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The world is changing rapidly, forcing us to constantly learn something new and keep a lot of important things in our heads … And it can be quite difficult to cope with this task without special skills. We tell you how to quickly memorize and effectively process the information we need.
What is each hemisphere of the brain responsible for?
Each hemisphere of the brain has its own functions and was created for specific purposes. So, for example, the left hemisphere is responsible for linear perception, the ability to analyze, think logically and process digital operations. At the same time, the right hemisphere deals with imagination, three-dimensional and holistic perception, color recognition and, of course, daydreaming. It is it that is able to easily memorize huge arrays of words, sounds and pictures, if it is taught this.
How much information can a normal person remember?
The amount of «RAM» of a person is equal to the value 7±2. What does it mean? The short-term memory of an ordinary person is able to put seven elements into the “box” of his master at the same time, and it doesn’t matter at all what structure or shape they are. And if the number of memorized elements is more than seven, then the brain groups them in such a way that the number is from 5 to 9. Anything above this is called the power of imagination, which can be consciously developed. This is what courses on lateral thinking teach.
3 strategically important tips for quick memorization
Before proceeding with practical advice, it is necessary to master simple techniques that activate the brain’s work «here and now». It is this approach that gives a long-term effect.
Tip 1: Balance exercises
Balance exercises like the yoga tree pose or the Soviet swallow pose are the best memory training tools, especially if you close your eyes. Keeping your balance with your eyes closed activates brain structures that need training just like they need oxygen.
Tip 2: hemispheric synchronization exercises
Hemispheric synchronization exercises involve the use of a non-dominant part of the body (arms, legs, eyes) and contribute to the emergence of new neural connections due to the simultaneous inclusion of different parts of the body in the work. Try drawing circles in different directions and planes, using your right hand and left foot at the same time. You need to perform such an exercise for at least two to three minutes on each side.
Tip 3: hygiene of words and thoughts
Mindfulness is the key to development. No matter what command a person gives to his brain, he immediately strives to fulfill it. Phrases like: “brainless”, “the roof has gone”, “thoughtless act”, “crazy days”, “idiot” take away a person’s energy and health, regardless of which way they were used. Get rid of such expressions and talk about yourself and others only in a positive way.
So, after we have taken care of the quality of memorization, we can safely move on to practical techniques.
7 tricks for quick memorization
Using space for imagination
Above, we have already discussed the magic number seven, which is equal to the «operational capacity» of a person’s memory. The possibilities of the right hemisphere of the brain are almost unlimited, it is able to figuratively represent any information: symbols, signs, letters, numbers — all this becomes understandable pictures that are easy to interact with.
When adult students come to me who are “not friends” with mathematics from the school bench, they present a square cake instead of the number 4, and turn the number 8 into glasses, mentally drawing their images on different surfaces — the walls of the office, the cover of the notebook, and even on their own. body.
Completely imperceptible to them, long rows of numbers no longer frighten and do not seem boring and “cold”, and the brain is ready to easily remember everything that the owner needs.
Use of the senses
Want to remember information quickly? Imagine its smell, taste it, try to hear or at least touch it.
When I work with my daughter and she needs to remember the objects drawn in the picture, I ask her to name their color: not just a Christmas tree, a ball, a ribbon, but a green Christmas tree, a red ball, a blue ribbon. And if I ask my daughter to imagine how she ties her hair with such a ribbon, plays with a ball or touches a thorny Christmas tree, the number of items she remembers often tends to 100%.
Associations
I well remember my client who came to me with a request: “I can’t remember names, surnames, patronymics! I’m mediocre!» And how nice it was to see her astonished eyes when, on the same day, she unmistakably repeated all 20 cards that I put in front of her and then removed.
For each card with a face, I asked her to choose associations with people she already knew, characters from movies or books: Masha with the Virgin Mary, Ivan with the fabulous Ivan Tsarevich, Snigirev with the bullfinch bird. And so she combined the names of those she knew and unknown faces on the cards into a single image.
Animation of numbers
Most of the clients who come to me with complaints of memory problems cannot remember exactly the numbers. In such cases, we choose the strategy of «breathing life» into static images.
We imagine that each number turns into a living creature: 7 became a crocodile, 9 became a whale, 3 became a camel. Surprisingly, people quickly get involved in such a game and independently begin to invent stories with these characters. For example, one of my clients imagined that a crocodile went on a journey in the hope of fulfilling his dream of seeing a whale, but for this he had to cross the desert on a camel. This technique helped him repeat the 20 numbers I named in order.
Inventing the Incredible
The left hemisphere of the brain is usually loaded — since childhood we make him learn poetry, the multiplication table, formulas, historical dates, but none of the teachers taught us how to do it correctly. After all, when we cram, the right hemisphere is not involved at all. And when we begin to use it, then, hungry for our attention, it is ready for almost anything for us.
Remembering primitive stories, as in the paragraph above, usually the crocodile is green, the whale is large, the camel is fluffy. And if you make them absolutely imaginary and incredible, for example, a crocodile — pink and toothless, a whale — three-headed, and a camel — with square humps, the right hemisphere will be involved to the maximum, which means that a person will not forget the order of numbers for a very long time. Don’t be afraid to be free in your imagination! Dream like children!
Jokes and laughter
Laughter not only prolongs life, but also contributes to quick memorization. Let’s say you have a list of foreign words that you need to learn before tomorrow. If you are puzzled and choose Russian words similar in sound to them, memorization will be much easier, and after adding a funny story to the word, it will simply be impossible not to remember it.
Memorizing the English word «sleeve» (sleeve) — imagine a plum girl running down a hill, waving the sleeves of a purple dress, shouting: «Yoohoo!» Believe me, you will remember this image and word even after many years.
Repeat three times
According to the laws of effective memorization, important information should be repeated three times in a row, and every fourth repetition in some way erases everything that has been learned. Remember how at school you wanted to repeat the poem again so as not to forget it, and then suddenly it turned out that you couldn’t remember it at all?
The information that you want to remember can and should be repeated, but only after a while: in an hour, 6-8 hours or a day. In each of the visits, play the information (preferably aloud) only three times.
Now you know that it doesn’t take a genius to memorize information quickly. Both children and adults can do this. By practicing all the above skills, you will get amazing results!