How Do You Retain Information?

What way for you personally to retain information? Are you able to get something on first try or does it require a bit more effort? If following instructions is more difficult for you then you are most likely a hands on type of person. That's okay, most of us requires repetition in order to get something down. What is an effective way that you have been able to improve your learning and memorization skills?

 

The best way I've been able to learn and memorize is by incorporating acronyms or a play on words that is either funny or just plain clever. It is even better if your memorization phrases incorporate a topic that you are already very knowledgeable about. Now when it comes to hands on activities, techniques can be memorized in phrases as well, otherwise its just good old repetition.

 

That is true. Thanks to SHTF Youtubers such as yourself, newbie preppers like me have been able to reap the benefits. Seeing some examples done in a step by step format, is probably one of the most helpful ways when it comes to learning new things.

 

There is the old saying, "see one, do one, teach one" concerning learning new skills, especially survival skills. No one innately knows how to skin and/or butcher an animal, build semi-permanent shelters, administer first aid or start a fire without the aid of a lighter, match or other fire-starter. These are the skills that we are taught, work to perfect and then teach the next generation.

 

I'm a quick study. Being a dancer and having nearly self-taught myself another language, I'm quite good at immediately memorizing things. I also enjoy studying and doing researching, so I know how to find answers to my questions. However, I'm very much a kinesthetic learner, so I need to be able to incorporate all of my senses in fully retaining information. When it comes to survival knowledge, I'm glad my father gave me hands on experience with starting fires, pitching tents and changing tires and other basic mechanics.

 

I'm not sure but I have a noticed a decline in memory abilities lately. Perhaps age, or just really, really busy lately. Regardless, I have been working at improving it. I was relying heavily on list-making until I noticed that this seemed to be making it even harder to remember things. So I am weaning myself off my lists as much as possible. One thing that is important is to practice mindfulness (staying present - a Buddhist practice). This really helps because it is calming and keeps the mind from racing, thus allowing for better concentration. I also use the power of suggestion and objects to help me remember. Say I need to remember to move the car before go to bed. I could write a sign that says, "Move car before bed". But instead I just put my car keys in a prominent place in order to remind me. This works very well.

 

In some respects I am great and some things I am rotten at!
Names and numbers I am bad at remembering unless I am impressed with the subject! I can remember some girls face name and phone number from fourty years ago
but not the dull nobody from last week or even ten minutes ago!
Technical stuff I am interested in I remember well, the principles if not the specifics over time.

By now there are few things that I see that I do not understand how it works, its a bit like mental Xray vision!
After studying anatomy I can easily imagine the working organs of most animals! when guiding a hunt and seeing a shot hit game I can extrapolate how quick it will go down and expire
quite well! won a few bucks on which organs were hit many times

 

I usually improve my holding ability by repeating patterns, tasks or images or using any possible trick to remember specific information, one of them is to associate things with themes and really helps a lot.

 

When I want to really lock down something I read it, say it, hear it, see it, handle it or use it. Then write it. Using as many senses as possible all together at once. My normal memory is good but I have a selective subconscious filing system. If the back of my brain decides "for me" that something should be retained it sticks. Many other things just vanish. Lol

 

I employ a unique method that I find that it works best for me. Personally, i can't focus on the same thing for long. So whenever I have to study I usually read a couple of paragraphs and listen to some music or watch a video. Then within 10 minutes I go back to studying. This way the mind doesn't get tired and I can study for longer and remember the content better.