Quick Ways to Remember Things You Forgot to Not Finish Like Jeff Sessions
Some things are tricky to remember: where you parked, all your high school years and, of course, whether you spoke to Russian officials, especially if you testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee about a certain investigation involving Russia and other countries. 2016 election, as Jeff Sessions did on Tuesday .
While testifying, Sessions was asked questions about his ties to Russia during the election, Donald Trump’s possible ties to Russia, and the firing of former FBI chief James Comey during a Russian investigation. But – damn it, that’s a bad memory! – he claimed that he did not remember many of the events that the Senate asked him about.
If you ever find yourself in a situation like the Sessions, here are some simple tips to help awaken your memory.
Get some sleep
There is plenty of research on the benefits of sleep and how sleep deprivation can make people seem crazy when they ask questions ( * coughs * John McCain ). Lifehacker has a guide to improving sleep with tricks like staying on a regular sleep schedule and reducing screen time. It is also helpful to study new information before bed to help you remember important points as much as possible.
Close your eyes and take a step back
Rendering the scene where you placed your last item or meetings with Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak is helpful because it recreates the scene and helps you capture details that you may have missed. This process is called context recovery . For example, if you remember entering the Mayflower Hotel in April 2016 , you can also recall a conversation with the Russian ambassador. Closing your eyes also helps you remember because it forces your brain to focus on one feeling rather than process information around you.
Pay attention
Memory depends on three factors: motivation, observation, and mechanics. This is the thinking behind the MAMA system , which says that we remember things depending on how motivated we are to remember information, how attentive we are to the situation, and how much we recall and repeat information. Lifehacker’s Patrick Allan explained about the MOM system: “Memory problems are usually attention problems, not retention problems. Be present at the moment, listen and be as aware of your surroundings as possible. ” For example, be present when you have important conversations that you want to remember later, especially if those conversations are with Russian officials.
Use visual cues and mnemonics to make it memorable
Attaching names to faces is tricky, but there are many tricks to make this task easier. One is creating visual hooks that make their names and faces more unique. Another way is to associate their name with other things using mnemonics . For example, if you are the 84th United States Attorney General Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III and want to remember if Hawaii is a state , you can refer to a mnemonic device such as WOAH C, an abbreviation for states in the Pacific Ocean (Washington, Oregon, Alaska Hawaii , California). Just like you could refer to one, remembering that Sergei Kislyak is the Russian ambassador.