The One Minute Rule of Memory

Having a better memory is really quite simple. Anything given less than one minute of thought will fade from your memory. We have all known this for years. Consider taking notes at lectures. Notes allow us to think longer about the point we feel is important and they focus our attention. Additionally, taking notes allows us to review the important facts which again give more time to learn and later remember what’s important. In a world filled with massive and multiple sources of information we often ignore the fact that we learn most things well by spending time with the skill or information we want to remember.

The more minutes you spend the better the memory. Indeed, Malcolm Galdwell, author of Outliers, points out that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert. Think of the multitude of memory systems involved in learning complex tasks. It’s quite a marvel that we can master such complex skills as driving, skiing, bridge, chess, painting, sculpting, writing, or growing orchids. Furthermore, the more time you devote to these activities the better you become at executing them because some of the memory operations involved become automatic.

The One Minute Rule also applies to so many everyday endeavors. How many times have you looked for your car in the parking lot? Often this is a result of ignoring the One Minute Rule. You run from your car to a meeting and want to be on time. You are reviewing who will be at the meeting and what the agenda is. What you don’t do is to stand by your car for a minute and spend the time thinking only of where it is located.

Consider the pervasive frustration with learning new names. Learning new names is a very complex memory skill. Some are very good at this and others have to work at it. But if you want to be better at remembering new names, you must spend the time up front. Repeat the name as you are talking to the person. If you are good at imaging think of a visual association such as trying to remember my name by imaging a duck to represent Bill. When you sit at a table with new acquaintances, make a seating chart on your napkin of the names as they introduce themselves and use their names frequently.

Make notes. The act of making a note makes you think longer about the information. Put a notepad and pen next to every phone and repeat back what you write to the person providing the message. Make a Post-It note to remember to take Kleenex to work and place it on the door going to the garage.

Most memories do not form instantly. Remembering requires time to find, review, understand, and finally to recall. The time we put in pays massive dividends later. Don’t forget the One Minute Rule.