What's the most annoying thing about memory tricks? Of course, you have to use them. There are many good ways to remember things, but if you don't use them often, you'll forget them when you need them most. So, when you take the time to learn a new skill, keep doing it until it comes naturally. Try some of these.
Using a list of stories
As a child, I went to a party. There was a game where you had to look at a table with 15 different things on it. After a few minutes, each child was taken to a different room and given paper and a pencil. We had to write down as many things as we could remember. I could remember seven or eight, but the prize went to the boy who could remember all fifteen.
I found out why he won after a few years. He learned a simple trick from his dad that none of us other kids knew. The trick is to make up a story that ties all of the things together. For instance, suppose you want to remember a list of things like: Soap, milk, honey, a fork, and flowers.
Start a detailed story in your mind and add to it as you go: You reach for the SOAP at the sink. You wash your hands in the milk that's in the soap dish. Then you use a FORK to put HONEY in your hair, and then you take a bouquet of FLOWERS and smile at yourself in the mirror. Say each thing while going over your "movie" in your mind, and you'll remember all five even the next day.
Some Other Ways to Remember
Remind yourself of something. For example, when you learn someone's name, tell yourself, "Remember that." This tells your brain that this information is more important.
Know WHAT you want to remember and WHY you want to remember it. To remember a person, for example, think about why they'll be important to you in the future, picture where you'll see them next, and link that to anything you notice about them. Seeing how important it is to remember helps a lot, and making more connections (like where you expect to see the person next) helps the memory stick more.
Do you ever forget where you put the keys to your car? You've probably tried to go back over your steps, if only in your mind. This can work, but it's even better to stop people from forgetting in the first place. Imagine walking into the room and putting the keys on the chair as you do it. You'll be able to remember where they are.
There are a lot more of these tricks to remember things. Don't just read about them, though, if you want them to help you. Make a habit of one or two ways to remember things starting today.
