2024.4.29-2024.5.7 Note

2024.4.29

Chapter 2 Focus mode & diffuse mode

1. Focused mode means you truly focus on doing something, e.g., learning some new stuff or tackle some problems.
2. Diffuse mode means that your mind wanders around and does not focus on one specific thing. Jogging? But it’s not easy for me to not think of the things that I just focused on.
3. The pinball machine metaphor. For focused mode, the ball goes around in a small corner, follows and reinforces existing patterns. For diffused mode, The ball goes wildly in different parts of the machine.
4. Eyes on the championship cup or the fly
5. The first: you haven’t got the initial explanation The second: you’ve already tried loading the new information into your brain for some time, but somehow you still do not make progress and feel frustrated.
6. Try practicing alternating between focused mode and diffused mode.

Chapter 3: How to tackle procrastination

1. Procrastination means putting things off. How to handle procrastination. Tell yourself that you’ll procrastinate 10 minutes later and make a list of the things you plan to do after procrastination.
2. Leaving little time to build up the knowledge system and increase stress
3. pain
4. Focus on a task for 25 min, and then reward yourself after that. When you trick yourself into a task that is not so hard to start even if you find it unappealing at the moment, several minutes after you go into the task, the pain would reduce. Don’t aim for finishing a huge task, just focus for 25 min. Remember to reward yourself and let the part that works very hard on the previous task rest by going into diffuse mode
5. Active recall: The third step after the picture walk and the mindful reading. Try recalling the main takeaway from the texts in your own words
6. The pomodoro technique:If your mind wanders off during the pomodoro, write down those ideas and come to them later

2024.5.1

Chapter 4

• Metaphors help us to understand new things with the things we already knew (by reusing the neuron trails we already have)
• Our thoughts are created by the “sparks” between neurons > Your thought is created by the electronic signals that travel through neurons.
• New brain link: When we start learning new things, we’re creating new “sparks” between neurons.
• Wider path: After practices, the trace would become stronger, making us better at doing things
• Synapses: the gaps between neurons
• Brain links can grow stronger in 2 ways:each synapse gets bigger more neurons join in
• Neuroplasticity: The trails in your brain can change and grow. You can change your brain by learning

Some great ways to memorize things & to learn

“5 Memory Tips to Get You Started,” by Nelson Dellis

• focus - practice - picture it - store it (in the memory palace) - review

Chapter 5

The story of Al learning chemistry

• teach others
• Don’t afraid to be back to a beginner’s level, even if you are older than other students!

2024.5.2

Chapter 6

• Sleeping is important for structures in your brain to grow;
• DDL fight (for preparing for tests, learning something) is not useful as you don’t give it enough time for growth; Instead, space the learning over a period to have more sleep to consolidate the wall you are building;
• Without practice and active recall, the structures formed will disappear;
• When you switch between subjects, give each of them full focus when doing them, don’t think of others when focusing on one;

Chapter 7

• Attention octopus
• 4 arms - four items in working memory at a time
• When you stop focusing, the octopus will drop the things in the arm
• working memory - long-term memory (which has nearly infinite space for storage)

Chapter 8 Memorizing techniques

• Our brain remembers pictures (places and routes) way better than facts:pictures on the wall of the locker vs toothpaste tube (for facts)
• That’s why memory palace and picture things are extremely helpful when it comes to memorizing things
• Other techniques: explain to others, make up metaphors, take good notes

2024.5.6

Chapter 9

• Well-practiced brain links can be stored in long-term memory
• Experts have a large library of brain links in store. It’s easier for their working memory to grasp a number of sets of brain links to form more complex brain links
• Understanding and practicing are two different things. Understanding does not create brain links, practices do. And the more you practice, the more you understand.
• To some point, overemphasis on paying attention to why you do something may interrupt the flow, — things working in the library/unconsciousness.
• The working memory has only limited number of arms, and it only works when you are focused.
• It’s most difficult at the beginning stage, as you don’t have enough brain links in this area, and all you could rely on is your busy working memory. (So many different aspects to pay attention to!) 📷
• In the beginning, you have to build brain links bit by bit, set by set. Afterwards, your octopus could pull complete sets of brain links (larger amount of information)
• cognitive load Without enough brain links, it’s normal to get confused. We all have a maximum cognitive load. It limits how much information we can deal with at one time. question: How to deal with this situation then? How to avoid learning too much? 📷

Chapter 11:

• healthy eating and regular exercise
• hippocampus (new synapses - new neurons - things newly learnt) ——> sleep ——> cerebral cortex (long-term memory)
• exercise can release “fertilizers” BDNF for new neurons to grow and become stronger, it also releases chemicals that help new ideas to emerge. It is a good diffuse activity.
• exercise can release “fertilizers” BDNF for new neurons to grow and become stronger, it also release chemicals that help new ideas to emerge. It is a good diffuse activity.

Chapter 12:

• Experts are those who have a lot of brain links in a field.
• The metaphor of a puzzle > 慢慢摸到一个领域的全貌
• Deliberate practice (有一些相关的研究可以继续去读) + interleave (focus on an aspect and give it enough practice + interleave with the practice of other skills) 一和多，专精的同时见差异
• When there’s too much to learn, start with one, use your intuition to choose the key information, link the concept/information into your brain. Gradually, you will find the second/the third easier.

Chapter 13

• Studying in different places helps your octopus to be better able to pull out things in different places. The octopus is also picking up 环境因子 when you are studying
• Try to use all senses
• Sleep is the ultimate diffuse mode.
• If you do a bit focused task just before sleep, you are more possible to dream on it -before you go to sleep, you can make a few notes in your learning journal or think back over your day. It’s also okay to take a last peek at something you’re trying to reinforce, but try to stay away from electronic devices.
• Do the most difficult task first.
• Plan for tomorrow help you to sleep better.
• Setting a quit time should help you to focus more intently during daytime (事多的时候总是很难quit hhh）

Recall: All tips up to now

• alternate between focused mode and diffuse mode
• sleep
• eat well
• exercise
• active recall
• practice
• use all senses
• change places
• teach others
• the beginning stage is usually the most difficult
• consider doing an active recall/a bit focus task before sleep
• for better memory: practice, visualize, retrieve…
• interleave
• focus
• metaphor
• do the most difficult task first
• split the learning over several days to allow sleeping to consolidate it
• pomodoro in face of procrastination

2024.5.7

Chapter 14

• if you’re passionate about anything, you can become even better at your passion if you also learn a little bit about something quite different. (How many, how different? 像我这种刺猬……也是可以的吗)
• Poorer working memory: be forced to simplify things, can be more creative
• Slower thinker: “The “hiker brain” person, on the other hand, moves much more slowly. While they move slowly, they can reach out and touch the leaves on the trees, smell the pine in the air, hear the birds singing, and see the little rabbit trails.”
• Take note by hand
• How to take note: 1/3 write key points > when reviewing, write even briefer key points and try to recall them

Chapter 15 test success

• The test preparation checklist
• Make good use of stress: deep breathe you can have good performance when you are excited (try turning the nervous emotion into something positive) “This challenge got me excited to try my best!”
• Use diffuse mode to switch to a fresh eye when reviewing your answers
• Start with the hardest problem

Chapter 16

• 也是一个书中常出现的鼓励 if you are into art, try going into science as well. If you are into science, try going into art as well.
• Active recall 了 my key takeaway from the book ↓ 感觉大致都出来了！

2024.4.29

Chapter 2 Focus mode & diffuse mode

1. Focused mode means you truly focus on doing something, e.g., learning some new stuff or tackle some problems.
2. Diffuse mode means that your mind wanders around and does not focus on one specific thing. Jogging? But it’s not easy for me to not think of the things that I just focused on.
3. The pinball machine metaphor. For focused mode, the ball goes around in a small corner, follows and reinforces existing patterns. For diffused mode, The ball goes wildly in different parts of the machine.
4. Eyes on the championship cup or the fly
5. The first: you haven’t got the initial explanation The second: you’ve already tried loading the new information into your brain for some time, but somehow you still do not make progress and feel frustrated.
6. Try practicing alternating between focused mode and diffused mode.

Chapter 3: How to tackle procrastination

1. Procrastination means putting things off. How to handle procrastination. Tell yourself that you’ll procrastinate 10 minutes later and make a list of the things you plan to do after procrastination.
2. Leaving little time to build up the knowledge system and increase stress
3. pain
4. Focus on a task for 25 min, and then reward yourself after that. When you trick yourself into a task that is not so hard to start even if you find it unappealing at the moment, several minutes after you go into the task, the pain would reduce. Don’t aim for finishing a huge task, just focus for 25 min. Remember to reward yourself and let the part that works very hard on the previous task rest by going into diffuse mode
5. Active recall: The third step after the picture walk and the mindful reading. Try recalling the main takeaway from the texts in your own words
6. The pomodoro technique:If your mind wanders off during the pomodoro, write down those ideas and come to them later

2024.5.1

Chapter 4

• Metaphors help us to understand new things with the things we already knew (by reusing the neuron trails we already have)
• Our thoughts are created by the “sparks” between neurons > Your thought is created by the electronic signals that travel through neurons.
• New brain link: When we start learning new things, we’re creating new “sparks” between neurons.
• Wider path: After practices, the trace would become stronger, making us better at doing things
• Synapses: the gaps between neurons
• Brain links can grow stronger in 2 ways:each synapse gets bigger more neurons join in
• Neuroplasticity: The trails in your brain can change and grow. You can change your brain by learning

Some great ways to memorize things & to learn

“5 Memory Tips to Get You Started,” by Nelson Dellis

• focus - practice - picture it - store it (in the memory palace) - review

Chapter 5

The story of Al learning chemistry

• teach others
• Don’t afraid to be back to a beginner’s level, even if you are older than other students!

2024.5.2

Chapter 6

• Sleeping is important for structures in your brain to grow;
• DDL fight (for preparing for tests, learning something) is not useful as you don’t give it enough time for growth; Instead, space the learning over a period to have more sleep to consolidate the wall you are building;
• Without practice and active recall, the structures formed will disappear;
• When you switch between subjects, give each of them full focus when doing them, don’t think of others when focusing on one;

Chapter 7

• Attention octopus
• 4 arms - four items in working memory at a time
• When you stop focusing, the octopus will drop the things in the arm
• working memory - long-term memory (which has nearly infinite space for storage)

Chapter 8 Memorizing techniques

• Our brain remembers pictures (places and routes) way better than facts:pictures on the wall of the locker vs toothpaste tube (for facts)
• That’s why memory palace and picture things are extremely helpful when it comes to memorizing things
• Other techniques: explain to others, make up metaphors, take good notes

2024.5.6

Chapter 9

• Well-practiced brain links can be stored in long-term memory
• Experts have a large library of brain links in store. It’s easier for their working memory to grasp a number of sets of brain links to form more complex brain links
• Understanding and practicing are two different things. Understanding does not create brain links, practices do. And the more you practice, the more you understand.
• To some point, overemphasis on paying attention to why you do something may interrupt the flow, — things working in the library/unconsciousness.
• The working memory has only limited number of arms, and it only works when you are focused.
• It’s most difficult at the beginning stage, as you don’t have enough brain links in this area, and all you could rely on is your busy working memory. (So many different aspects to pay attention to!)📷
• In the beginning, you have to build brain links bit by bit, set by set. Afterwards, your octopus could pull complete sets of brain links (larger amount of information)
• cognitive load Without enough brain links, it’s normal to get confused. We all have a maximum cognitive load. It limits how much information we can deal with at one time.

question: How to deal with this situation then? How to avoid learning too much?

📷

Chapter 11:

• healthy eating and regular exercise
• hippocampus (new synapses - new neurons - things newly learnt) ——> sleep ——> cerebral cortex (long-term memory)
• exercise can release “fertilizers” BDNF for new neurons to grow and become stronger, it also releases chemicals that help new ideas to emerge. It is a good diffuse activity.
• exercise can release “fertilizers” BDNF for new neurons to grow and become stronger, it also release chemicals that help new ideas to emerge. It is a good diffuse activity.

Chapter 12:

• Experts are those who have a lot of brain links in a field.
• The metaphor of a puzzle > 慢慢摸到一个领域的全貌
• Deliberate practice (有一些相关的研究可以继续去读) + interleave (focus on an aspect and give it enough practice + interleave with the practice of other skills) 一和多，专精的同时见差异
• When there’s too much to learn, start with one, use your intuition to choose the key information, link the concept/information into your brain. Gradually, you will find the second/the third easier.

Chapter 13

• Studying in different places helps your octopus to be better able to pull out things in different places. The octopus is also picking up 环境因子 when you are studying
• Try to use all senses
• Sleep is the ultimate diffuse mode.
• If you do a bit focused task just before sleep, you are more possible to dream on it -before you go to sleep, you can make a few notes in your learning journal or think back over your day. It’s also okay to take a last peek at something you’re trying to reinforce, but try to stay away from electronic devices.
• Do the most difficult task first.
• Plan for tomorrow help you to sleep better.
• Setting a quit time should help you to focus more intently during daytime (事多的时候总是很难quit hhh）

Recall: All tips up to now

• alternate between focused mode and diffuse mode
• sleep
• eat well
• exercise
• active recall
• practice
• use all senses
• change places
• teach others
• the beginning stage is usually the most difficult
• consider doing an active recall/a bit focus task before sleep
• for better memory: practice, visualize, retrieve…
• interleave
• focus
• metaphor
• do the most difficult task first
• split the learning over several days to allow sleeping to consolidate it
• pomodoro in face of procrastination

2024.5.7

Chapter 14

• if you’re passionate about anything, you can become even better at your passion if you also learn a little bit about something quite different. (How many, how different? 像我这种刺猬……也是可以的吗)
• Poorer working memory: be forced to simplify things, can be more creative
• Slower thinker: “The “hiker brain” person, on the other hand, moves much more slowly. While they move slowly, they can reach out and touch the leaves on the trees, smell the pine in the air, hear the birds singing, and see the little rabbit trails.”
• Take note by hand
• How to take note: 1/3 write key points > when reviewing, write even briefer key points and try to recall them

Chapter 15 test success

• The test preparation checklist
• Make good use of stress: deep breathe you can have good performance when you are excited (try turning the nervous emotion into something positive) “This challenge got me excited to try my best!”
• Use diffuse mode to switch to a fresh eye when reviewing your answers
• Start with the hardest problem

Chapter 16

• 也是一个书中常出现的鼓励 if you are into art, try going into science as well. If you are into science, try going into art as well.
• Active recall 了 my key takeaway from the book ↓ 感觉大致都出来了！