We are surrounded by a huge amount of information and our brains are constantly choosing what to get out of our focus range because dealing with all of it can sometimes be too much. This is why we are not used to focusing on an essential aspect for a long period of time, so our memory storage capacities might have to suffer because of it.
If you want to buy a new telescope and you read an article about another perspective on the C90 model, for example, you might want to remember the information you have just read. But because your brain is not used to remembering everything you read, you might be surprised that you will forget a lot of the information in the article.
Therefore, a great thing to do is to engage in strategies that have been proven to be effective and will help you a lot especially when you are studying or reading about subjects that you are really interested in.
- Visualization
When you are facing difficult concepts that you are not familiar with, a great practice is to visualize them in order to remember them. For example, if you want to observe the stars using a telescope and you have never used one before,you should try to envision the process while reading about how to do it .
You can even draw the inside of a telescope if you want to better understand how it works, as this will help you remember it a lot better and the next time you come across information about its structure you will be able to remember and understand it.
- Linking information
You know that a good way to create a new habit is to link it to another existing habit. The same principle lies behind linking new information to memories that you already have. So, if you have used a pair of binoculars before, when learning about telescopes, you can link what you already know about lenses with the new information that you want to acquire. Pretty simple, right?
- Sleep on it
Research has shown that for the brain to work properly you need to get between 7 and 8 hours of sleep. A study on mice has led researchers to conclude that if you sleep right after you have learned something, the networks in your brain that are used to form that memory get stronger. So don’t be afraid to take a nap once in a while.
- Structuring is the key
A great way to better remember the information you learn is to structure it. You will be able to remember it better than if you would learn it in a chaotic manner. Taking structured notes about the topic you are studying is very helpful and you will be able to remember it a lot easier the next time you come across it.
Final Thoughts
Memories are not as enigmatic as they were 100 years ago. Scientists now know a lot of things about what happens in your brain while creating memories about different things and the advice we have given you here is backed by science. Try to put them into practice and we can assure you that you will become great at remembering what you learn.
