Memory experts say that what many people consider “having a poor memory” is really just forgetfulness, and it happens to everyone. Forgetfulness can strike at anytime— you can’t remember what you did with your car keys, or you can’t remember someone’s name, or you can’t seem to remember what you came into the kitchen to get—and can be most irritating and frustrating. Such forgetfulness affects the short-term memory, resulting in a brief memory lapse.
The good news is that forgetfulness can be overcome by utilizing some simple devices we all have at our command. Techniques, from mnemonics to tying a string around your finger are all proven methods of memory enhancement. All it takes is a little extra effort and patience, and forgetfulness can be just a memory.
nere are ten expert self-help techniques for memory improvement:
1) Positive thinking— one of the most potent memory boosters comes from developing a sense of confidence that you can, in fact, remember. If you assume you have a p0or memory because of past memory lapses, you are only undermining your true memory capability. If, on the other hand, you assume a positive attitude, you will develop the self-assurance needed to relax and be totally aware of what is going on around you. Having a positive attitude and confidence in your mental capacity is the first step toward memory improvement.
2) Repetition—the foundation of an efficient memory is repetition. Whenever you repeat something—a phone number, a name, a date, an address—you fix the information in your memory. While practice may not always make you perfect, it will bring about improvement. If you get into the habit of repeating information you need to remember, you’ll soon develop an effective retrieval system.
3) Mnemonic devices— at one time or another, most people use this artificial memory system without even being aware of it. Mnemonic devices are those that associate unknown information with familiar things. For example, in order to remember how many days are in a certain month we might recite a little poem we learned when we were children— “Thirty days hath September…”. Another well-known verbal mnemonic is “Every Good Boy Does Fine”, for recalling the positions of notes in the treble cleff.
Mnemonic devices can also be visual as well. One effective type of visual mnemonic device associates items on a list with images in a visual scene.
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