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Remembering 121

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:

Principle Activity Implications
You tend to remember the Meetings Break meetings up into a
first and the last 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.
Communications In one-to-one discussions,
make sure that the first and
last things you say are
strongly positive.
Making presentations Concentrate on starting and
ending strongly!
Learning Take regular breaks, splitting
your learning up into chunks.