Tracy Packiam Alloway, PhD

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.