How We Remember (and Forget) Things

The first step to improving memory is understanding the science behind it

All images: the author

An Exploration of How Memory Works

• What was the name of the person I met at that event last night?
• What was that address again (even though those of you with smartphones don’t really need to know addresses anymore)?
• What day is my friend’s birthday?
• What is the name of the blender I bought that I was going to tell my friend about?
• What was that data that I read but am struggling to recall right now?
• Or that historical fact that won’t quite surface in my brain?

There are a lot of techniques out there to help you remember this type of information. From Kwik Recall to experiential methods, from books by very smart people to emerging research suggesting undisturbed rest is the key to retaining new information, lots of folks offer strategies to boost memory, concentration, and recall. Some are well-rooted, peer-reviewed techniques while others are hacks based on individual experience. Both types can be helpful—and by all means, use them to your advantage.

However, for me, it has been understanding what is behind the techniques—the foundation…