How to Improve Information Recall

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Have you ever found that no matter how much you read or how hard you listen you can’t seem to be able to remember it a day later? Don’t worry, information recall is something everyone struggles with, and like any other ability, it gets better with practice. Here are some tips to improve both your comprehension and memory recall.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

Journal
Paper
Reading/Viewing/Listening Materials

How to Improve Information Recall

Step1

We live in a highly saturated information age. The first step to improving your recall is focusing closely on what is most important from what you are hearing or reading. This means establishing a more general understanding before moving on to particulars. For example, a quick skim over the introduction, table of contents, and back cover of a book can give you a rough idea of the general outline of what to expect. Once you have a general idea, begin reading the details.

Step2

One of the best tricks for remembering someone’s name is repeating it back to them immediately after they say it while looking closely at their eyes and shaking their hand. Not surprisingly, the method of immediate repetition is the key to many other memory-building techniques. When you are reading a book, stop after five minute intervals and provide a brief verbal summary to yourself or a listener about what you just read. Externalizing and actually hearing these ideas is essential, as it engages more senses than just visual absorption.

Step3

When reading, actually track the words with an underlining finger(s). This may seem juvenile at first, but the tactile engagement with what you are reading is actually a critical way to keep your focus on the materials at hand and overcome distractions. In terms of conversation, this kind of focus can be achieved by watching the facial expressions of the speaker closely to see how the words take shape. Critical again is the immediate recounting or summarization of what you heard. If you can’t say it out loud, record your observations in a journal.

Step4

Ancient public speakers like Cicero used to build their memory and recall abilities by associating specific words or phrases with objects they would arrange within rooms in their mind. There is no need for you to be so abstract, but such an example does speak to the importance of associating information with a specific sensation or place. This is why some people prefer to tell directions through landmarks instead of street names. They have a strong associational mind, which is something anyone can build.

Step5

Constantly draw connections between experiences and ideas. Synthesis, along with constant summary, is one of the most critical elements of a well-ordered memory. This is why we spend so much money to study with specific teachers, because they are really good at showing us how things fit together. Even if you don’t think of yourself as a strong synthesizer, you can improve on this during your “summaries” by asking yourself out loud (or on paper) what this new knowledge reminds you of. Just asking yourself these kind of explicit questions will help you gain ground.