Memory: How Our Brain Remembers
- Getting Info In (Encoding)
You notice something—like a friend’s face or a new word—and your brain starts processing it. The more you connect it to things you already know (like a story or image), the easier it sticks jamesclear.com+15mindful.org+15samuelthomasdavies.com+15medibank.com.au. - Keeping It (Storage)
- Short-term memory holds bits of info you’re using right now, like dialing a phone number.
- Long-term memory is where important things (facts, experiences, skills) stay forever after some practice and sleep help lock them in reddit.com+3en.wikipedia.org+3learningcenter.unc.edu+3.
- Remembering It (Retrieval)
You recall things using cues—like a song that reminds you of a place. If the connection’s strong, you’ll remember more easily; if it’s weak, it may feel hazy or forgotten health.com+15en.wikipedia.org+15onepeloton.com+15.
Memory types:
- Explicit: facts (like birthdays) or events (like trips), that you consciously recall.
- Implicit: skills (like riding a bike) that happen automatically without thinking time.com+14verywellmind.com+14mindful.org+14.
🔁 Habits: Why We Keep Doing Things
Habits follow a simple loop: Cue → Routine → Reward time.com+15health.com+15blog.nimblefoundation.org+15:
- Cue (Trigger)
Something in your routine prompts the habit—like time, place, a feeling, or seeing something en.wikipedia.org+5blog.insidetracker.com+5samuelthomasdavies.com+5. - Routine (The Action)
The behavior you repeat—brushing teeth, snacking, checking phone. - Reward (Benefit)
The thing that makes your brain think, “That was good!”—maybe a clean mouth, a sugar boost, or social relief. Your brain gets a dopamine hit, reinforcing the behavior en.wikipedia.org+15health.com+15medibank.com.au+15mindful.org.
Over time, this routine becomes automatic—you do it without thinking because your basal ganglia (a part of your brain) learned it litcharts.com.
💡 How Memory & Habits Work Together
- Habits are stored in memory—especially procedural (implicit) memory—so once you learn something by doing it repeatedly, it becomes automatic.
- The context or cue that triggers a habit (like waking up or entering the kitchen) can also help you remember other things, linking memory and habit together blog.insidetracker.com.
- With habits running smoothly in the background, your brain frees up mental space for other tasks.
✅ Quick Tips You Can Share
For Better Memory:
- Connect what you learn to something you already know (like stories or visuals).
- Review info a few times spaced out—this helps lock it in wired.com.
For Building Good Habits:
- Pick a clear cue (like “after I brush my teeth…”).
- Do a tiny routine—easy and manageable (like 2 minutes of reading).
- Reward yourself, even a little—so your brain wants more .
- Repeat daily until it feels natural (can take a couple months on average) .
To Break Bad Habits:
- Notice the cue and reward.
- Swap the routine with something else that fits the same cue and reward blog.nimblefoundation.org+15learningcenter.unc.edu+15blog.insidetracker.com+15.