Employee Articles

Employee Articles

March 2014

Enhance Your Memory

Most people wish they had a better memory. Maybe your memory isn’t as good as it used to be or maybe you’d just like to improve your memory. You don’t have to accept memory loss as the norm. If you would like to improve yours, here are some tricks you can try:

Try visualization. Sometimes it can be easier for us to remember a picture. The next time you really want to remember something, try creating a picture in your mind. For example, let’s say you want to remember your boss’s birthday. Try picturing them at their birthday celebration, maybe in the office, along with the date. The more creative you are with the birthday party visualization, the more likely you will be to remember the image.
Try thinking about what you’re doing. Why is it that we can never remember where we left our keys or glasses? Usually, it’s because we put them down without paying attention, probably because we’re talking on the phone or focused on something else. So, when you need to remember something, try focusing your attention on what it is that you’re trying to remember and avoid multi-tasking. You can also trying saying things out loud as you do them.
Try grouping information. If you have a set of information to remember and can’t memorize it as a set, trying breaking it down into smaller groups. A good example of this is memorizing a phone number. Many of us remember phone numbers in three sets of three, three and four digits, as opposed to one set of ten digits. Another example is a grocery list. Rather than memorizing one long grocery list, it may be easier to remember the items grouped based on the section of the grocery store they would be found in.
Try writing it down. For some people, it’s as easy as writing it down if we want to remember it. The process our brains go through in deciding what to write down and actually have our hands write what we’re trying to remember is different from just listening and trying to memorize something. If it works, you may not need to ever go back to what you wrote down because the act itself is what you needed to help you recall.
Be creative. This can be incorporated into all four of the previous tips. The more unique or creative the details that you’re trying to remember, the easier they’ll be to recall. You can also try looking for patterns or associations that will help you recall the piece of information you’re trying to remember. You can associate things to just about anything, such as a color, a place, a hobby, or fictional characters.

Taking Good Notes for Meetings

Whether you’re the individual designated to take minutes for a company meeting or if you’re taking notes for yourself, taking good notes is an important skill to develop. Below are some steps that can help develop your skill.

Prepare for the meeting by getting as much information as possible, on the purpose and scope of the meeting. Many times the leader will have an agenda and you can prepare yourself with items that you’re unfamiliar with.
Notes can be taken by hand, laptop, or electronic tablet. Choose an option that works best for you.
Don’t attempt to record conversations verbatim. Instead, outline key points and short details. Always make sure you record any action items as a result of the meeting, and details of responsibility and deadlines.
While taking notes, if any of the points of discussion are unclear ask for clarification. This will help ensure that your notes are accurate.
When the meeting is finished review the notes as soon as possible and make any additions that you may remember. Record the notes and give to the meeting leader, if appropriate, to review for accuracy and make any needed changes.
Calendar any actions agreed upon and set deadlines. This would include the date for the next meeting.