I am approached all the time by journalists looking for a “memory expert” to comment on this or that or to provide a few tips about some aspect of memory. Exam preparation time is another common time of the year to be consulted about tips to do better in exams.
I have also been contacted in the past about the effects of aging on memory, how to remember boys phone numbers (that was a teenage girl magazine), how to remember girls phone numbers (that was for a men’s magazine), how to win at Black Jack (that was for a tabloid newspaper but I couldn’t help them on that), how to remember your credit card PIN number (got on television for that one), how to remember people’s names (very common problem but simple if you know how) and a whole myriad of others.
Today I was contacted by a journalist who was writing a story for the magazine of a major car manufacturer. I can’t tell you who they are but to give you a clue just have a look at the car in front. This chap wanted to some advice on how to help his readers remember directions.
Well of course I have a few ideas to help him do that and he came away rather pleased with himself at his new angle for the story. Of course it really helps to understand why people have problems remembering directions:
1. Too much information coming far too quickly
2. The stress of needing to ask for directions results in a poor state for remembering information
3. If you are receiving directions from a member of the opposite sex they will generally give you directions in a different way to the approach you are comfortable with
4. Not getting the directions in your preferred learning style.
Each of these can be dealt with very easily and by applying a very simple process it is very easy to remember and then follow the directions.
If there was one tip that I would give to you if you do find remembering directions is to ask for them like this:
“Can you please tell me the EASIEST way to……”