Personal Methods for Studying and Retaining Information

Personal Methods for Studying and Retaining Information:

1. Read to yourself. You may read it at your pace or read as fast as you can. The faster you read the more you might keep the subject's overall big picture in mind. I also find it best to have no distractions.
2. If you feel too lazy or very proctrastinative to study then take a nap first. Naps are also encouraged when you feel tired while reading or studying for something. Maybe some sort of  reward is a good idea also. 
3. Never leave things for the last minute. I found it best to study or read a subject as soon as I receive it.
4. Eat well, fruits are highly encouraged.
5. Repetition: the more you repeat, the more you will remember. 
6. Stored variables: when you read or study a subject tie it to a thought, memorable object, or physical object. Use this to keep a term or subject in mind.
7. Subconscious communication: talking to yourself or giving yourself verbal commands in a deep and self-convincing way is a good method of obtaining your desires.
8. Have short breaks. Nap, eat, or check your facebook; make it a challenge to forget and remember what you have read or studied.
9. The use of flash cards and visual repetition is a great way to retain information. In psychology the grouping of five or six objects make it easier to memorize. Also the use of the color yellow can also help, because it’s the color that stands out the most visually (that and bright blue light).
10. Zen: calm down, breath and stare at something for a while. If there is too much thoughts in your mind, just relax and explore your thoughts; let it all come to you until you achieve clarity or experience a sense of relaxation. Nap or check something that's bothering you if you need to. Also a good idea, stated previously, would be to give yourself personal commands. I found by relaxing and having a stable mental state, I can keep a deep awareness of things and maintain a tranquil state of mind where I find it easier to remember things and help myself focus on reading or studying.

I hope this helps. These are tips I use to help study or read daunting textbook chapters for college. Not all of them work all the time, but I always manage to get what I need done and always on time if not ahead of time.