We can all use a little help when it comes to staying sharp and improving our memory. Creating mental connections is one of the quickest, most effective ways to do so. Making these connections helps us remember things more easily and is something anyone can do.
Let’s explore some easy ways to make mental connections and improve your memory in seconds.
Making Associations
A great way to improve your memory is by making associations between items that may not seem related at first glance.
For instance, let’s say you have five items on your grocery list – milk, bread, eggs, apples, and cheese – and you want to remember them all without writing them down. Try associating each item with something else that starts with the same letter – M (milk) could be associated with monkey; B (bread) with baseball; E (eggs) with elephant; A (apples) with astronaut; and C (cheese) with cow.
This technique works especially well if you can incorporate funny or memorable associations into your story or image.
Creating Visual Images
Creating visual images is one of the most effective ways to improve your memory. Visualizing the information you need to remember can help you lock it into your long-term memory and make it easier to recall.
To use this memory technique, imagine a picture or scene that resembles something closely related to the subject matter and associate it with what you’re trying to remember.
For example, if you’re trying to memorize the names of five planets in order from closest to farthest away from the sun, visualizing those planets by size and color will make them easier to recall.
Using Mnemonic Devices
Mnemonic devices are another great way to improve your memory quickly and easily. Mnemonic devices are commonly used for remembering lists or long strings of information by breaking them into smaller chunks or making up rhymes or acronyms based on keywords or phrases.
For example, let’s say you want to remember the names of the four Great Lakes – Superior, Michigan, Huron, and Erie – you could use the acronym SMHE (Superior Michigan Huron Erie).
