People tend to remember things they are motivated to remember. If you want to pass that history test bad enough you will study for it and find ways that will help you to remember. You don’t have to be a memory expert to learn how to remember more, you simply have to have the desire to remember something, and get a little boost from some memory improvement tips.
Memory training experts find the best way to remember is through “Visualization and Association.†Anyone who wants to have a great memory can learn this technique, so if they want to improve their grades, or do better at your job, simply practice what they learn until it becomes second nature.
What is visualization and association? Very simply, it’s taking the information you want to remember and making it into a mental image. People remember better if they can actually see a picture in their head of something as opposed to hearing it or seeing it written down. By associating that image with something you are familiar with it makes it much easier to remember.
Visualization puts a strong image in your mind that will help you to remember. If you are trying to remember a date in history, make a mental image of the circumstances of the time and put a date stamp on the picture (example: Lincoln’s Assassination, picture Lincoln seated in a theater slumped over his chair with the date April 14, 1965 under the picture). You have visualized the scene and associated the circumstances and the date with the image.
The next thing to do is to concentrate on the information. Simply putting a scene together won’t help you remember if you don’t focus. Bring the scene up again, concentrate on the image and the date, and repeat it to yourself until you have it firmly ingrained.
How can you concentrate better? Concentration can be defined as focusing attention on one thing and to one thing only. By visualizing and putting your thoughts into images you are helping to turn your attention on one thing. Don’t allow distractions around you to allow those images to dissolve before you had time to imprint them in your mind. You can do this by constantly repeating it until it becomes clear.
Keep in mind:
§        Images stick in your mind easier than facts and information
§        Making an image forces you to focus and concentrate
§        Dwell on the image and the association, and repeat it until it becomes clear in your mind.
When you have difficulty remembering information, repeat the process of associating with an image, visualizing the image and concentrating on the message the image is trying to tell you. This memory tip works because you will be training yourself to focus and concentrate on what you are trying to remember. You will be repeating what you want to remember over and over again so it gets locked in your head. Creating mental images sends a powerful message to your brain to hold on to that image, and by repeating the message that goes along with the picture it is like framing it and hanging it on the wall – it is there until you decide to take it down.
This process will save you time and allow you to remember more. The more you practice it the better you will become and the faster you can create more images to allow you to remember more.Â
My name is Ron White, and I am a two-time USA Memory Champion.
Sources:
Memory Improvement Tips.com – The Best Memory Trick: http://www.memory-improvement-tips.com/best-memory-trick.html
College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University – Remembering what you read: http://www.csbsju.edu/academic-advising/help/remembering-what-you-read.htm