--- title: How to Remember Anything, According to Research description: The best way to pick a password or hiding spot you’ll remember is to choose one quickly because you want something that will return to... canonical: https://time.com/3851994/remember-anything-research/ author: Eric Barker article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-05-09T04:01:31.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-03-31T08:24:57.354Z article:section: Ideas og:title: How to Remember Anything, According to Research og:description: Emotional context is just as effective a trigger og:url: https://time.com/3851994/remember-anything-research/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt53c90321abc4854c/6987eef9428a9e882eccb513/89837563-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=750&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: bow-tied-man-finger og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: How to Remember Anything, According to Research twitter:description: Emotional context is just as effective a trigger twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt53c90321abc4854c/6987eef9428a9e882eccb513/89837563-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=750&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # How to Remember Anything, According to Research by [Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker May 9, 2015 4:01 AM UTC  Getty Images by [Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker May 9, 2015 4:01 AM UTC The best way to pick a password or hiding spot you’ll remember is to choose one quickly because you want something that will return to mind quickly: Via [Why We Make Mistakes:](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0767928067/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0767928067) --- > “” --- Faces can be made more memorable by ignoring physical characteristics and focusing on personality traits. Does this person look trustworthy or likable? This makes your brain process the face more deeply, promoting learning. Via [Why We Make Mistakes:](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0767928067/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0767928067) --- > “” --- Is there a technique that works across the board for improving memory? You can improve recall of most anything by matching the context of where you learned it. Via [Why We Make Mistakes:](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0767928067/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0767928067) --- > “” --- This effect has been repeated numerous times with adults (and, yes, things learned underwater are best remembered while submerged.) Now it’s not practical to assume you’ll only have to recall things where you learned them. What’s great is that emotional context is just as effective a trigger. Via [Why We Make Mistakes:](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0767928067/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0767928067) --- > “” --- Merely [matching your facial expression](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/another-quick-easy-way-to-improve-your-memory) to the one you had when you were introduced to the information can boost your ability to recall it. **Join over 180,000 readers. Get a free weekly update via email** [**here**](http://eepurl.com/o6uAD)**.** **_This piece originally appeared on_** [**_Barking Up the Wrong Tree_**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/06/is-there-a-simple-way-you-can-make-almost-any/)**_._** Related posts: [New Harvard Research Reveals A Fun Way To Be More Successful](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/09/be-more-successful/) [The 8 Things The Happiest People Do Every Day](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/06/happiest-people/) [How To Stop Being Lazy And Get More Done – 5 Expert Tips](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/08/how-to-stop-being-lazy/) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3851994/remember-anything-research/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3851994/remember-anything-research/"},"headline":"How to Remember Anything, According to Research","datePublished":"2015-05-09T04:01:31.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-31T08:24:57.354Z","description":"The best way to pick a password or hiding spot you’ll remember is to choose one quickly because you want something that will return to...","url":"https://time.com/3851994/remember-anything-research/","keywords":["Psychology"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt53c90321abc4854c/6987eef9428a9e882eccb513/89837563-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Eric Barker","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/eric-barker/"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt53c90321abc4854c/6987eef9428a9e882eccb513/89837563-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"bow-tied-man-finger","caption":"bow-tied-man-finger","creditText":"Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/ideas/","name":"Ideas"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/psychology/","name":"Psychology"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3851994/remember-anything-research/","name":"How to Remember Anything, According to Research"}}]}] ```