We are glad to welcome you, dear readers of the blog! Mnemonics is a complex of various methods and techniques with the help of which the process of memorizing large amounts of information is greatly simplified. And today we will consider why it is so effective and interesting.
Origin and history of occurrence
It arose, initially, with the aim of helping great men prepare for their performances in order to memorize large volumes of text well. Now it is much different from the original one, at least in that it has been significantly improved. Now it provides the ability to memorize not only texts, but also digital lists, tables, various terms and data.
The name, according to historical data, was given by Pythagoras, in honor of the goddess Mnemosyne, who gave birth to nine muses famous for centuries. Works describing various techniques have survived to this day, and guess who they belong to? Cicero, and by the way, we talked about one of his methods in the article “The simplest and most effective method of remembering Cicero”.
Substance
You should not assume that mnemonics develops memory, although this happens as a bonus. In the foreground is the memorization of the necessary information, no matter how difficult it may be. And by the way, this process has a positive effect on the abilities of your brain, as it connects various types of thinking to work. As a result, you will be in good shape, which will help you solve problems and cope with problems faster and more efficiently.
You can read more about thinking in this article.
Surprisingly, people used to compare human memory with the work of various computer devices, but now there is a completely opposite process. I mean that the developers of modern technologies are actively studying the literature on neurophysiology to find out how our brain works in order to introduce such abilities into computers.
If we draw an analogy, then our memory is really like folders in which information is stored. We have the right to move it, rename it, as well as delete it as unnecessary or replace it with more relevant material. Sometimes it happens that we forget the name and location of a folder, because we haven’t opened it for a long time, and we try to remember, mentally sorting through all the existing objects in our head, even those that are completely inappropriate in meaning.
Well, it happened, for example, that, when trying to remember where they put the thing they needed at the moment, they accidentally started thinking about completely distant events? By the way, the amount of space is limited, so, using a mnemonic approach to memorization, you should take this point into account and create more folders.
Let’s say one contains about two dozen phone numbers, so you have to name them and rank them in order to understand which one to search for as needed. You don’t look for a toothbrush under the bed or on the balcony every morning, if only because it’s a toiletry item and should be in the bathroom. The same is true for memorized material.
Advantages
A huge advantage of mnemonics is the fact that you can start gaining practical skills as soon as you have chosen a method or technique.
Disadvantages
But there is a danger for beginners, they tend to learn too complex text or data. This may well turn out successfully, but over time, they discover that the memory failed, and they mixed everything up and forgot.
This is due to lack of experience. Therefore, try to assess your capabilities in advance, whether you will be able to perform the same actions for a long time.
Recommendations
- As you know, it is not easy to pull a fish out of a pond without difficulty, therefore, in order to master the techniques of mnemonics, you need to train daily. Because, in fact, this is a skill that absolutely anyone can master if they are not lazy and put it off for later. It takes 21 days to develop a habit, so be patient as you work your chosen methods to automatism.
- At first, choose simple pieces of material; you should not strive to show the perfect result the first time. Ambition, of course, is fine, but in this case you run the risk of being disappointed, either in yourself or in the chosen technique, giving up attempts over time. As soon as you feel that you have achieved success, albeit a very small one, complicate your task, and so gradually you will expand the boundaries of your memory.
- If you decide to start training with phone numbers, birthdays and passwords for various accounts, try to create a list that will insure you in case of a misfire. If you have chosen material without using numbers, I recommend starting with scientific literature, because in fiction there is a sequence of events. And this is easy to remember, which is why the result of your labors will not be particularly clear.
- Rely not only on visual images, but also connect your sensations, both auditory and olfactory, tactile.
- You should learn mnemonics in an absolutely calm environment, when nothing disturbs you, otherwise you will be distracted. Try to take care of the space so that no one interferes with an unexpected arrival or a call. Abstract, relax, and only then start training.
- If you need to remember some material for a long time, or even forever, then periodically return to it, reproducing to the slightest nuances. Thus, you will make it clear to your memory that this information is important to you, so you should not delete it or replace it with another one.
Conclusion
Within the framework of one article, this topic cannot be disclosed, so it was decided to split it into two. Here is a link to the sequel. And do not forget to subscribe to updates and join our groups in the social. networks to be aware of the release of new articles.
And that’s all for today, dear readers! Using mnemonic techniques will make your life much easier, since there is so much information in the modern world that it is difficult not only to process it, but also to track it. And if you develop the skill of remembering all kinds of data and facts, it will be easier for you to navigate both in work and in your personal life. Dare, and everything will work out for you!