I've developed a routine that's completely transformed how I learn new subjects. Every morning, I put on my trainers, pop my AirPods in, and head to the local park.

But instead of music or podcasts, I'm having a conversation with my AI tutor through ChatGPT's voice mode.

Last month, I wanted to understand the fundamentals of machine learning. I know, exciting right? 😁

Rather than sitting at my desk reading articles or watching videos, I decided to learn while walking.

For 30 minutes each morning, I'd stroll through the park while my AI tutor explained concepts, answered my questions, and challenged me to think deeper about what I was learning.

By the end of three weeks, not only did I have a solid grasp of the fundamentals, but I'd also walked over 60,000+ steps and enjoyed fresh air every day. The combination of physical movement and focused learning created a rhythm that made complex concepts stick in a way that desk-bound study never had.

What made this approach so effective wasn't just the multitasking efficiency. It was the structured, conversational nature of the learning—the back-and-forth dialogue that kept me actively engaged rather than passively consuming information.

Today, I'm going to show you how to structure your learning sessions with AI—whether you're walking in the park, sitting at your desk, or anywhere in between—to maximise comprehension and retention.

Let's get started:

Establishing Your Learning Cadence

When it comes to learning with AI, consistency trumps intensity every time.

Remember school or university and how each year you'd say that you’d revise little and often instead of all at the end? But … it was always at the very end? Yeah - we’re not doing that again! We’re being smart.

The ideal cadence is simply the one you can actually sustain. Regular, focused sessions will always outperform sporadic marathon cramming, regardless of the subject matter.

The Nigerian students we mentioned in Part 1 had regular, structured sessions with their AI tutors: after school, daily. This consistent engagement was a key factor in their remarkable progress - equivalent to nearly two years of learning in just six weeks.

Don't overthink this part. Whether it's daily 15-minute sessions, three weekly 30-minute sessions, or whatever fits your life - the best schedule is the one you'll actually stick with. Start with something achievable and adjust as needed.

Leveraging Voice Mode for Learning On-The-Go

If you're using ChatGPT, its voice mode offers a powerful way to maintain consistency even during busy days. You can literally have learning sessions while:

• Walking or commuting

• Doing light exercise

• Completing household chores

• Waiting in line or for appointments

This transforms otherwise "dead" time into productive learning opportunities. The conversation feels natural and allows you to engage with complex ideas without being tied to a screen.

Simply start a voice session within your learning project and say something like: "Let's continue our learning about [subject]. Can we pick up where we left off with [concept]?" Your AI tutor will have access to your previous sessions and can continue your learning journey seamlessly.

Voice sessions work best when they follow a clear structure:

1. Begin with context: Start by explicitly referencing your previous session and asking for a recap. This is why we use Projects, so we have a record.

2. Focus on discussion over dense information: Voice is better for exploratory discussions, examples, and application scenarios than for complex technical details.

3. Use explicit verbal commands: Be clear when you want to move to a new topic or revisit something confusing. The AI won’t know unless you tell it explicitly.

4. Request session summaries: At the end of a voice session, ask your AI tutor to summarise key points, which you can review later in text form. Also those summaries can be added to project memory.

These voice sessions can be interspersed with more intensive text-based sessions where you tackle more complex material or complete specific exercises. Use both!

Other best practices

Here are some more general tips to layer in. Don’t try to do ALL of these at once. They are suggestions! Just try them out and see how they feel.

This is all about you learning the skill of co-learning with your AI partner - it’s still directed by you so it’s on you to learn these methods.

The Teach-Back Method

After learning a concept, pretend you're teaching it to someone else. This forces you to organise your thoughts and identify gaps in your understanding. Your AI tutor makes the perfect audience because it can identify misconceptions in your explanation.

This technique is extremely powerful and central to our methodology—so much so that we'll dedicate Part 5 to exploring it in depth.

The Connection Game

Ask your AI tutor: "How does this concept connect to [something you already know]?" For example, if you're learning about blockchain, you might ask how it relates to banking systems you're already familiar with.

Finding these connections creates a web of knowledge rather than isolated information points, making recall much easier.

The Deliberate Questioning Strategy

Develop the habit of asking deeper questions beyond just "What is X?" Good questions include:

• "Why does X work this way?"

• "What problems does X solve?"

• "What are the limitations of X?"

• "How has X evolved over time?"

• "What alternatives to X exist?"

Your AI tutor can both answer these questions and help you develop better questioning skills, which is itself a valuable meta skill. Especially in an AI world.

Overcoming Learning Blocks and Plateaus

Every learner eventually hits roadblocks—concepts that just don't click or plateaus where progress seems to stall. Here are some ways to blast through.

When a Concept Doesn't Click

If you're struggling with a particular concept, try these approaches with your AI tutor:

1. Request multiple explanation styles: "I'm not getting this. Can you explain it using a different analogy?"

2. Break it down further: "This concept is still confusing. Can you break it down into smaller steps?"

3. Work backwards from examples: "Instead of explaining the theory, can you show me several examples and help me identify the pattern?"

4. Change modalities: If you're using a multimodal AI, request a visual explanation: "Can you create an image or diagram that illustrates this concept?"

5. Relate to existing knowledge: "How does this relate to [concept you already understand]?"

The beauty of a well-configured AI tutor is that it never gets impatient or frustrated when you need multiple explanations. Use this to your advantage!

When Progress Plateaus

Learning plateaus are normal but can be discouraging. Here's how to work through them:

1. Review your foundations: Sometimes plateaus occur because fundamental concepts aren't fully solidified. Ask your tutor to review basics you might have rushed through.

2. Change your approach: If you've been focusing on theory, switch to practical applications. If you've been doing lots of exercises, step back and review theoretical foundations.

3. Implement spaced repetition: Revisit concepts from earlier sessions to strengthen connections.

4. Set micro-goals: Break down your learning into smaller, more achievable objectives to restore a sense of progress.

5. Connect to your "why": Remind yourself why you're learning this material and how it connects to your larger goals.

6. Simpler: if stuck just ask the AI to make the concept simpler. “Explain it to me like I’m 5!”. Keep simplifying until you get it.

What's Next?

Now that you understand how to structure effective learning sessions, in Part 4 we'll focus on strategies for systematic review and reinforcement. You'll learn how to implement spaced repetition, create knowledge maps, and build systems to ensure your learning sticks for the long term. Yea, we’re getting fancy.

The structured sessions we've outlined here form the core of your daily learning practice, while the review systems we'll cover next will ensure that knowledge becomes permanently accessible.