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Consciousness · Article

Chunking

Chunking improves memory by grouping related items into meaningful units, reducing working memory load and making recall easier (like phone numbers).

By Randy Salars · Published January 15, 2026

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Chunking

Short Answer

Chunking means grouping items into meaningful units so working memory holds fewer “things” at once (e.g., 2026-01-01 instead of 2-0-2-6-0-1-0-1).

How to Chunk Anything

  1. Find natural boundaries (categories, substeps, patterns).
  2. Name each chunk (a short label is a retrieval handle).
  3. Practice recalling chunk labels first, then details.
  4. Connect chunks with a simple story or spatial layout if needed.

Good vs Bad Chunking

  • Good: chunks have meaning (pattern, concept, category).
  • Bad: chunks are arbitrary (you’ll forget the grouping rule).

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