What are some pratical steps to improve your memory?

Answer 1

What was the question again? Oh yeah memory... the more you use your memory the better it becomes. So test yourself.

Answer 2

Repetition! When you do something over and over again, you will no longer just be remembering it, you will know it. For physical things like typing or learning a dance move, your body remembers doing it, and can do it without your brain thinking about it. The same is true for math or spelling. If you repeat it over an over again you will just know it, and no longer need to remember it.

As a way to speed up the process, you need to relate to the material. If you want to memorize a poem in a foreign language, repetition is the only way. After a long while you will be able to repeat the poem, even though you have no idea what it means. But if it’s in English, and you can understand the poem, you can relate to it. Imagine what is happening in the poem. Then when you are reciting it, remember the picture in your head, the visual clues will help you remember what happens next in the poem, and then you will remember the words.

Answer 3

Practice!

Seriously, I have a terrible memory problem - I'm an absent minded professor type. I can lose my keys while holding them in my hand.

BUT - use association. create a "memory area" in your head. It can be anything familiar to you (say a tic-tac-toe board). Place things you want to remember into the squares.
Say I want to remember some leg bones. Femur goes into square one tibia into square two (across the top) ulna goes into square three etc. OK maybe I mixed arm and leg!!!

Remarkably this really helps!

Answer 4

Work crossword puzzles, or any type of letter or number puzzle. Another good way is to take Ginko tablets. Memory games help also.

Answer 5

Stop smoking pot and drinking beer if you do. Get a good night's sleep so you (and your brain) are alert when it needs to be. And it's helpful to me to write things down and look at them as opposed to just hearing them.