Top tips for improving your memory

Even if you decide to go the online learning route and don’t need to take exams, knowing how to maximise your memory retention can improve your employability.
Think about it…

Jobs are constantly evolving. With every passing year, new technology is being created to improve our efficiency. As such, you will spend your life having to train, re-train and learn new skills in order to keep your job and because of this, you can’t let your memory go to waste.

Luckily, we can help. Below we have compiled a list of memory improvement techniques that can assist in enhancing both your short and long term memory.

Top memory techniques

• Mnemonics – these are great for helping you to remember words, phrases or lists. A popular one is ‘Richard of York gave battle in vain’.  Take the first letters of each word and you have got the colours of the rainbow e.g. red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.  This technique can be applied to other chunks of information such as the planets in our solar system or parts of history.  The key to doing it right is to create ‘meaning connections’ or apply music to help you remember;

• Memory palace – this tried and tested technique was conceived in Rome, and aims to help you remember information by getting you to think of a place that you know well/have got an emotional connection with e.g. your home or the street you grew up in. From here, you can link the things you want to remember to parts of the place/journey. Through this connection you will be able to easily recall information based on this place;

• Imagine yourself in your memory palace and start walking through it;
  • Take note of distinctive features and apply the information you want to remember to a spot or item i.e. a vase;
  • Mentally visit the place and commit a detail to memory.
  • Later when you revisit you will be able to remember this added detail as you ‘walk around’ the memory.

• Improve your physical health – if you are physically and mentally well, then you’ll naturally have a better memory. Just make sure to get plenty of sleep, eat a balanced diet and drink plenty of fluids. The combination of a good diet with a hydrated mind will boost your focus.

Short term memory tricks

Your short term memory is just as important as your long term one, and can prove quite handy while revising for exams or preparing for interviews/presentations.  For this reason, try practicing these short term memory exercises:

• Associate names and dates with images;
• Chunking – organise information into smaller sections and memorise each part before putting them back together again;
• Hand write notes – physically taking notes will trigger your short term memory more than typing them out;
• Flashcards – create your own flashcards filled with shortened notes. The words on each card should trigger your memory and encourage you to expand on the topic listed on the card.

Studying tips
Exams and interviews are not the only times you’ll need to retain information. Studying too will require a good memory. To help we suggest:

• Being organised – a tidy space equals a tidy mind;
• Pin up visual information over your walls – these will act as prompts;
• Connect images and names;
• Use acronyms to help you remember lists of ideas;
• Create opportunities for repetition i.e. writing out your notes repetitively

As you can see, improving your memory is easier than you think. So whether you’re considering starting an online course or are prepping for an interview, why not give these memory boosting techniques a try? With the right technique you’ll quickly see a difference in your retention.

For more information on our online courses, visit our website.