Study shows we forget almost 50% after 1 hour and 70% after 1 day and study also shows that human brain has the capacity of 2.5 million gigabytes digital memory. So what we need to do, is just learn how to use the storage, how to remember what you read.
Old Beliefs:
Let's start with an old story — a story of a baby elephant, tied to a stake in the ground. When it’s a baby, the elephant isn’t strong enough to pull the stake up, so it eventually stops trying because it creates a belief that its effort is not enough. As the elephant becomes old, it gains more than enough power and strength to pull out the stake, but it remains tied up by something as inconsequential as a rope and a flimsy piece of metal because of the belief, learned as a baby. Many of us are just like the elephant. We just don't know what we are capable of. In our childhood, many such believes were created. One of them is, "To remember something that you read, you must have to repeat it many times (out loud)." This is not the only way to remember what you read even it is not efficient enough.
So first, you need to believe that "I'm capable of remembering everything that I read."
Tactics for How to Remember What You Read
Go into Alpha State:
Alpha state is the state of mind where the learning process, creativity, imagination boosts up and learning is state-dependent. Just take an example, after a huge argument, if you try to concentrate on something, it's very hard. Because concentration is very easy when you are in alpha state. If you learn something in the alpha state of mind, it seems effortless. To learn the tactics to get in the alpha state view this article.Pomodoro Method
Our brain is just like an untrained monkey jumping from one branch (thought) to another. It is the brain's natural tendency. So try to keep the focus period shorts. Although there is another reason, is that we can better remember the things that happened at first and at the end. That's why short-focus periods are important. You can use Pomodoro Method where you focus for 25 minutes then take a break for 5 minutes and keep cycling it as much as you want. Just don't try to use your phone in the 5 minute break time. In that time just get up from the desk and walk around in the room. It is highly probable that many good ideas or thoughts will come to your mind at this time and try to write them down on a small notepad. So that you can look after them later on.Take Notes & Highlight
If you are reading something non-fictional, then you should always grab a notepad, pen, and a highlighter when you read. Whenever you take notes from any book try these three questions- How I can use this?
- Why I must use this?
- When I'll use this? (Reference: Limitless by Jim Kwik)
Create a Mind Map
Whenever you complete a chapter or a book try to create a mind map. Which looks like this... A mind map is just doodling in your note pad about what ideas you got from this chapter or the book, what are key ideas need to be remembered. I'll help you in the next step.Revision Plan
We forget almost 70% of the things after 24 hours. So we need a revision plan. Whenever we revise something it takes less time than the previous. According to the study, after reading something, we must revise that within 24 hours then within a week, then within 1 month after that whenever you need it. If you revise the thing within the specified time then the thing will go to your long-term memory.Share Your Learning or Teach
The best way to remember something is just to share the knowledge that you have learned, teach them. When you share the experience you have learned, the experience repeats itself in your mind and it saves your long-term memory. Just like I'm sharing these ideas with you people so that I can remember them better and you also learn something new. Teaching is one of the best to master a topic, which is part of the Feynman technique.
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