I agree its the best way to go for what you're doing -
  definitely. .I've found it _very very addictive_. As I'm not
  doing a pure-focus-on-physics at present as I did a few years
  ago, I have to be careful because I thoroughly enjoy it. What
  I'm focusing on now is consolidation of knowledge from different
  fields of human knowledge and trying to tie things together via
  metaphors (concrete to abstract and back again) that are
  functional for explanatory purposes for a variety of people.
  [mostly myself tongue emoticon ] It's one of the reasons I sound
  weird some times smile emoticon But if I was doing a
  physics-heavy study again (which I'll let myself do again one of
  these days), I'll be right back there. It's a wonderland and I
  remember when I'd read carefully and thoroughly, my brain would
  be clicking left and right, I'd be furiously taking notes once
  something 'click in' and made sense... and well.. it's
  invigorating.