Time is a precious resource that most of us have too little of as it is. Occasionally, I read advice like "Get up an hour earlier" as a way of pursuing some valued goal. but the reality is that most people don't get enough sleep and that quality sleep is necessary in order to consolidate learning.
So what are we to do?
The most important thing is to squeeze as much productivity as possible out of the time that you do have.
Be realistic and honest about what time you do have. All of us have a lot of waste time between other activities, while we wait in line, commute. whatever, time that we probably just currently use to stare into space and daydream. So making good use of this "between time" over the course of a year can add up to a substantial total. Even 15 minutes a day adds up to 91 hours per year. If you are doing something like learning a foreign language then this can make a huge difference to your progress. So if what you are learning lends itself to using this time then go for it. You can make flashcards to test yourself with or put video or audio information onto your iPod so that you can review it while you wait. Even carrying a book to read or a small notebook with information you want to learn in it can be practical ways of keeping information close at hand for moments that would otherwise be wasted.
Making use of those snippets of time is important. But equally important is to focus during those brief interludes. Half hearted inattention is almost as bad as wasting those moments entirely. Focus for that brief period on whatever it is you wish to learn during it, so that there is actually some lasting effect from that transient effort.
Make it easy to become engaged immediately in your learning session.
Make sure that the supplies and equipment that you need to use in your learning session are conveniently placed together for easy access. If necessary, list the excuses that you use to put off your learning session and then change your environment so that those excuses no longer apply. You must learn not to let yourself off the hook but instead reel yourself in to get stuck into your learning.
Don't assume that once you've learned something you've learned it forever
Knowledge atrophies the less frequently it is used and the more superficially it was acquired in the first place. Consequently, it pays to take the time to learn things properly and in depth the first time around and to revisit your knowledge on a regular basis, both to keep it fresh and to become aware of the extent to which it is slipping away and needs to be recaptured.
Acquire principles
When you are learning something focus on acquiring principles which you can generalise and use to generate novelty rather than just brute facts, which you cannot. The more you understand the deeper structures of what you are trying to learn, the easier it becomes to learn more, to see how new knowledge relates to knowledge you already possess, and to discover new things for yourself. So don't just learn what works, learn how and why and when it works.
Be clear on what you want to achieve with this block of time
If your objective isn't clear, then your efforts are likely to lack direction. Set aside some time at the end of your session and examine whether you achieved what you set out to do. If you didn't then seek reasons why you failed to do so: were you distracted, did you lack relevant materials or supplies, was the working environment less than ideal? Work out what you can do better next time to better ensure your objective is met.
Be sensitive to the natural rhythms of your learning
There is a time to expand and grow but there is also a time to consolidate your gains. Focusing solely on expansion results in spreading yourself too thin and having no depth in any one area. Focusing only on consolidation leads to stagnation. It is by alternately extending then consolidating, extending then consolidating tat your capacities grow in a sustainable way.
If you follow these basic principles then you will learn more in the available time and have more time left for the rest of your life as well.
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