In the previous post, you learnt some effective techniques to create a memory that sticks. Here are few more – simple yet equally effective:

Primacy and recency

Something you learn right at the start of a lesson tends to stick in your mind for longer. So do things which come right at the end of a session. What does it mean for you? Well, now you know these principles, you might want to plan your learning differently. You might place the most important things at the beginning and end of each lesson, leaving the middle part for things which are less crucial.

To make good use of primacy and recency, employ the Pomodoro technique. This method involves breaking up your work or studying into 25-minute chunks of productivity called Pomodoros. Each Pomodoro is followed by a 5-minute break. It’s as simple as setting up a timer!

Pomodoros can work even better if you combine them with another technique, something known as active recall. It involves reviewing some material and then immediately checking to ensure that it has sunk in. To do this, simply close your book or pause the video you’re learning from and write down everything you’ve learned so far.

Visual imagery

Visualization has been one of the best techniques to train memory. So how do you use this? The best approach is to learn to associate words, numbers, or, indeed, anything else you have to memorize, with visual imagery. Let’s look at an example.

Consider these words: fire hydrant, balloon, battery, barrel, board, and diamond. If you were asked to memorize this word list, you might do so by repeating the words over and over again. But this method is ineffective. Before too long you’ll probably forget all you learned.

Instead, try creating a crazy story about the words. You might picture a fire hydrant that’s being carried up into the air by balloons. But the balloons are being pushed by batteries, and those batteries sit inside huge barrels. The whole device – batteries inside of barrels aimed at balloons – is launched into the air by a big board, like a seesaw. And, finally, that board is supported up by a huge diamond. See how much better the words are now cemented in your mind?

Practice is the master of all techniques. Practice it to perfect it.

Many people think that they have either a “good memory” or a “bad memory.” But instead, you may want to think that you have a trained memory or, perhaps, an untrained one. So how do you train your memory? Here are the few amazingly effective techniques:

Smell helps you rekindle

We often associate smells with memories. Think about how the aroma of a particular spice might take you back to your grandmother’s kitchen. This is just one example of how great smells are at bringing memories to the forefront of our brains.

Now you know this, try using smells the next time you’re studying for an exam or preparing for a presentation. Rub some essential oil on your wrist when you’re learning. Then, repeat right before your exam or presentation. You may find that the smell helps you rekindle your memory!

The loci method

This trick can help you prepare for presentations. To use it, first identify the ten key points you want to talk about. Next, imagine a place or a room you know well, and consider a path through it.

Now, assign each of your talking points to a different object or place in the room – your bedroom lamp, for instance, might represent your keynote. Finally, practice your presentation, using the walkthrough of your locations, or loci, as a guide.

With a well-trained memory, you’ll be well on your way to learning a new language, giving great presentations, or simply becoming a well-versed expert.

You will learn few more memory techniques in the next post.