Memory plays an important role in the process of acquiring knowledge. Education system in most of the countries is based on the strength of memory. The one who can remember the most is considered the most brilliant!
We have seen many children struggling in their studies unable to retain in their memory what they had studied. Many children fail and repeat their class one more year just because they could not remember what they had studied. People deplore that their memory dwindles as they grow in age. We know by experience that normal age-related changes in the brain can slow down some cognitive processes, making it a bit harder to learn new things quickly and also to ward off distractions. Memory can be improved by the following easy tips.
You Can Do It
First of all, believe in your own capacity that you can do it. Discard all the myths and prejudices about your self and foster up a conviction that your memory can strengthened by regular practice! No negative thought; and think positively! Organize Your Activities
Order of things is the main secret of memory. Organize your thoughts and all other activities related so that they will be easily recognized. Break all information into smaller chunks. Associate them to your other details like phone numbers, names of people, etc. Chaining the details or information makes it easy to regain one after the other. As stated above ordered or unordered lists are retained in memory. Minimize Your Brain Work
You can economize the use of your brain by associating it suitably. Associate information with things like calendars and planners, maps, shopping lists, file folders, and address books to keep routine information easily accessible. Always fix a particular place at home for your glasses, keys, and other items you use frequently. Employ All Your Senses
Learning is done through our senses. The more we make use of our senses when we learn something, the more of our brain will be involved in retaining the memory. For example, the bakery smell is famous for conjuring memories from the distant past. Practice Mnemonic Exercises
Mnemonic exercises are nothing but creative ways of remembering information. They can be either in the form of acronyms or acrostics(information involving key words). Story type mnemonics can be much helpful with brief narrative in which each item cues one to remember the next one. Our Brain Can Be Expanded
We can widen the brain regions involved in learning by some practices like reading aloud, drawing as a picture, or writing down the information we want to learn. Forming just a visual image of something makes it easier to remember and understand, which focuses us to make the information more precise. Repetition Makes More Retention
We have seen children repeating or saying aloud what they want to stick to their memory.When we repeat it goes deeper into our senses. Give Reasonable Timing
It is a good practice to give breaks instead of repeating something many times in a short period. It is better to re-peat the essentials after increasingly longer periods of time - once an hour, then every few hours, then every day. Spacing out periods of study is more effective when we are trying to master complicated information.Avoid Stress
Research results have shown that chronic, excessive depression or stress exposure shrinks and destroys our brain hippocampus. The hippocampus is one of the most important structures in our brain for laying down memory. Stress hormones exert powerful effects on our brain. It is always good for our life to avoid unnecessary worries and depressions. Challenge Yourself
As it is given in the first tip, you can rely on your ability and take challenges. Engage yourself in activities that need your concentration and awareness. That will sharpen and maintain your memory by methodical practice. Puzzles, crosswords, memory projects, etc. will surely help you to boost your memory.
Good memory is a blessing . It can be acquired, boosted and utilized for our success by our tireless efforts and constant practice!
