How is the way you learn or work now different from when you were younger?

A natural way to answer

When I was younger, I relied a lot on memorising things without really understanding them. Now I focus much more on grasping the why behind it, which means it pays off in the long run. I've also got far better at managing my time.

Key phrases to use

• cram — to study a lot of information quickly just before an exam“I stayed up all night cramming for the test.”
• sticks — (of information) stays in your memory“If I write it down, it really sticks.”
• pays off — (of effort) to produce a good result eventually“All that practice finally paid off.”
• put everything off — to delay doing tasks until later“I always put everything off until the deadline looms.”
• into the ground — to a point of total exhaustion or ruin“He worked himself into the ground before taking leave.”