A Mind For Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science (Even If You Flunked Algebra)

The one caveat is that this technique only works if you’ve studied for the assignment or test—your diffuse drone needs preexisting chunks of knowledge or information so it can connect them together.

Why is spaced practice more effective than massed practice? It appears that embedding new learning in long-term memory requires a process of consolidation, in which memory traces (the brain’s representations of the new learning) are strengthened, given meaning, and connected to prior knowledge—a process that unfolds over hours and may take several

But it seems that the best ways to give your diffuse mode a chance to work out a difficult problem are through activities like sleeping, exercising, or going for a ride in a vehicle.