A good memory is vital to success in any area of life. A sharp memory makes your daily life so much easier, because it allows you retain important information about your job, school and family life. Committing yourself to trying new things and practicing different techniques ensures that you can boost your memory.
Games that challenge your mental prowess are great tools for memory improvement. It’s similar to how exercise keeps your body in shape. Regular brain stimulation helps it improve on essential skills like concentration and memory. Try brain teasers, crosswords and word searches, for instance.
Mnemonic Devices
Developing mnemonic devices so you are able to enhance your mind is a good way to grasp knowledge for a longer duration. Try using mnemonic devices similar to how writers use shorthand. You link some knowledge with a word or item that’s common, then you have a road map to that memory.
Do your best to use multiple locations when studying, this way your brain will file the information into long term storage, rather than just associating it with a specific location. If you’re stuck in the same location learning material, then you will associate material with only specific location. By studying the material in various locations, it starts to become part of your long term memory.
To improve your memory, get rid of negative or unpleasant thoughts. People who entertain negative thoughts or undergo lots of stress will have a greater inability to remember things than people who are positive or are less stressed. Talk to your doctor about techniques to relieve stress.
Think of your brain as a muscle you need to exercise to remember things. Research shows that age-related memory loss is less common in people who regularly engage in puzzle playing.
Study in a new place, or redecorate your study area to help you remember what you’re studying. Your long-term memory can benefit from you studying in a completely new area. When your brain notices a change in surroundings, it’ll become more alert, and will be better at taking in information as a result.
Take time for relating the information you want to memorize to information you already retain. Building these ties helps you commit the new ideas to the long-term memory. An additional benefit to relational exercises is that they actually increase the speed of memorization processes too.
You may find helpful books for improving your memory during a visit to your library. Many psychiatrists have written books that help people improve memory. You might not need anything more than these books to help.
Exercise often so you can remember more. Just a small amount of exercise every day can be beneficial.
Cramming to remember information is rarely effective. If committing something to memory is essential, take the time to establish planned sessions in which to study. It is stressful and ineffective to try and learn a new subject, all in one sitting. The causes your brain to overload, and you will tend to forget much of what you learned quickly. You need to schedule multiple small study sessions to practice memory techniques.
If someone gives you information and you have difficulty remembering it, try putting what they said into your own words to learn it. Using someone else’s exact words can be a difficult way to remember something when you would use different words to describe the same thing.
Organizational tools, such as day planners or wall calendars, are an amazing way to keep on top of important items in your life. Keep a planner with you throughout the day to keep track of any appointments or events you must attend. Make yourself a schedule and look at it every day. Your mind will be helped by constantly looking at these things. You don’t always have to depend on your memory for everything and your planner will reduce the stress about important dates and times.
Repeat things out loud. Whenever you learn something such as a name, you should say it out loud. Repeating to yourself facts or information in a place you can hear yourself saying it is a successful tactic in being able to recall it later. You can say it loudly, when you are alone. If you don’t really care what people think, you can still repeat it in front of others.
When you’re stressed, forgetting things is much easier. Always relax if you need to learn something new or want to remember something important. Stay relaxed and don’t get too angry with yourself. A relaxed mind is better able to recall things.
Fish Oil
Keep your mind sharp by taking fish oil supplements each day. It is well-known that the Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids that fish oil contains are effective at enhancing memory. Getting the right dosage is important, so consult you doctor prior to taking this supplement.
If you’re studying a subject that you really need to remember, you should eliminate distractions and focus on nothing but that subject. Information must be stored in the long-term memory for humans to be able to recall it effectively. However, if you’re distracted, it’s unlikely that the information you’re trying to commit to memory will move to that part of your mind.
As this article has shown, there are several techniques that you can utilize to begin improving your ability to remember things. By practicing these techniques, you should be able to more easily recall important things such as your wedding anniversary, and your supermarket shopping list. If you use the information and ideas that you have just read, you will find it much easier to store and recall memories.