Even the most organized and collected individuals have found themselves drawing a blank at some point or another when called upon to recite a key piece of information. Fortunately, the information found in this handpicked selection of useful tips is sure to serve you well by helping you to strengthen and enhance your ability to recall information.
Visualizing yourself recalling information is actually a great way in which you can work to recall information. You are basically training your brain to be able to memorize items when you foresee yourself dipping into that memory bank to pull them out at a later date. Think of it like visualizing your hand turning a doorknob before you actually turn it.
Use regular study sessions over a period of time rather than a single cramming session. Studies have shown that if you study material over a course of a few days, you have a better chance of remembering it than if you cram in a single night. So instead of cramming the night before a test, establish a regular study time each night or every other night.
Keep a diary or calendar for appointments. This is extremely helpful in remembering important dates or events. Be consistent with it and keep it in the same place all the time. You should look at it every day to update it and to make sure there isn’t anything you are forgetting.
When trying to remember something, having patience with yourself will help you greatly! The harder you try to think of something, the more stressed you become, and of course, the more stressed you become the more difficult it is to remember anything! Take a deep breath, relax, and try to clear your mind and before you know it what ever you were trying so hard to recall will pop right up in your mind!
Knowing what type of learner you are will enable you to reinforce your memory! If you know that you are a visual learner, for example, then keep a small notebook with you at all times to write down the information you need to remember, or if you are an auditory learner, use a small recorder. These small aids will be a big help when you need to call on your memory later!
A memory technique that works for many people is the listen, write and read method. Basically what this entails is really listening to what is being said. While listening, make notes about the material that is being shared. At a later time, read the notes again. With this technique, you are actually reviewing the information three times which aids in cementing the information in your memory.
Here’s a surprising fact about the relationship between memory and alcohol- moderate drinking can actually improve memory and prevent Alzheimer’s! Studies have shown that moderate drinking (defined as drinking two glasses of wine or less per day) can improve cognitive function overall and helps the drinkers score better on memory tests.
If you need help retaining a difficult concept or remembering the massive amount of information you studied the night before that big college exam, get up and get moving. The brain, like other parts of our body, requires energy to work, and it gets that energy from oxygen and other nutrients carried through the bloodstream. Spending long, unbroken hours in a chair, pouring over books or staring at a computer screen, causes the blood to congeal and deprives the brain of that needed energy. So get up and go for a brisk walk or a swim, anything to get the blood pumping and moving through your body. It’s a proven fact that the more physically active you are, the smarter you will be too.
If you want to improve your brain’s ability to create and retain memories, one way of doing this is to often recount stories. Story telling is a way of practicing having the brain recall a memory in as much detail as possible, which is similar to working out a muscle group. It’s also fun!
In order to increase memory and concentration, consider taking a Fish Oil, or Omega-3, vitamin supplement. Unfortunately, our everyday diets simply do not provide enough Omega-3. However, eating more fish or taking an Omega-3 supplement can help with that deficiency. Studies have shown that school children, experiencing difficulty in concentrating, were given an Omega-3 supplement, which resulted in a significantly increased ability to concentrate.
Using the helpful information, ideas and advice that you have just read can help you to remember. Now put it to use and test yourself at work, home, or school by practicing a variety of new techniques that can help you to efficiently store information in your memory. You will find fulfillment when you now recall information easily and accurately at only a moment’s notice.
