Remember? (Tips for Recall)

When I was younger I had the memory of an elephant, it seemed impossible for me to forget anything. My life was busy then with school and a full-time job. I even fit in coaching Little League. Yet, my memory was, or seemed to be, spot on. Some 20 years later, my memory isn’t what it used to be. Now my days are filled with notes to myself and trying to remember where to find the notes.   🙂

So, today I’d like to share with you some memory techniques. Because you cant reach your goal unless you remember what it is.

1.   Structure and organize – Researchers have found that information is organized in memory in related clusters. I have found that having my to-do list / calendar readily available at all times helps.

2.   Relate new information to things you already know – take the time to think about how new information relates to things that you already know. By establishing relationships between new ideas and previously existing memories, you can dramatically increase the likelihood of recall. This works wonders for me when I am remembering a new person’s name. I associate them with someone I already know with that name.

3.   Vary your routine – Another great way to increase your recall is to occasionally change your routine. By adding an element of novelty you can increase the effectiveness of your efforts and significantly improve your long-term recall. I find it hard to remember what happened on days when I do ‘nothing special’ but on days when my routine is different, I can easily recall events.

4.   Focus – Attention is one of the major components of memory. In order for information to move from short-term memory into long-term memory, you need to actively attend to this information. Live in the moment. I just cannot stress this enough. If you are thinking of what you will do next, or what you did, of didn’t do last, you’ll miss the opportunities happening now. Focus Focus Focus on the task at hand, then you’ll be free to focus on the next.

5.   Teach new concepts to another person – Educators and psychologists have also discovered that having students actually teach new concepts to others enhances understanding and recall. You don’t have to be teaching the theory of relativity J it can be a simple concept; How to run faster, how to play a specific note, how to make a to-do list, or even how to set goals. Saying it out loud to others will help you to focus your energies.

And lastly, the most important, Remember where you are going. You cannot reach your goal unless you know where you’re going. Plaster your life with reminders, if you need to, but NEVER forget where you want to go.