If you can understand these basic characteristics of memory then you’re already on your way to better information retention!
I’ve introduced a couple ideas to consider about memory before, but I want to expand on it a little bit for you.
Foundational concepts
Memory flags
Imagine a small, red, triangular flag protruding from one section of your mind. That’s what I call a “memory flag”. On the flag is a bit of information that helps you to better recall the information that it’s marking. Whenever you mark off bits of your memory with these memory flags, you’re “flagging it” as important.
I consider there to be two kinds of memory flags that I call Related Terms (RTs) and Related Situations (RSs).
Related Terms
RTs are memory flags that you use to associate your target information with other terms that you already know. For example, you might associate your target term “pretentious” with “philosophy student”, “art rock”, or “the French language”. (I want to be one, listen to, and speak it anyway!)
Using RTs helps build an information path from your active vocabulary to your passive vocabulary to your vaguely familiar vocabulary.
Related Situations
RSs are memory flags that associate a particular scene, image, or feeling with a target term. Using “pretentious” as an example once again, you might associate it with, “Wendy Smith in my freshman year as a university student who taught me a valuable lesson of who not to become.”
RSs are particularly easy to create when you learn a new term by experiencing it yourself. To make RTs and RSs easier, you’ve got to focus.
Memory focus
Believe in your brain
Before we jump into the focus required for effecient memory retention, I need to talk with you about motivation. Or, rather, faith in your brain. Believe in it – it’s a powerful tool.
This is a particularly important concept to remember. When we see new information, it can get a little intimidating. Maybe you start thinking, “I’ll probably forget the term later.” You might, but who cares? Learn it again if you have to. Instead of worrying about possibly forgetting the information, focus on cementing the information into your brain from the start. Do as much as you can to avoid forgetting the information without actually worrying about that possible outcome itself.
Conscious memory flagging
Consciously flagging new information from the start is a great way to improve retention from the beginning.
Imagine a Tiny You in your mind, dressed in leiderhosen, with a flag that you’re ready to plant into a new memory to mark it off. Or maybe you’re an astronaut and you’ve just landed on the memory moon. Whatever fantastical image of your Tiny You that you want to create will be fine.
Plant those flags before you lose sight of the memory itself. Spend just 5 or 10 seconds focused on the new memory flag, and consciously tell yourself, “I’m going to remember that.” If you end up forgetting it anyway, that’s OK, too. You’ll just have to come to terms with your Tiny You as a pathological liar.
Hit the deck! Memory bombardment!
Multiple forms of input
As much as possible, use multiple forms of input to really pound that new information in. Read it. Write it. Speak it. Hear it. Smell it? (Natto.) Taste it. (Proceed with caution) Feel it. (If it’s legal)
It doesn’t matter if you consider yourself an aural learner, or a visual learner, or a fragrant learner, or whatever other kind of learners there are out there. If you think you remember 90% of information visually, than try your best to make up for that remaining 10% using other forms of input.
Input barrage
NO MERCY! Launch your entire arsenal on your memory. Use everything you’ve got. Read books. Watch TV. Read more books. Watch more TV. Try a recipe in your target language. Listen to music. Watch movies with no subtitles. Watch the news. Read the newspaper. Read a blog about some guy who writes about his love of ball point pens.
With an increasing amount of input you start to get overlapping information. Overlapping information is review. Review is what pushes vague familiarity to passive memory, and passive memory to active memory.
Get out there and take control of your memory.
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I realize this is a bit off the beaten path of your blog, but exercise makes a big difference. Daily running or other cardio-vascular exercise is a really good idea. There’s quite a bit of research linking running to neurogenesis (the creation and retention of more brain cells)
http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v2/n3/full/nn0399_266.html
Actually, I do apply concepts of health to my own studies, including jogging or brisk walking while shadowing or listening to Korean or Japanese.
You’ve given me an idea to write a post under the motivation section regarding sleeping and waking habits that aide in language study:
http://victorymanual.com/ten-sleeping-habits-to-improve-language-study/