Tracy Packiam Alloway, PhD

I work for a medium-size company and I try to greet everyone with their name when I arrive at the office or when I leave in the afternoon. Some days I have noticed that I really struggle to recall some people’s names. It is even harder to remember when I haven’t seen a person for a long time. It feels like I’m running a list through my mind, trying to locate the name that fits with the face that I know. Do you have some tips on how I can maybe work or improve on recalling a name that is stored in my memory? Why does it take longer to remember names on some days than on others? Benjamin

If you have known your employees’ for a while, matching a name to a face in your company won’t be difficult. This is because your their names are stored in your long-term memory. The process of remembering their names has now become automatic–like your journey to work. You know it so well that you can focus on other things such as talking on the phone, listening to the radio, mentally preparing for the day ahead, all without getting lost on your way to work. Every so often, we need a little extra effort to do something that is automatic. For example, if you had to stop by the store on your way to work, you may have to spend more time focusing on your driving because it is different from your usual route.

The same thing happens with remembering names. You may already know everyone’s names but on some days you may have more on your mind than usual. This can make it difficult to remember someone’s name. Here is where working memory comes in: you will have to keep someone’s face in mind while flipping through a mental list of names.

You can train yourself to remember names faster by repeating the names and mentally visualizing their face while you are doing something else. Start with an activity that doesn’t require a lot of mental effort: mow the lawn or tidy up while reciting the names and thinking of their face. Make it harder: do a crossword puzzle or play sudoko and say the names while picturing their face.

Do you have a tip to help Benjamin? Leave a comment with your ideas.

My job requires me to network with people but I always struggle to remember more 10 people’s names! Help!

It’s not surprising that you have trouble remembering more than 10 people’s names. The average adult can only remember about 5 or 6 bits of information: this means names, numbers, directions, items on your grocery list, and so on. If you want to increase this number, you can use a couple of different strategies.

• Make associations. Match someone’s names with something they are wearing. This will give you a visual cue to trigger your memory. Some people prefer to use rhymes but then they find they forget the rhymes! If you match the person’s name with something visual, you will be more likely to remember it.
• Say it out aloud! Repeating their name after you hear it will reinforce it in your memory. Working memory retains an acoustic trace of information that you can use to reconstruct forgotten items. For example, if you remember that someone’s name begins with ‘T’, you can use the acoustic cue to remember the name.
• Write it down. If all else fails, then carry a little notebook and write down their name with a reminder of what they are wearing or what they look like.