TCM Tips on How to Study Smart
- Jul 8
- 2 min read
Once upon a time, the schoolgirl in me secretly admired this guy from afar. He was, and is most likely still, suave, athletic, and super intelligent.
He was barely in time for classes. He rarely took notes. I doubted he even owned textbooks. But he always aced his exams. I figured he had all the right and clever genes. All the stars lined up for him. Unfair maximus.
Eventually many years later, it hit me that he did not study hard. He studied smart. And played/partied hard instead.
.
I analysed his ways and combined them with TCM theories. I should have been enlightened much earlier, then I wouldn’t have wasted so much time being stressed out about nothing. In hindsight, everything has its season, I wouldn’t have come thus far if I hadn’t had my fair share of academic sufferings.
So, TCM study tips for those who'd learn from my mistakes.
1.Start your day early. As early as 5AM. Have a cup of warm water, take your vitamins, exercise. Which also means you will have to sleep at… 9:30PM.
2. Have a good breakfast from 7-9AM.
3. This is important: Do all your analysis part of studying from 9AM to 11AM, the TCM’s Spleen Time, when the Spleen energy is at its peak, aka your wisest period of the day.
Besides being in charge of digestion, the Spleen “stores” ideas and is related to pensiveness and contemplations. Do Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, anything that would require analysis during these couple of hours. With the air-conditioning on. This is also the reason why I constantly emphasise on nutritious and light breakfast. How are you going to think well when your stomach is full of heavy, oily and junk food?
4. All the filing of notes and highlighting of important points, save them for after lunch (1-3PM) when most are sleepy and unproductive.
5. Do all the memorising work from 5-7PM (before dinner). TCM views that the brain is 髓海 “sea of marrow”, which is nourished by kidney essence, and 5-7PM is our Kidneys Time.
6. Sleep by 10PM. Do not burn the midnight oil.
Another unpopular tip I should probably mention is NOT to take/write notes during classes or lectures when the teacher is teaching. Save time and effort by actively listening to what is being taught. Ask questions. Request for lecture notes from the teachers, or photocopy from your other classmates after classes.
Comments