Set a Stop Rule Before the Next Tutorial

More study is useful only if it can change what you do next. Before opening another tutorial, write down what you need to be able to do—and what would count as enough evidence to try it.

For example, if you’re learning a spreadsheet formula, your stop rule might be: “I can summarize categories on a copy of my budget and check the totals against a manual calculation.” Once that works, use it on a real task. If the numbers don’t match, return with a specific question instead of restarting the whole course.

This makes learning practical without pretending one successful try proves mastery. The next use can show what held up, what didn’t, and what’s worth studying next.