If you really want to remember something, write it down.
Way way way back in 2005, when I started college, hardly anybody brought laptops to class. We took notes by hand with pen and paper, then trudged back to our dorms uphill in the snow, barefoot. Today’s classrooms are filled with youngsters taking notes on their laptops or tablets (or pretending to take notes while they play games or surf the web), but this may not be a good thing.
Laptops give the student the ability to write down EVERYTHING the professor says. That’s good, right? Come study time, they’ll have access to all the information they were given in class. But as this Vox article shows, this is actually detrimental to studying. Writing by hand forces the student to decide what’s important since they won’t have time to write down everything. This active listening encourages better memory retention and, studies show, better test scores. So if you want to do better on a test, or get more out of a meeting, ditch the laptop and take notes by hand instead.
Why You Should Take Notes by Hand — Not on a Laptop – Vox
Product packaging that sells.
I don’t really understand how “eye-tracking” is actually measured, but an eye-tracking study says people only read approximately seven words during a shopping trip. That statistic shocked me, until I really thought about it. On a quick trip to Walgreens to grab toothpaste, I probably don’t ready any words. I just walk to the familiar aisle and get the same toothpaste I’ve been getting for years, recognizing it by the box.
This Forbes article explains that that’s how most people shop —
by looking at packaging design — so it outlines the five most important things packaging should do. The five points are pretty obvious, but packaging really needs to hit all five to become iconic. And it works – my husband buys this one brand of laundry detergent because he really likes the bottle design, even though it costs more than most of the alternatives (and doesn’t work any better).
The Five Things Product Packaging Must Do – Forbes
Do you make a good first impression?
This article says it only takes 100 milliseconds to make a first impression, so appearance is the biggest factor. It then goes on to give tips for making a good first impression and looking like a leader. While some of these are easy fixes (looking groomed and dressing nicely), others – not so much. Apparently, attractive people are more likely to get hired and earn higher salaries. Being tall helps too – taller candidates beat out shorter ones two-thirds of the time! And looking young, but not too young, is important too.
So, while qualifications are important, it looks like it’s time to get plastic surgery, higher heels, and Botox.
5 Keys to Making a Great First Impression – Business Insider