Do you find yourself fidgeting when you try to study? Bouncing your leg, drumming your fingers, clicking a pen or, worse yet, fighting the urge to vacuum? If so, you may be what is called a kinesthetic learner. It’s widely accepted that there are three distinct learning types: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. People typically incorporate all three into their learning, but most of us have one style that is dominant. If you’re a kinesthetic learner, it may be unusually difficult for you to sit and read your real estate textbook or take your online real estate course. But don’t feel alone; almost everyone finds it difficult to sit through long study sessions.
So, if you have to prepare for the real estate exam, what should you do? Believe it or not, you’ll actually retain what you study better if you incorporate movement into your studies. Here are some tips:
1) Make notetaking an activity. Try to draw diagrams and make charts rather than plain lists. The act of drawing will help you to retain the information better, and the spatial relations of various elements on the page will also be easier to relate to.
2) If you do have a long list to memorize, hop on a treadmill. If you’re engaging your major muscle groups, you’ll engage your brain more effectively. Of course, if you’re stuck in the library, you’ll have to improvise: snap a rubber band, bounce a pencil, or chew gum.
3) Take frequent movement breaks. Take a short walk outside or down the hall. Try a set of jumping jacks or shoot a few hoops. You can even indulge that itch to vacuum; just make sure you stick to a single room! You’ll invigorate your senses and reset your mind, clearing the way for new information.
So don’t fight the urge to move—make it work for you. Just remember to keep your breaks short and stay on track. You can review additional kinesthetic study tips here. Keep moving, and good luck!
Remember, Rockwell Institute is always happy to answer your real estate exam questions!
