep is also crucial for retention. When we're tired, our brains have a harder time processing and retaining information. So, if you're finding it hard to focus on work or remember what you've learned, make sure you're getting enough rest!
Setting reasonable work demands on yourself
One of the most important things you can do to improve learning retention at work is to set reasonable work demands on yourself. If you're constantly under pressure and feeling overwhelmed, you're not going to be able to focus on learning new things. Make sure to take regular breaks, set realistic goals, and delegate tasks when necessary.
In order to set reasonable work demands on yourself, it's important to understand your own limits. Understand how much you can realistically accomplish in a given day or week. Don't try to take on too much at once - break down your goals into smaller, more manageable pieces. And don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it!
Delegating tasks is also key. If there are certain things that you know someone else could do just as well (or better) than you, hand them off. This will free up your time and energy so that you can focus on more important tasks.
Finally, make sure to take regular breaks throughout the day. Getting up and moving around for even a few minutes can help refresh your mind and body and increase your overall energy level. If possible, step outside for some fresh air or take a quick walk around the block.