Creating a Memory Trigger to Increase Your Ability to Focus

When you’re in a situation where it’s particularly important to remember
something, you can remind yourself to pay close attention
by using a ‘‘memory trigger.’’ This trigger can be almost any type of
gesture or physical sign—such as bringing your thumb and forefinger
together, clasping your hands so your thumbs and index finger
create a spire, or raising your thumb. Or you could use a mental
statement to remind yourself to pay attention. Whatever signal you
choose, it’s designed to remind you that it’s now time to be especially
alert and listen or watch closely, so you’ll remember all you can. If
you already have a signal you like, use that, or use the following
exercise to create this trigger.
Get relaxed, perhaps close your eyes. Then, ask yourself this question:
‘‘What mental trigger would I like to use to remind myself to pay attention?’’
Notice what comes into your mind. It may be a gesture, a physical
movement, a mental image, or a word or phrase you say to yourself.
Choose that as your trigger.
Now, to give power to this trigger, make the gesture or movement or
let this image or word appear in your mind. Then, as you make this
gesture or observe the image or word, repeatedly use this gesture for a
minute or two, and as you do, say to yourself with increasing intensity:
‘‘I will pay attention now. I will be very alert and aware, and I will lock
this information in my memory so I can recall it later.’’ This process of
using the gesture and paying attention will associate the act of paying
attention with the gesture.
Later (either the same day or the following day if you are beginning
this exercise at night), practice using this trigger in some real-life situations.
Find three or more times when you are especially interested in
remembering something, and use your trigger to make yourself more
alert. For example, when you see something you would especially like to
remember (such as someone on the street, a car on the road, etc.), use
your trigger to remind you to pay attention to it. Afterwards, when whatever
you have seen is gone, replay it mentally in as much detail as possible
to illustrate how much you can remember when you really pay attention.
Initially, to reinforce the association with the sign you have created,
as you make this gesture, repeat the same words to yourself as in your
concentration exercises: ‘‘I will pay attention now. I will be very alert and
aware, and I will lock this information in my memory so I can recall
it later.’’ Then, look or listen attentively to whatever it is you want to
remember.
Repeat both the meditation and the real-life practice for a week to
condition yourself to associate the action you want to perform (paying
attention) with the trigger (raising your thumb, etc.). Once this association
is locked in, continue to use the trigger in real life. As long as you
continue to regularly use the trigger, you don’t need to continue practicing
the exercise, since each time you use the trigger, your attention will be on
high alert.
Then, any time you are in an important situation where you want
to pay especially careful attention (such as a staff meeting or a cocktail
party with prospective clients), use your trigger, and you’ll become more
attentive and alert.