Do You Remember…
- What you had for breakfast this morning?
- What you ate for dinner three days ago?
- Your last conversation with your closest friend?
- The first topic of today’s workshop?
Many people struggle with short-term memory today. However, just like reading and note-taking, memory retention skills can be developed. Improving your memory will enhance your ability to read, organize, and recall information when writing.
Key Tips for Improving Memory
Attitude is Everything
Begin with a change in mindset. Instead of thinking, “I have a terrible memory,” tell yourself, “I will focus on what’s happening and work on remembering things.”
It’s also beneficial to slow down your pace. Many individuals multitask excessively, which can prevent them from paying full attention to any one task. Concentrate on one thing at a time—avoid checking emails during meetings, turn off the TV while conversing, and pause your current activity to focus on discussions.
Taking your time to complete tasks is important as well. If you find it hard to concentrate, jot down any distracting worries. Deep breathing exercises can also help clear your mind.
Use All Your Senses
Most people tend to rely heavily on one sense—perhaps you’re more visual or auditory. Identify which sense you use most often and adapt your research methods accordingly.
For visual learners, consider color-coding your notes or incorporating diagrams and graphics. Auditory learners might benefit from listening to audiobooks or recordings. Regardless of your preferred sense, reading aloud can significantly enhance retention. Try reading to yourself or having someone quiz you on the material.
Sing It, Say It, Rhyme It
We often remember songs and rhymes from childhood, like the alphabet song. Apply this technique to help you retain information from your readings. Create rhymes, acronyms, or even songs to make learning more enjoyable while enhancing memory retention. (Just remember to keep it down in the library!)
Organize and Pattern
After taking notes, use a fresh piece of paper to organize the information into a graphic or pattern. You could also number your notes. Arranging information in a way that makes sense to you can make it easier to remember, understand, and analyse.
Remember the 7±2 Rule
The 7±2 rule, introduced by psychologist George Miller, suggests that we can hold five to nine chunks of information (or seven plus or minus two) in our short-term memory.
What constitutes a chunk? It varies based on the information and your familiarity with the topic. The key takeaway is that the more you can relate pieces of information to one another, the better you will remember them.
