| Our brains have limitless memory capacity. However, recall – actually accessing the information in our memories – is the sticking point.
Something as simple as remembering a name can show that you’re an active listener and is often seen as a sign of respect. It can create a certain level of comfort, especially with someone you’ve just met. This can be a helpful tool in forming new business relationships. There are many benefits to building up your memory capacity. Here are a few:
1. Use visual association.
This memory trick works for two reasons. We naturally remember visual cues better than words, and the more senses you involve in learning or storing something, the better you will be at recalling it.
Say you need to remember to submit a proposal to a client by 10 a.m. You commit your task to memory by visualizing your proposal on top of an alarm clock that reads “10 a.m.” The trick here is to make the picture as vivid as possible. Imagine an alarm clock, with the time flashing and alarm blaring, and focus on it so that it becomes fully real in your mind.
2. Utilize the chunking technique.
The chunking technique is a memory trick that our brains use to divide large pieces of information into smaller units that are easier to digest. Chunking helps us “hack the limits of our memory.”
The three main stages of chunking include grouping, finding patterns, and organizing information by meaning. For example, you might better memorize a phone number in three separate chunks instead of one long string of numbers.
3. Create routines.
If you build a daily routine for yourself in areas where you lack memory recall, you’ll probably better remember things better. For example, if you have a terrible habit of misplacing your keys, try creating a routine of placing them on a hook right by your front door as soon as you walk into your home. Soon it will become a habit, and you’ll always know where your keys are when you’re heading out the door.
4. Use rhymes and songs as memory techniques.
Rhymes can be powerful for helping your memory. If I were to ask you where the rain in Spain stays, you’d likely have an answer quickly. “Mainly in the plain,” right? If you’ve seen My Fair Lady you’d likely recall this answer because of the memorable song.
Creating a quick and easy song to jog your memory can be helpful and even fun. For example, you can create a song to remember a short list of tasks that you need to complete or a short grocery list. You can even make up short jingles when you learn new things for work or school.
5. Use acronyms as memory tricks.
An acronym is an abbreviation from the first letter of other words that you pronounce as one word. One example of an acronym is HOMES which abbreviates the names of the Great Lakes (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior.) Another is Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally, the mathematical order of operations (Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, and Subtraction). Abbreviations are super helpful tricks to help you remember things.
Bonus:
Download an app to help you remember things.
Extra help remembering things is just a download away. There are several apps available that can help to improve your recall and keep important events and information in the palm of your hand.
Source: https://www.americanexpress.com/ |
