How to work or study smarter than harder? We have all seen some classmates who breeze through their lessons, are hardly seen studying, have free time, enjoy curricular and social activities…and yet good marks. How do they do it? I will attempt to reveal the efficient method used them in this book.
You may well ask: why we have not been taught these methods in school. What I have found is that teachers and parents always students to study hard, but not really tell them how. How to study smart rather than study hard is what this book attempts to reveal to. Let me explain the difference with the short story.
Once upon a time there was king who has 3 sons. The king was getting older and decided that it was the time to choose successor. The aging monarch call all his sons and gave them a task. Each one has to fill a room with a single substance in such a way that not even a slightest gap would be unfilled. They were allotted a few hours to achieve this.
All three-princess hurried of in the directions of their respective room. The first decided to fill the room with large stones. He ordered his servant to start caring out the task, but it was physically demanding work and the progress was slow. To second price struck upon a better idea and he ordered his servants to fill the room with the bales of hay. This was far easier than lifting the heavy stones and young prince succeeded in the getting entire room filled up within the allotted time.
The third prince took the small bottle filled with a liquid and carried into the room allotted the room. He closed the windows and doors of the room and then sprinkled the room all over.
Once the time had run out, the king visited all the 3 rooms. The first room was only partially filled with stones the problems was that due to the heavy nature of the work, the assignment has not been completed.
The second room was fully packed with hay. The problem was that hay have tiny gap through which the sunlight could pass. These did not meet the criteria that the monarch had set.
The king visited the third room and as he opened the door, his nostrils over powered by the sweet fragrance of the jasmine. The king visited every nook and cranny of the room and found that smell of the jasmine was all pervasive. He realized that the third prince had simply sprinkled perfume all over the room.
The king smiled he had found an abled successor. One who work smarter than harder.
Fine. So, we need to work smart instead of hard. But how? Most people think that work in smart means a ‘shortcut.’ That’s not quite true. Working smart means working in a manner that is organized, efficient and effective. Period.
Organized: how you be better prepared for class, come under no last-minute pressure for assignments and work according to a planned schedule?
Efficient: how can you use your time in a way that promotes maximum learning in minimum time?
Effective: how can your organization and efficiency lead you to better learning and higher marks?
we must also remember that getting good marks is not enough, studying without understanding is like chanting mantras in prayer without understanding the meaning or significance of those prayers. Why should those chant work for you if you can’t even understand them? And that is also the difference between getting good marks and getting a good education.
