How To Remember Something That You Forgot 12 Steps

For example, if you thought of something in the living room and forgot it by the time you got to the kitchen, try going back to the living room. It’s likely the return to a familiar context will help you retrieve the forgotten information.

For example, if you have a conversation with a friend at the coffee shop and she tells you about her upcoming birthday, try connecting the memory of the conversation to something you already remember well: “Melissa told me her birthday was on June 7. That’s just a week after my mom’s birthday. ” These cues can also be sensory information. For example, smells can trigger vivid memories in many people, like the smell of baking cookies reminding you of days spent at your grandmother’s house. [4] X Trustworthy Source Association for Psychological Science Nonprofit organization devoted promoting trustworthy research and education in the psychological sciences Go to source If the memory is possibly connected to a smell – in this example, maybe the smell of coffee or cinnamon rolls from the coffee shop – try stimulating your memory with a whiff of the familiar odor.

For example, verbally connect the information you want to remember to the place: “When we met at that new coffee shop on Main Street, Melissa told me her birthday was on June 7. ”

For example, if you’re at a party and a friend introduces you to someone named Masako, look directly at them as you smile, shake their hand, and say, “It’s nice to meet you, Masako. That shirt is such a pretty shade of blue!” Reinforcing all of this sensory information at once may help you encode the memory for later.

This technique takes some practice to perfect, but it can be very helpful for storing information that you want to remember because it emphasizes forming creative, even absurd connections between places and memories.

If your phone has a voice recording function, you can use that to send yourself voice notes or voice text messages. You can also download and use free recording apps on your phone. If you have a lot to remember, pick out a maximum of 3 keywords and memorize them. [9] X Research source If you can, take a screenshot or picture of what you need to remember and send it to yourself. It is great for phone numbers or contact information you don’t have stored in your phone already.