Improve Memory Skills
Increasing memory skills will help you memorize faster and remember more. You will be able to remember names, facts, dates, history, story lines, outlines, speeches, and more. Just follow these easy steps and you won't increase your memorization time, you will cut it in half. Your short term memory will improve and your long term memory will surprise you. Start your memory enhance now!
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Instructions
- Step 1Make connections with what you already know to memorize fast.
If you meet a Jack, in your mind picture another Jack as you look at their face. Or think about a move star with that name. Your brain stores information in a web of connected ideas. Didn't you ever wonder why a certain smell brings up a particular memory?
Your brain will recall better if you connect new material to old material. If you are studying for an exam, figure out how this material relates to something familiar to you and talk about it out loud. 'Oh that cell looks like a sucrets!' or 'So the trajectory has to be like a basketball shot.'
If you are memorizing a speech, start the speech with something easy for you to remember - a story or a favorite quote. Then structure the speech along a series of related mental connections.
- Step 2Visualize the concept to memorize fast and remember more.
Picture it. Imagine what it would look like. You can increase this with some memorization by imagining you can smell it or touch it. For remembering names, picture the person's face and repeat the name in your mind over and over again. Make an absurd visual connection if you can that makes you laugh. Jim head is shaped like an apple, for example.
If you are memorizing a fact for a test, try to draw it in a chart or diagram or picture. You will be able to remember the diagram or picture better than a paragraph of explanation.
If you are memorizing a speech draw a symbol beside each point or major move in your outline or manuscript.
- Step 3(Re) Produce the material out loud to memorize faster.
We learn more quickly when we produce something ourselves. Especially if you are a verbal or auditory learning you will want to memorize this way. Repeat it out loud from memory only referring to notes when you have to. Re-produce the material until you can do it completely from memory without fear.
In speech writing it can be helpful to write the speech verbally forming a memorized verbal manuscript if you want to speak without notes.
For remembering names you can do this easily when you meet a person. Follow this pattern: 'Hi, Sarah, was it? I am glad to meet you Sarah. Sarah do you..." You just repeated the name three times with their face in mind.
- Step 4Reproduce the material in writing to remember more.
If you are a visual learner, then reproduce the material in writing in connection with drawing symbols and pictures. It won't hurt you to hear the material or to reproduce it out loud, but it may be more helpful to write it and see it.
When you meet someone new follow the above pattern and then ask 'Sarah, how do you spell your name? With or without an h?' Then when they tell you visualize the spelling of the name to see it in your mind.
If the material fits, make your own flash cards out of 3x5 notecards and review them while on public transit or waiting in line.
- Step 5Use catchy puns and phrases to memorize faster.
This works great for learning foreign languages if they have familiar sounds. Try to come up with a sentence that makes you laugh but helps you remember the meaning. For name memory rhyme with the name in your mind, Duke Puke or Tim ain't slim. (Sorry to any Dukes or Tims.)
