<i></i> <i></i> <i></i> 0<p>Have you been feeling forgetful lately? Where did you put your glasses? Is the oven still own? Are you sure there’s no homework tonight? What were you doing before reading this? Wait – the door IS locked, right? If these questions sound any familiar, you’re probably nodding in acceptance but furrowing your brow in frustration too. Forgetfulness isn’t all too uncommon these days, especially for those of us living the fast life. With studies linking this to stress, depression, an underactive thyroid or lack of sleep, there’s only so much you can control. So while you make you calm down the voices in your head and prepare for some de-stressed shut-eye, here are some tips which will make your memory virtually permanent for when you need it most!</p> <h2>#1. Building a memory palace</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/09/d-drafting-26-9-2200-1-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock <p>This method also named the Loci method, is used by Brain Champs that participate in mental games competitions worldwide. It involves picturing a familiar place, such as your bedroom or perhaps the library, and moving through it mentally. You have to place objects – the names of which you have to remember all around the place in visually stimulating and imaginative ways. Say you have to go fishing with your friends over the weekend and need to pack some very important things such as lures, bait, your fishing pole and a hat. Try to create as bizarre a scenario as possible, such as placing the lures all over the bed, the bait hanging from the curtains, the pole swinging from the fan and your hat on top of the bed’s headrest. Before heading out for the trip, you’re bound to get the feeling you’re forgetting something. Don’t sweat it though – take a virtual tour around the room in your mind and you’ll see those four items in those four places. Run a quick inventory check and you’re good to go!</p> <h2>#2. Chunking</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/09/d-drafting-26-9-2200-2-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock <p>If you have a hard time remembering numbers and that’s costing you in more ways than one (we totally understand); have no fear. Chunking is a strategy that involves breaking down larger numbers into smaller bits that are easily memorable. Let’s say you can’t memorize your serial number from school and you really need to have it at your fingertips at all times. Say you get designated 10130099. You’re going to break that down into 101, as in the 101 Dalmatians, 300, as in the movie, and 99, with 1999 the year you were born in. Simple right? Well, the more personal the better!</p> <h2>#3. Graphic Imagery</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/09/d-drafting-26-9-2200-3-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock <p>This is perhaps the most simple yet effective method when it comes to memorizing names in particular. Be a person, pet or place, graphic imagery has your back when it comes to memorizing. This method comprises of you observing the subject closely and remembering their most striking features. Let’s say the name you have to remember is Tom, who was wearing a rather cool pair of leather boots and had this really nice jacket on too. You could remember him as Tom Cruise, with the boots and the jacket helping you picture a nice cruise down the road on your Harley, tearing up the road as your ride down out of the city. Overly done? Good. Now you won’t forget!</p> <h2>#4. Mnemonics</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/09/d-drafting-26-9-2200-4-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock <p>Still remember your ABCs but forgot that super important chemical formula for the big test? Well, we’ve all been there. The key is in remembering things by developing a rhythmic or musical string even. If that isn’t your jazz (pun intended), perhaps you could consider the cousin method of mnemonics, which is making a strand sentence. Let’s say you need to learn the names of all nine planets in order. Pick out their first letters and make a strand that reads ‘M-V-E-M-J-S-U-N-P’. Next, make a sentence of these letters, such as ‘My Very Educated Mother Just Showed Us Nine Planets’. This is also helpful in remembering long chains such as for example, the reactivity series of cations and anions in Chemistry. Too technical? Well, you can thank us later!</p> <h2>#5. Eat brain foods!</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/09/d-drafting-26-9-2200-5-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock <p>Any Brain Champ would tell you this, and it’s not like your mom hasn’t been running after you with that plate of veggies since ages now. They work! By modifying your diet a little and incorporating more memory-stimulating foods, you can actually boost your memory with really long lasting effects! Fix yourself up a platter of brain foods next time you have to flex your grey matter. Scientifically proven, these foods include whole wheat, fish, poultry, olive oil, nuts such as almonds and walnuts, green leafy vegetables and berries. So the next time mom makes you a nice green salad, surprise her by drizzling some olive oil on top and make her smile today so you do too, after the test!</p> <h2>#6. Take a good whiff</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/09/d-drafting-26-9-2200-6-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock <p>A recent British survey shows that smelling a healthy amount of Rosemary can actually help in memorizing things such as the dates, events, names and so on. Backed by Her Majesty’s grace in science, Rosemary effectively helps strengthen the mind’s messenger paths and helps in recollection of facts when need be. Don’t go running and snort some up your nose just yet! There’s a proper way to use it! Get yourself a diffuser or aroma therapy candles with a Rosemary scent. If that’s not your thing, go organic and fetch some essential oils and place some diffusion sticks in the container. Expose your olfactory senses to the Rosemary goodness for spans of five minutes a day and never forget anything. Simple? Well, go on then!</p> <h2>#7. Sleep on it</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/09/d-drafting-26-9-2200-7-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock <p>I mean who doesn’t want to get some rest, right? Well, it turns out hitting the sack is better for your health than you think it is. According to researchers at the Notre Dame, sleep helps make instrumental changes in soft memory – facts you just committed to memory and want to make sure those stay there. Sleeping helps triggering changes which make the memory more solid. The only catch is, you’ve got to sleep fairly sufficiently. Hey, you get to sleep and that too for a good eight hours or so – all in the name of science. Don’t you dare forget where you put those scissors again!</p> <h2>#8. Hit the books</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/09/d-drafting-26-9-2200-8-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock <p>Although with advances in technology it is now easier than ever to download a book or read it online, studies show that’s not the best way to commit facts to memory. In a recent study, it was proven that in order to really memorize things, it’s best to obtain a hard copy or real life ‘printed’ book whenever you can. We know protecting the environment is a huge priority and you want to save paper, but it’s the best way to commit things to real solid memory. Just hand down those books or pages when you’re done to your juniors and help them save money. Or better yet, recycle that paper to make even more paper. Remember – whenever you can, going Green is the way to go.</p> <h2>#9. Work out</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/09/d-drafting-26-9-2200-9-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock <p>It’s not like exercise doesn’t do the body any good, but what if we told you it helps boost memory too? But wait – before you go get your running shoes out of the cupboard, know the facts. In a recent survey, it was discovered that doing rigorous cardiovascular exercise four hours after learning something you want to store in your mind forever, has more beneficial effects than hitting the treadmill right after you learn. Remember to maintain that four-hour window and by the time you shower, you’re already going to be a Brain Champ in your own right.</p> <h2>#10. Pen it down</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/09/d-drafting-26-9-2200-10-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock <p>Before you head off to that test, another great way to memorize those stats are to write and re-write them and repeating the process again and again. Not only is this a great way to boost muscle memory, this also helps in retention. The basic concept behind this is that when you write it out, you become more familiar with it and your hand becomes used to writing those very words in that very order. This can come in handy for moments when you would freeze up during the exam – your muscle memory will have your back!</p> <h2>#11. Make a tree</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/09/d-drafting-26-9-2200-11-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock <p>Making a memory tree is another great way to memorize things that would otherwise slip off unknowingly. An old concept that’s been part of school curriculums since quite some time now, this involves a rather basic practice. Think of the main bit of the information to be the tree trunk which goes up to divide into branches and each branch has its own leaves. An advanced form of chunking, a memory tree is particularly useful if you have to learn things in a particular order of relevance or in a sequence. Again, the more personal the labels are, the easier they will be to memorize.</p> <h2>#12. Hook it up!</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/09/d-drafting-26-9-2200-12-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock <p>Turns out the human mind isn’t too complicated when it comes to memorizing things. The simple point you can exploit here is that we learn much better when things make sense to us in connection. Consider it this way. A sentence which has meaning on its own, such as perhaps this very sentence you’re reading, is much easier to memorize and commit to memory as compared to, say, one with random words here and there. This is Unicorn Wonder Woman, Oregano bed sheet sunrise. See what we did there? Not only are these regular sentences a sight for sore eyes if you’ve had too many of the previous sentence, but are easier to absorb and relate too as well. Basically how and why mnemonics work!</p> <h2>#13: Pass it on</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/09/d-drafting-26-9-2200-13-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock <p>Finally, with all the learning tips, techniques, and hacks in place, the final one is to teach it to someone else. This can be done in a variety of ways. These range from sitting in front of the mirror and explaining the concept to yourself, asking a friend to listen to you clear out a concept, lecturing a pet or even actually teaching a group of friends where you can keep changing the teacher amongst yourself so everyone glows and grows. This method is helpful because you will get used to reciting the same words in front of an audience, so good bye stage fright! Also, it helps if the audience asks questions on the way so that you can have the facts so accessible you answer each question on-the-go and if there’s something you don’t have the answer for, you realize timely and work it out now before it’s too late! Better safe than sorry!</p> <p>So there you have it guys, some super helpful tips to help you remember what matters most. Which of these tips are you going to start on? Let us know!</p> <i></i>