Attention

One reason that we may forget a certain fact is because we never really learned it in the first place. This has a lot to do with attention. When your spouse or parent tells you something while you are watching TV, your attention is diverted so you will not acquire the new information. If you want to remember something, you must pay attention to it. A person can only pay attention to one thing at a time; therefore, watching TV or talking on the phone while you do your homework will not achieve optimum results as your attention will constantly be shifting back and forth.

Studies have shown that paying attention to a task is much more important than the time spent on the task. A person who concentrates completely on a task for 15 minutes may remember more than someone who studies it for an hour with the TV going in the background.

To prove that you must pay attention to something to remember it, answer these four simple questions:

1. Which way does Lincoln face on the penny?
2. On a traffic light, is red on the top or bottom?
3. Does water go clockwise or counterclockwise down the drain?
4. How many freckles are on the back of your hand?