Mastering anything in short bursts might seem like a tall order. But approaches that involve relatively smaller chunks of information – such as microlearning and bite-size learning – have evolved into well-honed strategies.
Apps and social media platforms have proved well-suited for this, often offering content that gets straight to the point. TikTok, the video-sharing social networking service, is home to a whole range of short and snappy 60-second instructional videos uploaded by its multitalented users – whether you’re looking for DIY hacks, cooking tips or even deeper knowhow.
But how you choose and use your lessons can make a big difference to how much you’ll take in. Here are some tips to make this approach to learning new skills and subjects even more effective.
1 Start off with small goals
Focus on specific areas, rather than trying to master every aspect of a particular topic. This can help motivate you to get started as well as being an effective strategy for maintaining your momentum. Narrowing your focus will also make it easier for you to find the right material to learn from. And, of course, having lots of smaller goals can make it easier to find the time in your busy schedule to master something new.
2 Cherry-pick from the best
It might be tempting to watch a video on how to put up a set of shelves, then put what you’ve learned straight into practice. But there are many videos and tutorials on offer and each video might show you a different way of doing things or focus on a different aspect of your end goal. Shorter videos are therefore ideal for cherrypicking the best of different methods. For instance, you might learn about how best to choose the right Rawlplugs from one expert, and how best to use a spirit level from another.
3 Take notes
Social media users who upload all these how-to videos are great at fitting a lot of information into short bursts (and not necessarily by simply talking really fast). While visual demonstrations are a great way of teaching you, taking down the basics as they flash by will help everything stick in your memory. If it’s a recipe, note it down; if a meditation move requires a particular breathing pattern, note it down – you see where we’re going here. The comments attached to a video can also be a great source of further information, with fellow learners offering tips and tricks to maximise each skill. So don’t be afraid to dive in, explore, and join the conversation.
4 Choose entertaining material to learn from
Lessons on TikTok are perfectly suited to the way our brains respond to information: we’re more likely to pay attention to the unusual, while movement, music and being relaxed can all help us remember things more easily. It also helps when those chunks of information are entertaining, too. Everyone’s memory works differently – your brain might respond better to visuals, or maybe you prefer lists set to music – so take the time to discover the videos you find fun to watch and that work best for your style of learning.
5 Get the timing right
Whether you’re an early bird or a night owl, the times of day when our brains are primed for learning are the same for almost everyone. Our optimal learning windows tend to fall between 10am and 2pm (after your first cup of coffee, but before your post-lunch energy slump) and between 4pm and 10pm. Avoid trying to learn new things too early or too late in the day, and you’ll absorb information that bit more easily. If your sleeping and waking patterns are unconventional, you might want to move these times by an hour or so, but the general pattern will be the same. And, of course, when your lessons are right there on the phone in your pocket, there’s no excuse not to squeeze in some fast learning when your mind is at its sharpest.
6 Practice makes perfect
Repetition and practise are the keys to effective learning, helping you move new knowledge from your short- to long-term memory. And learning in small chunks can make repetition even easier. Depending on how complicated each tutorial is, watch and repeat just a few videos at a time to steadily build up your knowledge. Use a ‘favourites’ tool to bookmark videos that you’ve already watched, making it easier to brush up on your saved tutorials. TikTok lessons might be short and snappy, but that doesn’t mean you can take shortcuts when it comes to practising. Whether you want to master a headstand or learn a new language, you won’t get there without putting in the offline time to try out your new skill – for instance, by getting your other half to hold up your legs, or talking to yourself in Esperanto as you do the vacuuming. Apps and platforms such as TikTok are ideal places to find expertise from across the globe – but the rest is up to you.
Explore the world of TikTok and discover the joy of learning new things in shorter bursts. What will you #LearnOnTikTok?
