We learn things all our lives, but we still don’t know everything because we forget a lot of information. Why did it happen?
We decided to learn why this is happening and find a way to memorize the information much more effectively. There is a universal formula that helps us memorize things more easily, made by Hermann Ebbinghaus, a German psychologist. And it works.
Why We Forget Information
Your brain protects you from overloading useless information. This is why all new information is stored in short-term memory, not long-term memory. If you don’t repeat it or use it, you forget it very quickly.
The Ebbinghaus forgetting curve shows that just an hour after learning, we forget more than half of the information learned. A week later, we remember only 20%.
How To Remember Everything You Learn
To keep the information in your head for a longer time, you must keep it in your long-term memory. Forced memorization is not very effective in this case, because your brain cannot understand information quickly and form strong associations.
If you want to remember things for a long time, you will need to extend the memorization period. It should take a few days or even weeks.
You can practice memorizing intervals using self-made cards or special applications like Anki (Android, iOS) and SuperMemo (Android, iOS).
12 More Memorizing Tips and Tricks
Try to understand what you learn. The things you understand are memorized 9 times faster.
Learn the most necessary information. You need to set your priorities correctly.
Keep this in mind: things that are at the beginning and at the end are better memorized (serial position effect).
Switch your attention from one topic to another. Remember that similar memories mix (interference theory) and become a “mess”.
Learn opposite things. For example, if you are learning a foreign language, memorize day and night. Opposites are easier to memorize.
Build your own “palace of the mind”. The idea is to associate certain things with a certain place. For example, if you are in your room, try connecting something you are learning with something in your room. Repeat a few times. After that, try to remember what the room looks like in your memory and repeat the things you learned that way.
Use “nail words”. The purpose of the technique is to preach one thing learned in another. So, when you think of the nail, you automatically remember the other thing.
Associate new words with those you already know. If you are learning a language, you can memorize something new based on what you know.
Make up stories. If you need to memorize a lot of information in a specific order, try putting the pieces in a story. It is important that the pieces are connected to each other with some type of plot.
Use a tape recorder. Record the information you are learning and listen a few times. This method works best for people who better memorize audio information.
Visualize. Use body language when learning. This will help you activate your muscle memory.
Choose only the best materials. Don’t use outdated books and learning methods. Things may have changed a lot since the books were written. Don’t waste time on something that may be wrong.
Preview photo credit pixabay
Based on materials from theoryandpractice, cqeacademy, senseandsensation, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, lifeinthefastlane, Rewire Your Brain: Think Your Way to a Better Life. John B. Arden
