The Salami Technique: More motivation and concentration

Do you struggle to learn an entire book for an exam in one go? Does this demotivate you? Then maybe the Salami Technique is for you! This technique is ideal to plan all your assignments and tasks. But what exactly is the Salami Technique? In this article, we will give you the definition and explain how to use the technique.

What is the salami technique?

The Salami Technique is used to make the learning process easier. The comparison with a salami goes as follows: eating an entire salami in one go, will probably make you sick, or at least make you dislike salami. But if you divide the salami into smaller slices, and eat only a few slices at a time, you will keep feeling good. Applying this technique to your study materials and projects will make you learn and go through them a lot easier. Moreover, by dividing your study materials and tasks into smaller ‘slices’, creating a good schedule has also become much easier.

The Salami Technique combines well with the Pomodoro Technique. You could, for example, use the Salami Technique for planning and the Pomodoro Technique to study.

Salami Technique: Learning with more focus and motivation

Now that you know about the Salami Tactics, it's time to apply them yourself. The step-by-step plan below will help you learn optimally with the Salami Technique.

Imagine the following: You have an exam week, test week, or project week coming up, and the number of tasks is rising and rising. It’s only a matter of time before you lose the overview. But don’t worry. By applying the Salami Technique you can plan and complete tasks properly fast.

Step 1: Analyse your task, project or exam

Start by dissecting a task or exam. For example, if you have to learn chapters 1 to 5 of a book, it will be impossible to read and learn all information in one day. Instead, divide the salami into several smaller parts, in other words, divide your learning tasks over multiple days.

Step 2: Pick the days and times you want to study or work in advance

The second step is to pick the days and times you want to study or work in advance. Mark these specific days and times in your calendar. Take into account that some people are more productive in the morning, while others perform better in the afternoon or evening. Don't forget to schedule a rest day once in a while. This will improve your results.

Step 3: Spread your tasks over these days and times

The next step is to spread all tasks over the days and times you picked in the previous step. It is advisable to work your way backward, starting just before the deadline.

You will see that after planning and dividing your study materials into smaller tasks with the Salami Technique, you will learn a lot easier and be less stressed. You will also be much more aware of your free time and, therefore, better enjoy your life next to your studies and work.

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