Use the following tips to help you remember where you left that

information that keeps escaping your memory:

 ✓ Contextualise. The context in which you hear information is

a powerful trigger to unlock your memory. If you’re struggling

to remember something, go back to the place where you first

heard or read the information. At work, go back to the room

where you stood and recreate the scenario to trigger your

memory. If a friend gave you some important information to

remember, go back to the café or restaurant where you had

that conversation. (For a detailed example, see the nearby

sidebar ‘Where you are matters’.)

 ✓ Remember your state. The mood that you were in when you

learned the information also acts as a trigger to help you

remember. If you were in a good mood when you first heard

about a new project in which you were involved, try to think

about those same emotions. In Chapter 9, I look at ways in

which a positive mindset can keep your brain healthy.

 ✓ Take a trip. The journey method – a way to link new informa-

tion to a mental picture of something familiar – is a trick some

memory experts use. Here’s an example: imagine you’ve just

woken up and you see a poster of John Travolta on your cup-

board. You remember that your friend gave it to you because

you liked the movie Grease. You go into the bathroom and

notice your unfinished school project – a model of the Eiffel

Tower – is lying unfinished in the middle of the floor. You

drowsily make your way to the living room and see that your

brother has spilled pasta sauce all over the couch.