Retrieve Memories – 3 Techniques for Short and Long Term Retrieval

Often when we forget something it becomes frustrating to remember that thing — whether it is where the car keys are, someone's name, or an item on a list. This article will discuss how to use the mind to locate these memories. These techniques are effective for both long-term and short-term memories.

Comparison

Compare what the memories were most like in properties to something similar. Often the mind categorises similar items and concepts close together. Take some time to listen to a conversation some of your friends have, be observant and you'll pick up on some interesting things: Person 1: "let's have pizza for lunch". Person 2: "good idea, the prices are good at Pizza Place". Person 3: "Guess how much I paid for this new watch? I got it at discount"…

Our mind processes are associative in nature and memories relating to something similar can often be triggered when we focus on the similar items instead.

Think of a similar item or concept.
Reflect on its properties and attributes.
This process will trigger related thinking processes and memories.

Retrogression

Retrogression involves playing a movie clip in your mind's eye to backtrack to the events that occurred before the event that has been forgotten.

Regress to the previous few items on the list, or the last few things you did before you lost an item, or the first time you met the person whose name you have forgotten.
Picture each of the preceding events in sequence and in great detail.
The sequence will often trigger the event that was forgotten.

Retrogression can also be used when we go to a particular place that we have been before to trigger related memories. You can use each of the senses, such as particular feelings, sensations, sounds and smells to regress to a previous event that is anchored in those same sensations.

Mind Meditation

Meditation can often help to calm the mind and to allow memories and thought processes to flow in a natural sequence. Often when we strain the mind and focused too much on remembering or on thinking about a particular thing our natural thought processes become disrupted.

Bring the feeling of frustration or not being able to remember into your main focus.
Imagine the problem shrinking and becoming smaller until it fades altogether.
Letting go of it for a few minutes allows the mind to refresh and to have more success with retrieving memories after this meditation.

Thanks for reading, I hope this was helpful. If it was please leave a comment:

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