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How to Remember Anything You Have Read or Learnt: The ‘2–7–30’ Trick.
We’ve all been there: reading a fascinating book, taking notes during a lecture, or watching an educational video, only to forget most of it within days.
The frustration is real, but the good news? There’s a simple trick that can significantly improve how much you retain: the ‘2–7–30’ method.
Why Do We Forget?
Our brains are wired to forget things that don’t seem immediately useful.
Psychologists call this the “forgetting curve” — a steep drop in retention that happens soon after learning something new.
However, research also shows that strategic review at key intervals can disrupt this curve and help lock information into long-term memory.
The ‘2–7–30’ Trick Explained
The concept is simple: to truly remember something, revisit it at three key points after first learning it:
- 2 days later — A quick review helps reinforce the information before it starts fading.
- 7 days later — Another check-in strengthens the neural pathways forming in your brain.
- 30 days later — This final review consolidates the knowledge, moving it from short-term to long-term memory.
By following this cycle, your brain recognizes the information as important and keeps it accessible for future use.
