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Tips To Improve Your Memory
Some memory tasks can seem daunting but this is mainly through trying to mentally engulf too much unfamiliar information but also because the material itself may be boring. It's less likely to be a sign that your memory is innately poor. Anyone who starts to exercise their memory on a regular basis will realise that it's better than they thought it was.
So, the first major point to make with regard to improving your memory is don't take on too much information at once. Break the information into digestible bits and memorise each of those bits in stages, only then try to memorise the whole thing. By that stage it will start to seem very familiar. Apply yourself to a bit of the information and proceed in a staggered way rather than have a prolonged period of forced memorising. This approach increases the number of primacy and recency events that aid learning. Primacy and recency refer to the fact that learning is more effective at the start (primacy) and end (recency) of a session so having several short memorising sessions in a day rather than a single long one increases the number of primacy and recency events.
Be systematic and have the discipline to exercise your memory every day but don't force things. While you're working on each small bit refresh your memory immediately when there is a need to remind yourself of any part of it then leave off and see whether you can remember the whole of it the next day.
Some people find that memory is aided by developing a story, a song, pictorial representation, keywords or mind maps from the material you are trying to remember. This can help because the memory process then becomes compatible with your learning style, it also repackages the material into a less boring form. Mind maps also have the advantage of relating what you need to remember to previous learning. How applicable these techniques are will be determined by the nature of what you are trying to remember. Using your creativity to develop bizarre, absurd and/or humorous associations to what you are trying to remember will always help.
The overall message to take away from this article is to break down the material you are trying to memorize into managable chunks, be systematic and disciplined when applying your memory. Try to represent the material in a less boring form and relate it to previous learning.
By John Kirkham
So, the first major point to make with regard to improving your memory is don't take on too much information at once. Break the information into digestible bits and memorise each of those bits in stages, only then try to memorise the whole thing. By that stage it will start to seem very familiar. Apply yourself to a bit of the information and proceed in a staggered way rather than have a prolonged period of forced memorising. This approach increases the number of primacy and recency events that aid learning. Primacy and recency refer to the fact that learning is more effective at the start (primacy) and end (recency) of a session so having several short memorising sessions in a day rather than a single long one increases the number of primacy and recency events.
Be systematic and have the discipline to exercise your memory every day but don't force things. While you're working on each small bit refresh your memory immediately when there is a need to remind yourself of any part of it then leave off and see whether you can remember the whole of it the next day.
Some people find that memory is aided by developing a story, a song, pictorial representation, keywords or mind maps from the material you are trying to remember. This can help because the memory process then becomes compatible with your learning style, it also repackages the material into a less boring form. Mind maps also have the advantage of relating what you need to remember to previous learning. How applicable these techniques are will be determined by the nature of what you are trying to remember. Using your creativity to develop bizarre, absurd and/or humorous associations to what you are trying to remember will always help.
The overall message to take away from this article is to break down the material you are trying to memorize into managable chunks, be systematic and disciplined when applying your memory. Try to represent the material in a less boring form and relate it to previous learning.
By John Kirkham
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