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How to improve your
memory
 1 Patterns
An excellent way to remember a large number
or phrase, is to look for patterns. Here is
a simple example:
3810151722242931363843
The number appears to be random until you
realize that it is following a pattern: add
5, then add 2, repeat. Once you know the
pattern, you only need to remember the first
number in the sequence. This can be a useful
way to create a numeric password that
changes regularly. Another way to use this
system is to remember the numbers in the
form of a numerical keyboard. You can use
your spatial awareness to remember the
number rather than just blind memorizing.
2. Associations
This is a very good method for memorizing
numbers. In this system, you associate
portions of the number with a word that has
some relation to it. For example:
74736052007365
Split the number up and make an association
for each sequence. Doing so can give us a
list like this: Jumbo Jet (747), XBox (360),
Deck of Cards (52), James Bond (007), Days
in the year (365). This method can again be
used for passwords that are easy to
remember. To help you remember your images,
try to imagine a scene that incorporates all
of the items. For example, you may see a
calendar with a photograph of James Bond
playing poker on his XBox on a private 747.
Sounds weird, but it works.
3. Alphabetize
We are all very familiar with the system of
alphabetization - we see it every day in
phone books, online directories, and a
variety of other places. If you have a list
of words to remember, put them into
alphabetical order. If you wanted to learn a
very long list - such as the States of the
USA, start with one state per letter. Once
you have that memorized, go back and add
another state for each letter. Repeat until
the whole list is stored in your mind. You
would be surprised how much more effective
this is than just trying to remember the
whole list in one go.
4. Categorize
In a way, alphabetizing is categorizing, but
with this method you can go a lot further.
If you have a big list of things to
remember, you can find similarities and
group them. For example a shopping list:
Apples, Shampoo, Cheese, Milk, Sugar,
Bananas, Soap, Coconut, Flour
Now, reorder them into categories and we
have this:
Fruit: Apples, Bananas
Dried Goods: Coconut, Sugar, Flour
Dairy: Milk, Cheese
Bathroom: Shampoo, Soap
Another great way to remember your
categories (especially in the case of a
shopping list) is to remember your
categories in the order that they are found
in the supermarket. For example, if your
first aisle is Fruit, remember the fruit
first and think of the fruit aisle while you
are doing so.
5. Chunking
Chunking is such a useful method of
remembering things that we all use it every
day. The best example is telephone numbers.
When we are told a phone number we have to
remember we chunk it up - usually into area
code - 3 digits - four digits. This is not
out of conformity - it is because it is the
most effective way to remember such random
numbers. This is also an excellent way to
remember long sequences like pi to n digits.
Taking just four extra digits a day you can
easily remember pi to many decimal places.
Great for a party trick.
6. Images
This is the most effective way to remember a
person’s name. If you meet John Key, imagine
his face with a big key right in the center
of his face. If you meet someone called
Patty Grant, you can try to remember a meat
patty wrapped in wads of cash. I will leave
it up to your own imagination if you meet
Bob Johnson. Another way to do this is to
find an association between this person and
someone else you know - imagine them shaking
hands or standing next to each other.
7. Visualize
This is a very ancient technique of
memorization called Loci. In this method you
imagine a location (something easy like your
home) and you place the objects you need to
remember in to a different part of the room.
The famous Cicero had this to say:
“One must employ a large number of places
which must be well-lighted, clearly set out
in order, at moderate intervals apart, and
images which are active, which are sharply
defined, unusual, and which have the power
of speedily encountering and penetrating the
mind.”
For example, if you need to remember a list
of vegetables, put each vegetable in a
different place in the room. When you need
to recall the list, move in your mind
through each location in the room and see
what you put there. If you find this one
especially helpful, you can expand on it by
adding additional floors to your location.
8. Story Method
This one can be very fun. Make up a story
and include all of the things you need to
remember in it. The story can be totally
ridiculous. Let’s say you need to remember
to buy a bucket, a dozen apples, a
hairbrush, and some kitty litter, you might
make a story like this:
After Jane emptied the kitty litter from
Felix’s dirtbox in to the red bucket, she
gave him a good brushing with his new
hairbrush while she ate an apple for lunch.
It is not the most thrilling or original
story, but it can be very effective in
helping you to remember your list.
9. Mnemonics
A mnemonic is a word or short phrase that
you can use to remember something because it
is like a key to the rest of the
information. For example, if you learned
music as a child, you probably remember the
phrase: “every good boy deserves fruit” -
each word stands for a note on the musical
staff - EGBDF. No doubt you were also taught
a mnemonic to remember the colors of the
rainbow as well.
Another slight variation is to use a phrase:
desert and dessert: the sweet one has two
sugars. We also use this to remember
daylight savings time: Spring forward, fall
back.
10. Senses
If you have to remember a word, try
remembering it with your other senses. For
example, if you have to remember to buy
soap, try to conjure up an image of soap and
whilst doing so, imagine what it smells
like. You can also use your other senses in
the same way: to remember to buy an alarm
clock, remember the sound it makes when it
goes off in the morning.
All of the items on this list can be used on
their own, or in conjunction with the others
to help you improve your memory. The more
you practice these tips, the better you will
become.
Source: 5 Minute Memory Workout
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