Top 10 Tips To Improve Memory by Yanlii

First things first - do you need to improve memory?
A well improved memory is a wonderful thing, it benefits you in all fields. Imagine not needing to write down phone numbers and remembering names of all people you encounter. If you are a pupil or student, imagine being able to remember all your study materials after a single read, or learning thousands of new words in other languages at the first try. If you are a senior then you would, too, benefit from memory exercises as memory usually starts to fade with age. Mathematicians, physicists, scientists, engineers, programmers and other proffessions that involve active thinking would greatly benefit from memory training. Imagine being able to remember everything from the first attempt. That would be great, wouldn't it? With practice - it is possible.

Recently I discovered myself a new hobby - memory training. Now I practice various memory exercises daily, and I want to share some tips. Currently there are 10 tips to improve your memory, but I will keep the lens updated with more information.

1. Play games to improve memory
Fun and improvement - the best combination
Play memory games. For example, chess. This game requires you to remember many possible moves ahead and countless combinations. If chess is too much of a challenge, try checkers or sudoku. Or if you are a gambler, try blackjack card counting techniques. Google more about MIT blackjack crew to see the benefits of card counting and a good memory. This game might not only improve your memory but also your income :)

I recommend this simple memory game for kids. Here is another game which is more advanced. When playing these memory games my tip is not to hurry and take time to remember each element and its place and associate it or link it to another element. Here is a large data-base of memory games.

From computer games I would recommend you quests, for example, Myst and Syberia are both beautiful games with challenging logical puzzles. Tons of adventure games can be found here.
2. Link method and story methods.
Bring your memories to life
This method is useful for remembering certain amount of things in a sequence. For example, a phone number 2501-555-106. Let's start giving each number their own face and character and try linking them in a bizarre situation with the next number. The event should look bizarre because unique things tend to soak in your brain much better than generic.

- Let's say number 2 got angry and hit number 5 two times in one eye and in the other.
- Now number 5 says:"I have no (zero) eyes", and decides to call number 1. oculist, who happens to be a mutant.
- Oculist has three arms with 5 fingers each(555).
- He grabs the the phone in the spare hand while playing mini golf under his TENt.
- The mutant oculist says that "you can come on Saturday (6)".

I used mixed link and story method to associate each event with the next one. The story is stupid and creepy, which is why it will stay in your brain. This exercise will also benefit your creativity.
3. Number/Rhyme system.
Code your memories
This is also good for short lists. It can be used, for example, to remember all of USA presidents in the correct order. The idea is to assign a word that rhymes with the number it is assigned to.

For example:
1. Sun
2. Shoe
3. Tree
4. Tour
...and so on up to ten.

You can assign whatever words you find to suit the number better.

Now let's try to remember top 4 famous historical figures from this list:
1. Mahatma Gandhi. Imagine MaHUTma Gandhi sitting in a HUT meditating and gazing in the SUN rise through the window.
2. Martin Luther King. Imagine a KING sitting in his throne, drinking martini, while servants are polishing his SHOES.
3. Rasputin. Imagine a character PUTting IN his RASp in a chest up a TREEhouse.
4. Winston Churchill. Imagine a person taking a TOUR to CHURCH of STONE.

PS
Magicians use this system to "guess" birth dates. I won't tell you how exactly they do it, because then I would be revealing magicians secrets :) I just wanted to inform you that this simple tactic is involved.
4. The Journey Method.
Journey through your memory
Use this technique by associating information with landmarks you know well. It could be your room, your flat, your house, your neighbourhood or your sreet. Let's say you need to remember to buy: potatoes, visit Joe, fix your car and buy a present.

Imagine starting the journey in your bedroom, going through the door and seeing potatoes rolling on the floor, then go through hallway and see your friend Joe sobbing lonely at the end of it, then walk out of house and notice your car going all crazy and drifting the yard, then walk further the street and notice a decorated tree with presents under it...you get the idea :) This method is extremely useful for longer lists.

If you are interested in finding more about link/story, alphabet/journey, phonic, peg and lot's of other memory training techniques, be sure to check out this course on memory improvement. What is great about this offer is that it comes along with software programs which will help you train your memory more efficiently. You can also get free lessons at the site. Highly recommended!


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5. Train your sensory memory.
Feel the world around you
Have you ever heard an old song and suddenly experienced a nostalgic feeling? Maybe you listened to this song when you had fallen in love. The same can be said for tastes and scents. Sometimes when you smell certain fragrance, you remember a place or a person, which was associated with it. I am getting in hypnosis now, but all I can say is when you are feeling very good and happy, try to concentrate on everything - the sounds, smells and tastes around. Close your eyes and feel them. This way when you will hear these sounds or feel certain scents later, your brain will automatically recall the nice feeling you had before.

This method is very close to hypnosis and hooking techniques. They are highly efficient if used properly. If you want to find out more about these techniques, I advise you reading "Master Your Memory" by Mike Teitelbaum.


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6. Learn foreign words with associations.
Give the words another meaning
For example, "Wall" in german is "Die Mauer", which sounds like MOWER in English! Now imagine Demi Moore driving a MOWER in to the wall. As the character is female, the word is feminine - article "die". You can do this for every word you find had to remember, and if you must remember articles, just use different characters for each article. For words with article 'der' use a male character, for words with 'die' - a female. For words with 'das' use something different, for example, an animal. This technique will also boost your creativity.
7. Visual perception exercise.
Pay attention to detail
This exercise is good for training visual memory and it is also used by bodyguards and high rank security personnel. It is simple and can be done anytime, anywhere. When you come in a room full with people, scan it quickly for couple of seconds. Then look away or close your eyes and try to recall how many people where there, what items were in the room, etc...when you can do this easily, try to recall how many women, men, children, animals were in the room, train, park, whatever. Then try to recall what type of clothing each of them had on. Then try to shorten examination time, until you can count how many skittles are on a plate in two seconds like Derren Brown.

Derren Brown said he developed this skill by counting characters in random words when he was a kid. For example, when you read an advertisement "Win Free Money", you automatically count "win - 3 letters + free - 4 letters + money 5 letters = 12 letters" or try to count only certain letters - how many a's, i's, e's, n's, m's are n the text?

I must also add that this technique goes hand to hand with Photographic memory training. If you want to get really good at it, I would advise you getting e-book about photographic memory training. There are tons of very useful tips, which I also use daily. Check it out, because the site also offers a FREE memory training course.



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8. Make yourself think!
Exercise your brain
If you watch TV shows, my tip is to watch only those which make you think about them afterwards. Lost is a good example (did they actually survive the plane crash?). Or read books on psychological and religious topics or mystery solving. A useful way to making yourself think is learning a new language.
9. Memorize things!
Do it old-school style
This could be tough, but try not to use cell phone contact option at all, try to memorize all the numbers, e-mails and names. Try to memorize the words in songs you hear, try to memorize poems, stories and jokes. While doing so remember to use the methods I mention in this lens.

Some studies have shown that modern children have worse memory than their ancestors, because of all the technologies available, which you can use to store everything in instead of your brain.

If that seems too hard for you, then might want to check out these simple strategies for improving your memory. These are especially useful for children at school age as they aren't too complicated but at the same time will greatly benefit learning capabilities.
10. Exercise!
Your brain will thank you
That's right! Physical exercise gets more oxygen in your brain. Researchers believe that there is a link between a healthy heart and a healthy brain. Meaning that exercises which are good for heart are also good for brain. These are aerobic exercises like running, cycling, swimming and others.

For seniors exercise is important because it lowers blood pressure which directly influences brain functionality.

That's enough tips for today :)
Memory Improvement