How do you remember things better? Tips to train your memory
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Everyone forgets things sometimes. Where did you leave your keys? What did you need from the supermarket again? Or where did you park your car? Our memory sometimes fails us. Fortunately, there are proven ways to train your memory. In this blog, you'll discover how to remember things better and which simple tip is most effective according to research.
Why do we forget so often?
Our brain processes thousands of stimuli daily. When information is not consciously stored, it quickly disappears. Moreover, we now leave a lot to our smartphones. Phones remember appointments, addresses, and shopping lists, making our memory lazy.
It is therefore important to keep actively using and exercising our memory.
Research: what do you remember best?
Scientists investigated three ways to remember information:
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Reading aloud the words.
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Reading silently to yourself.
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Listening to your own voice or someone else's.
The results were clear: participants who read the words aloud remembered by far the most (77%). This was followed by listening (73%), and the least effective method was silent reading (65%).
The power of the production effect
This result is explained by the production effect. The more mental processes you engage in remembering, the better the information sticks.
When reading aloud, you use three processes simultaneously:
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You see the information (visual)
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You speak it out (motor)
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You hear it back (auditory)
This combination makes your memory significantly stronger than just silent reading.
Practical tips for better recall
Do you want to train your memory and remember things more easily? Use these simple techniques:
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Say it out loud: put down your keys and say, "I'm putting my keys in the top drawer."
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Repeat important information: whisper the task you need to do on your way to your desk.
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Use repetition for lists: remember groceries by repeating them aloud.
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Link information to a location: when parking, say, "My car is at 2F."
By forming these habits, you create extra memory traces, strengthening your memory.
For larger amounts of information
Do you want to remember more than just a few groceries? Think of a long presentation or a large piece of text? Then memory strategies like chunking (breaking down information into blocks) or mind maps are effective tools.
Conclusion: how to remember things better
The answer to the question of how to remember things better is simple: use your voice. By speaking information aloud, you activate multiple brain processes simultaneously. This makes your memory more powerful and increases the chance of remembering details.