Whether you are an average person wanting to reduce forgetfulness, a university student studying for finals, or an academic thrill seeker wanting to perform mental feats, this list will unlock doorways into your own memory that you’ve probably never witnessed before.
1. Chunking
Chunking is perhaps one of the oldest methods in memorization. It works by breaking down one long complicated bit of information into smaller “chunks” that are easier to remember.
2. Rhyming
Nursery rhymes and songs engage children during elementary school. And, guess what? It’s the same for adults. Whether we are memorizing a poem by Edgar Allan Poe or singing aloud with the radio to our favorite pop artist, rhyming surely helps a lot.
3. Acronyms and Acrostics
What do USA, MLK, and LOL have in common? They are all acronyms. Acronyms are simply words derived from the first letters of whatever phrase is being memorized. Each symbol in an acronym serves as a mental cue for another word. Turn this sequence into a sentence and you have an acrostic.
4. Repetition
Repetition can be the most effective memory method, but only if you know how to use it. Our brains naturally default to specific neural pathways that allow us to recall certain information more quickly with repetition. Essentially, we convert short term memory into long term.
5. Visualization
Visualization is derived from the fact that concrete images are much easier to remember than raw, abstract information. For example, when we you see the word APPLE, you don’t see the letters A-P-P-L-E in your head. Instead, you visualize an apple.
6. Link Method
Once you’ve learned how to convert ideas to objects and pictures in your brain, you can now begin “linking” them together. This method is best used for memorizing long lists.
7. Mind Maps
This revolutionary method of memorization was popularized by creator Tony Buzan in the 1960s. Mind maps are made to utilize both sides of the brain in order to create organized associations with a certain spatial orientation and color.
8. The Number Rhyme Method
Memorizing numbers can be a bit of a challenge. This method transforms numbers into vivid, concrete images. And as you should know by now, concrete images are far easier to memorize than abstract symbols. This method serves the same purpose for memorizing ordered sets of information.
9. Memorizing Formulas
Now, that we know that numbers can be converted into images, the same can be done for mathematical symbols. This method is similar to the ‘number-shape’ method.
10. Practice
Practice is by far the most important rule of memory enhancement. You may learn a few methods over night, but if they are not practiced, they will easily be lost.
So, are you all set to boost your memory?