Basic Memory Strategies

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“Following strategies take effort to implement, but that’s good: The effort will help you remember.

Practice active attention. Use a conscious effort to pay attention to relevant details you need to remember, such as facts, names, or landmarks. Mindfulness training (through a class, book, or phone app) can improve your ability to practice active attention.

Minimize environmental distractions. If fewer distractions exist, focusing on what you are trying to remember is easier.

Take breaks. You can only pay full attention for so long before fatigue sets in. When it does, take a break.

Repeat information spaced out over time. One of the most successful ways to remember information is to repeat it several times in a row, then again after a few minutes, again after an hour, again after a few more hours, and again before going to bed. Continuing this repetition periodically over a day, week, or month can help you remember information for a long time.

Make connections. Link something new you are trying to remember to something you already know well.

Create visual images. We all remember pictures better than words, so making mental images will help you remember things.

Put it in a location. To help remember an item list, mentally place an item in each room (or each part of each room) in your house. To retrieve the items, you simply walk through your home, recalling each item as you go.

Use the first-letter method. Acronyms and abbreviations are useful strategies: You can create original acronyms to remember almost anything.

Use chunking. It is generally easier to remember groups of letters, numbers, or words than to recall each item. For example, 1364279805 versus 136-427-9805.

Cluster information by topic. Shopping lists and other information will be easier to remember if clustered into groups, such as vegetables, beverages, meats, etc.

Invent rhymes. If you make a catchy rhyme, you’ll remember it for a long time.

Get emotional. You can improve memory by engaging in what you are trying to remember, creating an emotional reaction.

Key Points

• Memory-boosting strategies take effort to implement but become easier the more you practice them.
• Creating visual images is a particularly effective strategy, as most people remember pictures better than words.
• When a name is on the tip of your tongue, relax and think of other things you know about the person.”

Read the whole article at Psychology Today

#Memory #Cognition #Remembering

💬 Do you use any of the strategies described in this article? Do you use any other strategy that helps you remember?