To me, repetition works best in remembering stuffs. I’ve always found this simple approach indispensable in studying for exams, acquiring new skills or even remembering past personal experiences that are of great importance to me. I would like to expound on how repetitiveness can impact memory.
While in school, this was my main concern when preparing for exams - forgetting facts and details. In spite of studying textbooks and reviewing notes, it didn’t help much. One day a teacher suggested that I read my notes out loud and write them down several times. At first it looked boring but I decided to attempt it.
I began by reading aloud a section from the textbook while writing the key points again and again. Then I closed my book and tried recalling everything. Surprisingly enough, this method worked for me. The more information I repeated, the more I was able to remember it all. My brain remembered every single detail after each repetition.
It wasn’t just about revising. I also learned new skills in the end. The initial difficulty of my learning how to play the guitar was immense. My fingers were not moving properly, and I could hardly recall the chords. However, I kept on practicing, playing the same chords and songs over and over again every day. Gradually, my fingers started remembering positions, until I was able to play without looking at the strings any more. It turned into muscle memory with time and playing the guitar became smoother and more enjoyable.
Repetition has really come in handy in my personal life too. Before, it was quite hard to retain important dates such as birthdays or anniversaries. In this regard also I adopted repetition strategy. For instance, I would write down these dates in several places: on my calendar; phone; sticky notes all around our house among others. Thus reinforcing memory through repeated sights of that date is one way of ensuring that it remains vividly imprinted in your mind forever so that you never forget such vital information again.
Work has benefited from repetition. I have to give presentations and remember project details often. When I first began doing this, I would get nervous and forget my points. To overcome this, I started practicing my presentations multiple times. First in front of a mirror, then friends or family members, and finally before colleagues. Each time, I got more confidence and recalled more facts. At the point of delivering to larger audience, I was ready because the information had been repeated several times.
Repetition is most effective when used over some time frame referred to as spaced practice (Spaced Repetition). Instead of trying to study or practice all at once during one session, I divide it into several short sessions over few days or weeks. This way the information sticks better in my long-term memory. For instance when learning words for a foreign language class, instead of cramming them at once, I can review few words everyday till i grasp them all; thus making it easier for me later on to recall that vocabulary through spaced repetition.
Repetition has really been a big boost in enhancing my memory in several aspects of my life. When preparing for exams, acquiring fresh skills, remembering essential days and getting ready for presentations, repeating is one way that I have used to improve my memory. It sounds easy but it does work. If you have problems with your memory, try using repetition. It may as well be effective for you too.
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