Power Up Your Mind: Learn faster, work smarter

Key memory principles

So, what does all this mean for you in your life at work and at

home? When it comes to how your memory works, there are a

number of simple principles to understand.

1 You tend to remember the first and the last items. This is sometimes
called the primacy and recency effect.
2 If you can find the patterns and connections between items, this
will help you to remember them.
3 You tend to remember things that are surprising or odd, that do not
conform to patterns.
4 Your ability to recall things is improved if you review what you have
learned over a period of time.

Each of these principles has a direct impact on your life. In the

workplace, for example, the following apply:

Remembering 121

Principle Activity Implications
You tend to remember the
first and the last

Meetings

Communications

Making presentations

Learning

Break meetings up into a

number of mini-meetings to

create more beginnings and

endings. Make sure the items

with which you start and end

a meeting are the ones you

want people to remember.

Don’t necessarily leave the

item that will be most con-

troversial until last, as it may

leave people with unneces-

sary negative feelings.Take

regular short “stretch”

breaks.

In one-to-one discussions,

make sure that the first and

last things you say are

strongly positive.

Concentrate on starting and

ending strongly!

Take regular breaks, splitting

your learning up into chunks.