Everyone has been unable to remember something important. Fortunately, none of us have a "bad" memory, so thanks to some tips and tricks, you can improve it and remember information more easily, whether it's a university exam or a shopping list.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Remember for the School
Step 1. Avoid doing multiple things at once
To fix information in memory, concentration is essential. You may have walked into a room and forget why you did it. This is because you were probably throwing a party at the same time or you were thinking about your favorite TV series and you weren't focused. It is necessary to simplify things, not to complicate them in order to remember better.
When you study and try to remember school information, just focus on that. Avoid thinking about your friend's birthday party on the weekend. Don't try to complete many different tasks at the same time or none of them will succeed
Step 2. Avoid external distractions
When you have to study, get away from the usual environment, where it is easy to get distracted and waste your time. While studying, you should leave the house and avoid relatives, friends, pets, and television.
- Find a suitable place to study and do nothing else while you're there (like paying bills, having fun, etc.). Make sure you study only when you are in the area you have designated for this purpose, so you will help the brain enter learning mode.
- Choose a well-ventilated and lighted environment so you won't have trouble staying awake and you won't be distracted.
- If you find that you are not focused and do not remember anything you read, take a short break (it shouldn't be too long and you shouldn't devote yourself to something that leads you to waste your time, like surfing the internet). Go for a walk or grab a drink.
Step 3. Avoid inner distractions
In some cases, the distractions don't come from friends or relatives, but from your own brain. Often, you will find that you are not paying attention to what you are studying, but rather that you are thinking about a party you have to attend or your gas bill.
- Use a notebook specifically for these distracting thoughts. If it is something you will need to take care of later (like paying your gas bill), write it down and stop thinking about it so that you can focus on the study material.
- Turn distraction into a reward. Promise yourself that after you finish reading (as well as understanding and remembering) the next chapter, you will take a break to tidy up your thoughts or daydream.
Step 4. Study in the afternoon
Research has shown that time of day has a strong correlation with being able to remember information while studying. Even if you consider yourself a morning or night person, try to study the most important parts in the afternoon. You will remember the information better.
Step 5. Write a summary of each paragraph in the margins of the textbook
If you are reading something you need to remember, write a brief summary of each paragraph along the margins of the book. Writing down the information you need to learn helps you to fix it in your memory and is a real help when you reread your notes during the review (or even in class).
Write down the main ideas of everything you are reading, so that you can refresh your memory when you need it and make sure you understand what you were studying
Step 6. Write the same things over and over again
Writing information many times helps you to fix it in your memory, especially the most difficult foreign dates and words. The more times you write something, the easier it will be to remember it.
Method 2 of 3: Using Memorization Techniques
Step 1. Use mnemonic tools
Some information is difficult to remember through associations or visualization techniques, so you will have to use different memory techniques. There are many tools you can employ. Some work better for certain types of information than others.
- Create acronyms for the information you are trying to remember. Take the first letter of each word and turn it into an acronym that makes sense to you. For example, you can use H. O. M. E. S. to remember the names of the great American lakes (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior).
- You can also use mnemonics to remember how to spell some words, especially foreign ones. Make up a short rhyme or nursery rhyme using one word for each letter. For example, to remember how to spell the English word necessary, you can use the phrase "Never Eat Cake; Eat Salad Sandwiches And Remain Young".
- Create an acrostic. This is a nonsense sentence that helps you remember the first letter of a sequence of information (a technique often used for mathematical formulas). For example, the phrase "Show up on Saturday at 2" is used to remember the formula F + V = S + 2.
- You can also come up with small poems or nursery rhymes to better remember important information. For example: "30 days count November, with April, June and September, there is one of 28 and all the others have 31" helps you to remember the number of days in each month.
Step 2. Use word associations
There are a few different types of associations, but the most important aspect of all of these methods is to tie something you already know with the element you are trying to remember. In this way, the information you already know helps you remember the second part.
- Use a funny or weird image to bring to mind a fact you need to remember. For example, if you try to remember John F. Kennedy's role in the Pigs Bay invasion, you can imagine the president swimming in the ocean surrounded by pigs. This is a very silly image, but the association of the sea with pigs will lead you back to Kennedy and you will not forget it.
- Numerical associations involve combining some numbers with mental images. This method is the basis of many people's choice to create passwords and codes with meaning (such as birthdays of relatives, pets, anniversary dates, etc.). If you try to remember your library card number (for example 21590661), imagine that May 21, 1990 is your brother's date of birth (which you will associate with 21590). At that point you can take advantage of the fact that your mother is 66 and that she is the only mom you have (to remember 661). When you try to remember the number, visualize your brother with a birthday cake and then your mother.
Step 3. View
If you want to fix something in memory, be sure to put a lot of effort into visualization. Focus on the details. For example, if you are trying to remember a novel, try to imagine the characters and scenes in great detail, making sure to use some specific characteristics of the characters as a visual aid to remember them.
Step 4. Make up stories
If you need to remember a series of pictures (or words, like a shopping list), come up with a funny short story to stimulate your memory. The story will fix the images in your mind, so you will be able to recall them more easily later.
For example, if you have to remember to buy bananas, bread, eggs, milk and lettuce at the grocery store, come up with a story in which a banana, a slice of bread and an egg must save a basket of lettuce from a lake of milk. This is a totally nonsense story, but one that connects all the elements on your list and will help you remember them
Step 5. Change the location of an object in your home
A great way to remember to do something is to place an object in your home in an unusual and prominent place. For example, you could put a large book in front of the front door so that you can remember to give the report to the science teacher. When you notice the object out of place, you will stimulate your memory.
Method 3 of 3: Remembering in the Long Term
Step 1. Train your body
There is a strong correlation between mental health and that of the body, so improve your memory and mental strength by looking after your overall health and exercising.
- Walk every day for about 30 minutes. This is an undemanding way to get some exercise (and you can even explore!). The benefits of physical activity on mental health will last for a long time.
- Besides walking, there are many other ways to exercise and have fun! Try yoga or put on some music and dance.
Step 2. Train your mind
Engaging the mind helps prevent memory loss and improves the general ability to recall information. After doing an activity that works your brain, you will feel tired and need a break. You can try: solving math problems, learning to crochet or reading complex subjects.
- Change things up. You need to keep your brain from getting used to your routine, so keep learning and trying new activities. This way, you will make sure you always keep your mind active and improve your memory. For example: you could learn a new word a day or study the history of your nation. These activities improve your memory and make you smarter.
- You can also learn a poem by heart every 15 days. This is a great (if a bit nerd) trick to show off at parties and helps you improve your memory. What are you waiting for: start memorizing the Divine Comedy!
Step 3. Get enough sleep
Sleep is incredibly important for improving and keeping memory active. This is why you shouldn't stay up all night studying before a big exam. Instead, study the previous afternoon and get enough sleep at night so that your brain can process all the information you just learned.
- Try to get at least 8 hours of sleep a night, so that your brain can reach all the most important sleep stages and that you can feel refreshed.
- Turn off all electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bed so that your brain has time to relax and prepare for sleep. This advice applies to all electronic devices, such as telephone, computer, kindle, etc.
Step 4. Repeat the information aloud
By saying the things you want to learn out loud, you will be able to remember them better. In case you have a tendency to forget if you have turned off the oven, when you do, repeat "I have turned off the oven". Later, you will find that you can remember turning off the oven.
- Repeat a person's name once they have been introduced to you (however, try to be natural). You can say "Hi Anna, it's a pleasure to meet you". This way, you reinforce the association between the person and their name, so it will be easier to remember later.
- You can also follow this advice to remember dates, times and places. For example, if you are invited to an event, you can repeat the invitation to the person who extended it to you, saying "At the Odeon cinema at 8pm? Can't wait!".
Step 5. Be careful
Of course, even with a lot of effort you won't become Sherlock Holmes. However, by training your observation skills, it will become much easier to remember things (people, faces, names, where you left the keys). It takes time to develop this skill, but it's worth it.
- Practice your skills by carefully observing a scene (you can do it anywhere: at home, on the bus, at work), then close your eyes and try to remember as many details as you can.
- You can also try this exercise with a photograph, as long as it's a shot you don't know well. Observe it for a second or two, then turn it over. Try to remember as much detail as possible. Repeat the exercise with a different photo.
Step 6. Follow a proper diet
There are foods that can improve long-term memory. You should still eat them as part of a healthy diet, but you will have an additional reason to do so if you want to keep your memory trained. Choose foods that contain antioxidants (like broccoli, blueberries, and spinach) and omega-3 fatty acids (like salmon and almonds).
Aim for 5-6 small meals a day, instead of three large binges. This way, you will avoid blood sugar drops that limit brain function. Also make sure you are eating healthy foods
Advice
- If you get distracted during your memorization attempts and can't concentrate, try to sit down and figure out what is distracting you. Once you understand if this is a personal problem or something similar, resolve it before continuing to study.
- Create a song with the information to memorize to be able to remember them better.
- The smell of rosemary is said to help improve memory and recall information.
Warnings
- Convincing yourself that you have a "bad memory" only serves to make it look even worse and to limit its effectiveness, because you would lead the brain to believe that you really have poor memory capacity.
- Not all mnemonic tools will work for you, nor can they be used in all situations. Try them and find out which ones are most effective for you.
- If you have severe memory problems, especially at a young age, talk to your doctor and make sure you don't have a serious health problem.
