Tricks to Remember Things I've Read
- Do not try to read something important in a noisy or distracting environment. Choose a quiet place with minimal distractions. Get yourself in the mood to read by turning off the TV, cellphone and laptop. Settle into a comfortable chair. Adjust the temperature if necessary. You may get sleepy if it is too ware, while a environment that is too cold can make it hard to concentrate. Making yourself comfortable and focused will increase the likelihood that you will retain what you have read.
- The material may seem dull or the volume overwhelming if you read for educational or professional purposes. Determine your purpose to prevent burnout and help yourself remember what you have read. Answer the question, "What information do I need to glean from reading this?" Make a list of questions your reading must answer to prepare you for the next test or meeting. Read the summary first to ascertain the main ideas if you are reading from a textbook or manual. Skim the material and make mental notes of important points.
- Highlight important points such as major statistics or bulleted lists. Be careful not to highlight too much or you will feel overwhelmed. Take notes and read as if you must tell someone else what you have read afterward. Do not try to read quickly. Read deliberately, turning the information over in your mind. Visualize what you are reading. Mental pictures can serve visual learners much better than text. Write down important steps, lists or categories, then devise a mnemonic device to help you remember. For example, the mnemonic device used to remember the nine planets is "My very eager mother just served us nine pastries." The first letter of each word is the same as the first letter of each planet: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.
- Reinforce the material by discussing it with a coworker or classmate. Even if he has not read the material, he can listen and ask questions to jog your memory and help solidify your grasp of what you have read. Rehearse what you have read immediately after reading. Repeat the main ideas and explain them to yourself. Reread your notes and check your understanding of what you wrote. Make flashcards of important points and definitions immediately after reading and ask a friend to quiz you.