9 Strategies to Help You Remember 80% of Everything You Read

We’ve all been there—reading a book, article, or research paper, feeling like we’re absorbing tons of information… only to realize a few hours later that we can barely remember anything we read.

The reality is, retaining information is hard. With the constant flow of content around us—news articles, blogs, emails, and social media posts—our brains can’t possibly absorb everything at once. The good news? You don’t have to remember everything. But if you can aim to remember around 80% of what you read, it can have a huge impact on your learning, productivity, and personal growth.

Here’s the secret: There are effective strategies you can use to boost your memory retention and make your reading more impactful.

In this article, we’ll explore nine proven strategies that will help you retain a substantial amount of information from your reading—and make sure that your time spent learning pays off in the long run.

Table of Contents

1. Start with Active Reading

The first step to remembering more of what you read is to move beyond passive reading. Passive reading is when you’re simply skimming the text, not fully engaging with the material. This might work for light reading, but when it comes to retaining information, active reading is key.

Active reading involves engaging with the material on a deeper level. Here’s how to make your reading more active:

Highlight and underline key ideas, phrases, or quotes as you go.
Take notes in your own words, summarizing key points.
Ask questions about the material as you read it. For example: Why is this important? How does it connect to what I already know?

By interacting with the text, you are creating a more engaging mental experience, making the material more memorable. Active reading forces your brain to process the information more thoroughly, which increases the likelihood of long-term retention.

2. Apply the Feynman Technique

One of the most powerful strategies to enhance memory retention is the Feynman Technique, named after Nobel-winning physicist Richard Feynman. This technique involves explaining what you’ve just read in simple, understandable terms, as if you were teaching it to someone else.

Here’s how you can apply it:

Read the material you want to remember.
Pretend to teach it to someone else. Write or verbally explain the concepts in your own words, using simple language.
Identify knowledge gaps. If you struggle to explain something, go back and review that section.
Simplify your explanation as much as possible—if you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it fully.

By teaching the material, you force yourself to understand it deeply, not just memorize it. This process strengthens neural connections, helping you retain much more of the material in the long term.

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3. Take Breaks (The Pomodoro Technique)

Reading for hours on end might seem productive, but it can actually hinder retention. Your brain can only absorb so much information before it becomes overwhelmed or fatigued. That’s where taking breaks comes in.

The Pomodoro Technique is a popular method that involves working in short, focused bursts with regular breaks in between. Here’s how it works:

Set a timer for 25 minutes of focused reading.
Take a 5-minute break after the timer goes off.
Repeat this process four times, then take a longer break (15-30 minutes).

Taking short breaks during your reading sessions helps your brain consolidate the information, refreshes your focus, and reduces cognitive overload. When you return to your material, you’re better able to absorb and retain new information.

4. Create Mind Maps

Mind mapping is a great way to visually organize the information you’ve just read, making it easier to understand and remember. A mind map is a diagram that visually organizes ideas around a central concept.

Here’s how to create one:

Write the main topic or concept in the center of a page.
Draw branches for each subtopic or important point related to the main topic.
Expand on each branch with details, examples, and related ideas.
Use colors, arrows, and symbols to make the map more visually engaging.

Mind maps help you see how different pieces of information are connected, and they engage your brain’s visual processing to reinforce memory. When you map out the material, you’re more likely to remember it because you’re processing it in multiple ways.

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5. Teach What You’ve Learned

Similar to the Feynman Technique, teaching what you’ve learned to someone else can drastically improve your memory. When you explain something to another person, you’re reinforcing your understanding of the material.

Even if there’s no one around to teach, you can still practice by:

Talking to yourself. Out loud or in your head, explain what you’ve learned. This helps solidify the material in your mind.
Writing a blog post or summary. If you enjoy writing, you can share the material in your own words, reinforcing key ideas.

Teaching forces you to organize and clarify your thoughts, leading to a stronger, more durable memory.

6. Use Spaced Repetition

One of the most powerful memory techniques is spaced repetition—the idea that you should review information at increasing intervals to keep it fresh in your mind. Research shows that spacing out your review sessions improves long-term retention significantly.

Here’s how to use spaced repetition:

Review new material immediately after reading it.
Review it again the next day, then again in two days, then a week later.
Continue increasing the intervals until the information is committed to long-term memory.

You can use apps like Anki or Quizlet to automate the spaced repetition process, especially for lists, vocabulary, or key concepts. This technique ensures that the information moves from short-term to long-term memory.

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7. Get Enough Sleep

You’ve probably heard that sleep is important for memory, but it’s more than just a cliché. Sleep is essential for memory consolidation—the process by which new information is transferred from short-term to long-term memory.

Studies show that lack of sleep can seriously impair your ability to retain information. Here’s why:

During deep sleep, the brain strengthens neural connections, making it easier to remember the information you’ve learned.
REM sleep, which occurs later in the sleep cycle, helps with problem-solving and creative thinking, which can aid your understanding of complex material.

To retain 80% of everything you read, ensure that you’re getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep every night. Without adequate rest, your brain simply won’t be able to perform at its best.

8. Read Actively and With Purpose

One of the biggest barriers to remembering what we read is the habit of reading passively. If you’re reading without intention—just flipping through pages or scrolling through articles—you’re less likely to retain the material.

Instead, read with purpose:

Set goals before you start reading: What do you want to learn? What do you hope to gain from this material?
Ask questions as you read: What is the author trying to convey? How can I apply this knowledge?
Take notes on key concepts and highlight sections that stand out.

Active reading helps you focus your attention, prioritize information, and engage with the material in a meaningful way. By reading with purpose, you’re more likely to remember the information.

9. Use Multiple Senses

Engage as many senses as possible to improve memory retention. When you use more of your senses, your brain creates stronger associations, making the information more memorable.

Here’s how to do it:

Read aloud. Hearing the material helps reinforce what you’re reading.
Take notes by hand. Studies show that writing by hand engages your brain differently than typing and can improve recall.
Visualize the content. Try to form mental images based on the information you’re reading. Create vivid, memorable scenes in your mind.

Using multiple senses to engage with the material makes it easier for your brain to form strong, lasting memories.

Conclusion

In today’s world, information overload is inevitable. But with these nine strategies, you can dramatically improve your ability to retain what you read. Whether you’re reading for pleasure, study, or professional development, these techniques will help you remember more and get the most out of every page.

Remember, it’s not about cramming—it’s about actively engaging with the material, reviewing it strategically, and ensuring that your brain has the space and tools it needs to retain the most important information.

And if you focus on these strategies, you’ll find that remembering 80% of everything you read is not only achievable—it’s within your reach.

FAQs

How long does it take to see improvement with these strategies?
It depends on your current reading habits and how consistently you apply these strategies. However, you should start noticing improvements in retention within a few weeks.
Is it possible to retain 80% of everything I read?
Yes, but it depends on your ability to actively engage with the material, take regular breaks, and use techniques like spaced repetition. It’s about working smarter, not harder.
Can these strategies work for all types of reading material?
Yes! Whether you’re reading fiction, textbooks, research papers, or articles, these strategies can be adapted to any material.
Do I need to read faster to remember more?
Not necessarily. Speed reading can help in certain situations, but deep reading—focusing on understanding and engaging with the content—is more important for retention.
How can I make spaced repetition more efficient?
You can use apps like Anki or Quizlet to automate the spaced repetition process, making it easier to review material at optimal intervals.