The most effective studying strategy, therefore, involves doing things such as the following: defining concepts in one’s own words; thinking up one’s own examples for concepts; relating information to oneself; drawing illustrations that show the interconnections among related concepts; answering “study questions” about the concepts; asking questions about the concepts (and trying to answer the questions themselves, if possible).

Tim Ferriss said it best: “Being busy is a form of laziness—lazy thinking and indiscriminate action. Being busy is often used as a guise for avoiding few critically important but uncomfortable actions.”

In sum, you can buff your rote memorization by trying to recall frequently, not relying on familiarity, and taking strategic breaks. Trying to solve real problems and trying to accurately recite your understanding of a rule can also be a conduit for remembering. (The ultimate combination? Teaching someone.)

The smells of lemons, lavender and coffee have been shown to decrease a rapidly beating heart and regulate breathing patterns.

As anyone with a head cold can attest, food “tastes” different when the sense of smell is impaired.