When trying to remember things, it can be a little difficult when you’re bombarded with lots of information at once. Say, for example, you are at a business event and you are meeting a lot of very important business executives in which it is crucial that you know and remember their names. This can be a daunting task for someone you doesn’t know how to properly store the information in their active, or “working,” memory. Here are some tips in order to use active information recall to remember important information.
When you meet someone of the utmost importance, it is typically best to utilize their name as you meet them. For example, after they introduce themselves, repeat their name. Shake their hand firmly and say, “It’s so nice to meet you, Mrs. Smith!” By using their name in your response, you are storing it in your active memory.
The important thing to remember when trying to keep someone’s name in your working memory is to continue using it. You can either repeat their name to yourself in your head, or you can continue to process it into your memory by utilizing it in further conversation. If a colleague comes up to you while you’re talking to Mrs. Smith, introduce her to your colleague. “Sally, this is Mrs. Smith. She is the CFO of…” This will help you retain the information for recollection later on.
By repeating the information and storing it in your active, working memory, you can help your brain process it as short-term, or even long-term, memory over time. This is something that you can take advantage of when the data you are trying to remember is important enough to remember for a longer period of time, such as the length of your employment at the company you are working at.