Learning is one of the greatest joys in life and it can also be critical to staying employable and keeping our minds healthy as we grow older. Even with the great rewards that learning promises, however, few of us put much thought into how we might be better at it.
学习是每个人一生中的大事，它可以让我们在成长的同时充实自己。同时，我们可以收获很多，但是生活的压力让我们很少有时间来学习。
Here are seven practices that will help you take your learning to new levels.
下面几条可以帮助读者在生活中学习。
Commit to learning
Most people can get on board with the idea of lifelong learning, but few of us really commit to making learning a regular, focused part of our lives. Commitment means setting clear goals for what you what to learn, how you plan to go about it, and how long it will take. Write your goals and your plan down, and set a specific time each week for reviewing your progress.
全身心学习
大多数人都会有过活到老学到老的想法，但是很少有人会将它付诸实践，全身心投入要求我们有明确的目标，分配好时间。把自己的计划和想法写下来，并在固定的时间检查自己的实践。
Schedule a time for learning
We’re learning all the time, often without even knowing it, but when it comes to achieving focused learning goals, our minds appreciate regularity and rhythm. Carve out a specific time each day, ideally, always in the same place – to devote to your learning activities. Get rid of distractions like e-mail and your cell phone during this time and focus your attention on your learning goals.
做好计划
我们随时随地都在学习，但是要有所成就必须得集中精力学习，我们的思想要有计划和节奏。
Organize
I tend to write things down all over the place, which can make it very hard to retrieve the information I am looking for when I need it. Don’t fall into this trap. Determine a small number of specific places where you will store all of the materials related to your learning. Go digital to the greatest extent possible‚ among other advantages, this puts the power of search on your side. And you might want to try Web-based tools like Evernote for note-taking, or Penzu for keeping a journal.
有组织
很多人喜欢随时随地记录东西，认为这样有助于自己反省，但要记住，将与学习有关的材料记在一个地方。
Repeat, Repeat, Repeat
This one can’t be said often enough. We build and maintain connections in our long -term memory over time. For truly mastering a subject-area or skill there simply is no substitute for putting in the time to review and practice. Of course, this can’t just be mindless, mechanical repetition. You need to really focus your attention ‚ and ideally, your passion ‚ on what you are trying to learn.
复习，复习再复习
这个是我们经常会强调的一项，要好好复习。要想记得很久，必须不适拿出来复习。
Don’t do too much
Multi-tasking and information overload are the enemies of effective learning. The human brain is an amazing organ, but it can only do so much at once. If you want to be successful in your learning efforts, you will have to set priorities. This is a key part of the goal-setting already mentioned above. Determine which learning goals are most important to you now, set aside other goals for later, and eliminate things that really aren’t all that important to you.
不要过激
如果想高效地学习，千万不要再同时做好几件事，那样不利于高效地学习。
Treat your mind and body right
Learning is a physical as well as a mental activity. We need enough sleep each night, 7 to 8 hours for most adults, to ensure that our brain functions properly. We need the healthy blood flow that aerobic exercise can help support to ensure that the brain gets enough oxygen. And there is increasing evidence that our diets can have a significant impact on our cognitive abilities. In short, eat right, exercise, and get enough sleep if you want to be a truly effective learner.
善待身心
学习不仅是一个体力活也是一个脑力活，我们每晚要有充足的睡眠，平均7-8小时左右，用以保证我们的大脑可以正常的运作。
Relax
Leaving aside special circumstances like cramming for a test, we don’t learn well under stress. In fact, excessive stress over a long period of time can cause damage to the hippocampus, one of the parts of our brain that is critical for long-term memory. Living and learning are not about some grand, ultimate goal. They are simply about living and learning. Relax, and the learning will come.
放松
任何一件事在高压的情况下就很难做好，事实上，过大的压力在过长的时间对身有害。