How to Remember Anything
Don't multitask., Avoid external distractions., Avoid internal distractions., Study in the afternoon., Summarize each paragraph in the margins., Write things over and over.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Don't multitask.
Concentration is incredibly important for retaining your memory.You need to keep things simple.
This is why you enter a room and forget why you came in.
It's because you were probably planning your party at the same time, or thinking about the TV episode that you just watched and you weren't concentrating.
When you're studying and trying to remember things for school, then focus on that one task.Don't think about that friend's party from the weekend.
Don't try to do a bunch of different tasks at the same time, or you won't get the full benefit from any of them. -
Step 2: Avoid external distractions.
Get away from your typical surroundings that make demands on your time, when you need to study.
This means leaving your house, your family, your friends, your pets, your TV while you're studying.
Find a specific place to study and don't do other things while you're there (like pay your bills, do leisure activities, etc.).
Make sure that you only study when you're in that place, as it will help your brain get into the studying mode.
Choose an area that has good ventilation and light so that you are more likely to stay awake and not get distracted.
If you do find that you can't work and that you're not retaining anything, take a short break (not too long and don't do anything that will start consuming your time like going on the internet).
Go for a short walk, or get a drink. , Sometimes the distractions don't come from your friends or family, but come from your own brain.
Often when you're reading something for school you find that your brain hasn't been on the material, but instead has been thinking about that party you're going to or wondering whether you've paid your electricity bill.Keep a specific notebook for these distracting thoughts.
If it's a thought that requires later attention (like paying your electricity bill), jot that thought down and dismiss it from your mind so you can work.
Make the distraction a reward.
Tell yourself that once you have finished reading (and understanding and remembering) this next section, you'll take a break to deal with the thoughts, or daydreams. , Studies have shown that the time of day correlates strongly to how well people remember things when they're studying.
Even if you think of yourself as a morning person or a night person, try to do the most important of your studying in the afternoon.
You'll recall the information better. , If you're reading something that you need to remember, write a short summary of each paragraph in the margins.
Writing things over again not only helps keep things in your memory better, but it will also serve as a memory jog when you're looking over your notes and readings for that test (or even for class).
Write down the main points from each things you're reading, so that you can jog your memory when you need to and to show that you read and comprehended what you were reading/studying. , Writing things down a bunch of times helps cement things in your memory, especially those peskier ones like dates and vocabulary words for foreign languages.
The more you write them down the more they'll stick in your brain. -
Step 3: Avoid internal distractions.
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Step 4: Study in the afternoon.
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Step 5: Summarize each paragraph in the margins.
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Step 6: Write things over and over.
Detailed Guide
Concentration is incredibly important for retaining your memory.You need to keep things simple.
This is why you enter a room and forget why you came in.
It's because you were probably planning your party at the same time, or thinking about the TV episode that you just watched and you weren't concentrating.
When you're studying and trying to remember things for school, then focus on that one task.Don't think about that friend's party from the weekend.
Don't try to do a bunch of different tasks at the same time, or you won't get the full benefit from any of them.
Get away from your typical surroundings that make demands on your time, when you need to study.
This means leaving your house, your family, your friends, your pets, your TV while you're studying.
Find a specific place to study and don't do other things while you're there (like pay your bills, do leisure activities, etc.).
Make sure that you only study when you're in that place, as it will help your brain get into the studying mode.
Choose an area that has good ventilation and light so that you are more likely to stay awake and not get distracted.
If you do find that you can't work and that you're not retaining anything, take a short break (not too long and don't do anything that will start consuming your time like going on the internet).
Go for a short walk, or get a drink. , Sometimes the distractions don't come from your friends or family, but come from your own brain.
Often when you're reading something for school you find that your brain hasn't been on the material, but instead has been thinking about that party you're going to or wondering whether you've paid your electricity bill.Keep a specific notebook for these distracting thoughts.
If it's a thought that requires later attention (like paying your electricity bill), jot that thought down and dismiss it from your mind so you can work.
Make the distraction a reward.
Tell yourself that once you have finished reading (and understanding and remembering) this next section, you'll take a break to deal with the thoughts, or daydreams. , Studies have shown that the time of day correlates strongly to how well people remember things when they're studying.
Even if you think of yourself as a morning person or a night person, try to do the most important of your studying in the afternoon.
You'll recall the information better. , If you're reading something that you need to remember, write a short summary of each paragraph in the margins.
Writing things over again not only helps keep things in your memory better, but it will also serve as a memory jog when you're looking over your notes and readings for that test (or even for class).
Write down the main points from each things you're reading, so that you can jog your memory when you need to and to show that you read and comprehended what you were reading/studying. , Writing things down a bunch of times helps cement things in your memory, especially those peskier ones like dates and vocabulary words for foreign languages.
The more you write them down the more they'll stick in your brain.
About the Author
Hannah Gutierrez
Brings years of experience writing about crafts and related subjects.
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