At a glance
1. Attention for retention
Properly encoding a new memory requires focusing on the information you are receiving. Minimise distractions and be present when trying to absorb important facts. Avoid multi-tasking, because it scatters your concentration.
2. Incentivise yourself
We remember things better if we have a good reason. Visualise the advantages of remembering whatever you are trying to memorise – a name, a date, a phone number, a password. Give yourself a reason to invest the mental effort, and your recall will improve.
3. Create strong associations
We recall information better when we give it emotional and sensory meaning, such as images, sounds and smells. For example, to remember “HTC70”, think of your uncle who “has two cats” and is 70 years old.
4. Use patterns and repetition
Our brain naturally looks for and remembers patterns. Help it by “chunking” – organising the things you are trying to remember into categories (industry, location, hair colour, letter of first name). Then, repeat, write things down and say them out loud. Using acronyms and creating rhymes can also help.
5. Harness your imagination
Storytelling – creating a story around facts you wish to memorise – creates dramatic engagement and helps boost recall. The more visceral, sensory-rich and emotionally binding the narrative, the better it will stay with us.
6. Tame your tech
There are many tech tools to help us remember, but relying on them instead of our brains isn’t always a good idea. To prevent cognitive decline and short-term memory loss, keep your brain fit with mental challenges – navigating without a map, learning a new language, mastering a musical instrument or playing a game that requires mind body coordination.
Useful resources
Techniques to enhance learning and memory
Dr Nancy Ciaravalloti discusses the learning processes and techniques that have been shown to improve learning and memory capacity.
You can grow new brain cells. Here’s how
Neuroscientist Dr Sandrine Thuret says it is possible for adults to grow new neurons. In this TED Talk, Thuret draws from research to offer practical advice on how we can help our brains to perform better neurogenesis – increasing memory formation, improving mood and preventing the decline associated with ageing.
How to use memory techniques to improve learning and education
Neuroscientist and four-time Guinness World Record Holder for memory Dr Boris Nikolai Konrad believes memorisation can be both fun and easy. In this TED Talk, Konrad explains how memory works and provides tips on how to improve memory by using your brain the way it is meant to be used.
