How to memorize
One of the most amazing facts of our brain is the ability to learn new things and performing activities when the time calls for it. Have you ever thought that how you take only 10 minutes to get ready, eat breakfast, and settle everything when you are late for office or school? Our speed depends upon signals given by the brain and the urgency of the task.
Building a memory power is similar to building your muscles. Here are some important tips that may help in memorizing faster.
- Understand what you are required to learn –
- identify
- monitor
- regulate cognitive processes
- Repetition is the key
- Write things which you haven't been able to memorize in a board in front of you. In your unconscious mind, you will keep reading those facts, again and again, thereby unconsciously you are remembering those details
- Make sure you have some kind of flashcards as your test prep. Either you can buy the flashcards or build one for yourself. Keep that flashcard always handy so that you can revise whenever you have time. Remember there is no easy path to attain knowledge.
- Do Exercise
- Stay away from multitasking
- Make your own handouts
- Choose one particular time of the day
- Talk to yourself
- Play memory games
- Teaching someone else
- Give your mind some rest
Structured items, or better say geometrical things always stay longer in your mind. Let me give you an example:- Did you ever went to a library to know what a study table is or did you ever go to library just to know what how does a computer looks like. I am sure to answer would be no. Have you ever thought Why? The answer lies right there. Visualize. Your brain cells always keep visualizing. Hence visualizing the concept in the form of a picture in your brain helps in understanding the concept.
To ensure you visualize its important you
Doing same things, again and again, helps anyone to remember. If you are reading this with interest, lets go to the memory lane when you had just learned to walk. Did you not enjoy walking again and again. Yes... that's true.. So how can we forget the same principle now? Repetition of anything improves the speed, confidence and strengthens the memory which helps you to learn. There many ways you can interestingly repeat things.
A few examples which I have used before the test
Brain powers the energy to our body. It certainly needs exercise. There is a saying, "Early to bed and early to rise makes you healthy and wise." Harvard health publishing in one of their article says . "You'll get a bigger brain benefit from exercise the next time you need it, and you may be increasing your chances of pre-serving your mental capacity for years to come." My recommendation would be its easier to maintain discipline, exercise than any other thing in the world. So in your test prep, you should include exercise as one of the key element
In this technology world, there are so many distractions. We often pick up the phone to answer calls, or text friends or check social media in the middle of another task. Although multiple tasking is beneficial however it is not recommended at the time of leaning where you need attention. It is best to focus on one thing at the time of memorizing.
When memorizing a thing, try making some kind of picture handout. When you read your study guide or study material, make short notes along with picture handouts. Our brain recognizes pictures faster than words. When you have a text along with a picture, it remembers it in a much better way.
I remember a proverb, "Early to bed, early to rise, makes a person healthy, wealthy and wise" I lay a lot of stress on early to rise and wise. If a test seeker wakes up early, it said, the brain works much faster and has the clarity of thoughts. All this helps to clearly understand the concept with a fresh mind. However, there are people who have an idea they are able to study faster at night time. I don't deny that. But in my case, it was always a morning time, to study and prepare for the exam. Whatever suits you make a practice routine and follow it daily
You may call this strategy as the weirdest strategy. It has helped a lot of test seekers I have talked to.. Talking to yourself about that material, helps your brain to go through each point of test prep. The brain will automatically interpret your strong areas and give you a direction to prepare for weak ones.
Dont agree, to this content try talking loud and explain things to yourself. Narrate your experience too
Playing memory games improves vocabulary, concentration, increase attention in detail, train visual memory. Memory games are the best brain exercises. Continuously playing these games makes the human brain sharper.
Lets do a simple exercise.
Take two dice with a kindergartener. Roll the dice and each time the highest sum of two dice is a winner. or Lowest subtracted number is a winner. Play this game for five min every day for a month. I am sure, all along his life, the kindergartener will not forget how to add or subtract two numbers up to six. This is just a math test prep practice.
The most effective method to memorize the information is to teach the same to someone. Sharing knowledge helps in memorizing thinks faster as you understand the concept more effectively. It deepens your knowledge every time as the person who is listening would certainly ask you questions to understand better. This two-way conversation makes it possible for a learner to memorize test prep topic much faster and understand exam questions much clearly
Never stress your brain. Remember, the brain is one of the miracles God has given us. Hence, if you are not understanding a test topic concept or the exam topic is taking time to memorize, leave that topic. Go for a short time break that helps your brain to regain its power so that you can refocus on the topic and ready to learn the concept with renewed energy.
All the best for your exam. Stay healthy Stay wise. Prepare well for the exam