4 Ways To Hack Your Memory | Lisa Genova

When you need to remember information for a test or presentation, you can try to hammer the information into your head or you can flip it and also try to retrieve the information as you're learning it.

When we try to put the information in,  it travels one way on the neurons. When we try to recall the information, we're going the other way. This bi-directional highway of information helps to strengthen that circuit more than just passively reading.

When you're studying, you need to space out the studying rather than limiting it to one timeframe.

For example, if you have seven hours to study for an exam that is in one week, do one hour a day rather than all seven hours the day before.

Memories are best retrieved if the context of retrieval matched the context when the memory was formed.

If I'm studying for a test while listening to Mozart, burning a lavender-scented candle, and eating Sour Patch gummy bears, I will recall that information better on the test day if I'm doing the same things.

Are you caffeinated while learning something? Are you tired while learning something.? Then match the conditions while learning when you want to retrieve it.

Semantic memory is memory for facts and information.

Too much stress can impact your ability to form and retrieve memories. For example, you study for an exam and know the information, then you go for the test, but because you're stressed and you're nervous, you can't remember a thing. You can't retrieve the information.

We can help our memory by creating associations that are meaningful, emotional, surprising, and new. We should also write things down.