Remembering information: from the methods of the ancient Greeks to modern tricks

Memory improvement – one of the most important tasks for improving brain function in general. The idea of ​​using special techniques to improve memory is not new – it was used by the ancient Greeks.

Estet-portal.com will acquaint you with tricks and methods, using which you will be able to better remember new information (names of people, addresses, read, etc.) and less often forget about such important details as the location of the keys.

By the way, did you know that the average person spends a year of their life looking for objects that they "put somewhere"? But this time can be spent with benefit!

How best to remember information – use the mnemonic

Mnemonic, which was used by Plato and Aristotle, is a set of techniques that help you remember information better. Below are the most common mnemonic techniques.

1. Acronyms (words made from the first letters of other words). They help to remember the set of memorized words by the first letters. You can create your own acronyms for the purpose of remembering short lists of words, especially if their order is important.
2. Blocking. This method is good for remembering phone numbers, cards, etc. – not for nothing that blocks of digits of a phone number are usually separated by dashes or spaces.
3. Rhymes. With riffs, remembering information becomes easier and more fun. And if you put the words containing the information you need on music, it will become even easier to remember them (remember how you learned the English alphabet in the form of a song).

Below, we will go into more detail about two more methods of memorization:

• Roman room method (mind halls);
• associative maps; and also
• tricks to help you remember information better.

Roman room method – use the Mind Halls to improve your memory

Roman room method – an ancient technique that helps you remember better. This memorization technique dates back as far as 477 BC. According to history, the Greek poet Simonides once attended a large banquet. After the poet left the building, its roof collapsed and the guests died. As the only survivor, Simonides was asked about who was at the banquet, since the bodies of the dead could not be identified. And the poet was able to restore the list of guests through a mental representation (visualization) of who sat in what place. Later, the poet realized that spatial memory helps to better remember information about almost any event.

How can I use the Roman Room Method to improve memorization in everyday life?

For example, let's take a trip to the store. Let's say you need to buy sugar, coffee, bread, milk and bananas. To remember the shopping list, mentally decompose its positions into places in the apartment that are familiar to you. Later, when you need to remember what you need to buy at the supermarket, mentally walk around the apartment – You will see the products you need to buy in the places where you put them before.

To better remember information, use an associative map

Associative Map – a relatively new non-linear recording technique that helps you remember information better. This technique is most valuable when you need to handle large, complex tasks with many details. An associative map is sometimes described as a tree, the main idea of ​​which is – its trunk, and the smaller – branches and branches. By the way, there are special applications for compiling associative maps, for example, Mindomo. The complexity of the compiled map depends on your needs.

Tricks to help you remember any information better

There are also, at first glance, rather strange ways, thanks to which a person can better remember the data he needs. These methods include the following:

1. Move your eyes. If you move your eyes from side to side for 30 seconds, it will be easier to pull the necessary memories from memory, since in this way the interaction of the cerebral hemispheres is enhanced.
2. Clench your fists – this trick will help you better remember and recall the information you need.
3. Chew gum – it increases concentration and helps to perform better on various types of tests, especially if the chewing gum is mint.
4. Use rosemary oil – The ancient Greeks used rosemary to improve memory and concentration.
5. Take a nap – if you can't remember a name, place, or other fact, think about it as you fall asleep – Your subconscious mind will actively work on the problem and will give you the answer after waking up or in a dream.
6. Take notes and sketch. Information that you write down or present in a schematic form is especially well remembered. By the way, it is better to make notes in blue ink – this relaxing color will help you remember the facts faster.
7. Do yoga – even one yoga session helps improve memory and concentration.
8. Listen to music, especially classical music.
9. Work according to your biorhythms – information is remembered better in the morning.
10. Stay outside and get enough sleep.
11. Drink clean water and eat brain-healthy foods.

There are many techniques that help you remember facts, names, numbers, and other useful information better. In this article, we have given only some of them, but you can share your ways to improve memorization in the comments, and also follow our updates so as not to miss interesting information.