How To: Improve Your Memory.

How To: Improve Your Memory.

Are you the type who always forgets stuff? Can you remember the chemical formulas containing 1-methylethylidene? How about the date when you first had sex? Of course not. That's because memory is selective; we usually remember certain things more easily because they're important to us. But we all have the potential to remember anything we want; it's just a matter of exercising the brain adequately. Read on to learn how you can improve your memory.
the problemInstead of launching into a psychological dissertation on the intricacies of short-term memory and long-term memory, let's just agree that certain important things slip our minds.
For example, everyone — except maybe your chemistry teacher — will forgive you for not remembering the composition of certain chemical formulas. However, you could get into a heap of trouble for forgetting your girlfriend's name, especially when snuggling in bed. Here are a few things you should make an effort to remember:
*.Names
*. Phone numbers
*.Faces
*.Tasks
*.Appointments
*.Birthdays
*.Conversations
*.The truth (or lies)
For the most part, not recalling these things is a matter of not paying enough attention. As my girlfriend always says, "If you really cared, you wouldn't forget." Put some effort into it next time and see how much more you can remember. Also, determine whether you have an audio memory or a visual memory. Once you resolve this question, you'll be in a better position to learn how to improve it.
the solutionHere are some concrete tips you can follow to develop your ability to remember pertinent information.
Be activeThis applies to everything, whether you're listening, thinking or reading. Make an effort to take notes or acknowledge that you've heard what the other person has told you. When we're passive, our minds drift away. If you work hard at being active, your brain will register what is being said and you'll remember it more easily.
FocusStart paying attention to detail. We hear an overwhelming quantity of information each day, but we only remember what is important to us. Broaden what you deem significant and you will remember more. A good trick is to imagine that everything is vital. Pretend you're a crime scene investigator or a secret agent and that every aspect of what's going on around you is vital to national security.
Make associationsEstablish links between what you're trying to recollect and things you already know. It can be a color, a number or a rhyme. To remember a list of things, picture images that rhyme with numbers. For example,onerhymes withsun; visually associatesunwith the first item of your list. Then, do the same withtwo, which rhymes withclue, etc. You can also use acronyms and combinations of names — or make sentences using the first letter of every word — as mnemonic tools.
RepeatWhat was your schoolteacher's favorite punitive method? Whenever someone was disorderly, she'd make them copy whatever they weren't supposed to do over and over again on the blackboard. Repetition helps us remember; it forcefully imprints an idea in our minds. Each time you meet someone, repeat their name right away. When someone gives you their phone number, write it down and repeat it out loud. Also, when there's something you really want to remember, don't be afraid to write it down several times on a piece of paper.
Make rhymes, draw a map and change your lifestyle...!