Human memory is notoriously unreliable — even when you think you’ve got the details right, it can still fail you when you need it most.
We rely on both our short-term/ working memory and long-term memory for almost everything, but our memory isn’t as consistent as we’d like to believe. It’s very limited and gets worse with time.
Research shows that within just one hour if nothing is done with new the information you learn or come across, you will forget about 50% of that new knowledge. After 24 hours, this amount increases to 70%, and if a week passes without that information being used, up to 90% of it could be lost.
Leverage the spacing effect
One method that can significantly improve retention of information is spaced repetition — repeating intake of what you are trying to retain over a period of time.
For example, when you read a book and really enjoy it, instead of putting it away, reread it again after a month, then again after three months, then again after six months, and then again after a year.
Spending time each day to remember information will greatly decrease the effects of the forgetting curve. It’s a conscious effort that reminds your brain that you want to commit that knowledge to your long-term memory.
Use the 50/50 rule
Another approach to overcoming the forgetting curve is the 50/50 rule. Dedicate 50% of your time to learning anything new and the rest of your time to sharing or explaining what you have learned to others.
Research shows that explaining a concept to someone else is the best way to learn it yourself. The 50/50 rule is a better way to learn, process, retain, and remember information.
For example, instead of completing a book, aim to read half, and try recalling, sharing, or writing down the key ideas you have learned before proceeding. Or better still, share that new knowledge with your audience.
人们的记忆非常不靠谱——即使你认为已经记住了正确的细节，关键时候它也会失效。
面对几乎所有事情我们都同时依赖长期记忆和短期记忆，但是我们的记忆并不是像我们坚信的一样是连续的。它非常有限并容易出错。
研究发现当我们获得信息后仅仅一个小时，我们将会忘记新知识的50%。24小时后会这个数字会扩大到70%，如果这个知识没有被使用一个星期后，我们将忘记其90%。
利用间隔效应
一个有效提高记忆保存率的方法是间隔重复——没过一段时间重复记忆你需要保留的信息。
比如，当你读到一本你很喜欢的书，可以把它放在一边，过一个月后再读一次，再过一个月、三个月、六个月，最后是一年后分别间隔读一次。
每天花写时间记忆信息将大大降低遗忘曲线的效应。这样的努力是提醒大脑你需要确认信息变成长期记忆。
使用50/50规则
另一个战胜遗忘曲线的途径是50/50规则。分出时间的50%去学习知识，另外50%时间用于分享或者向其他人汇报你学到的知识。
研究显示向其他人表达一个理论是最好的学习方法。50/50规则是最好的方法，包括学习、过程、保留和记忆信息。
比如，替代之前完成一整本书，转化成一半时间读书，其他时间试着回忆、分享、写下关键知识点。更好的方法是把学到的新知识分享给你的听众。
