Search This Blog

Monday, November 7, 2011

Memory Improvement Techniques

“Memory is the mother of all wisdom.”
Lack of concentration and weak memory is a growing problem amongst kids and young persons. Parents are worried that their children are not doing well in their studies due to little brain power or lack of concentration etc.
This is a true scenario in many families. Children are not showing much interest in studies as they have vast surrounding of different entertainment gadgets. These gifts of modern technology include great number of channels on television, introduction of special programmes for children, 24 hours cartoon network, movies, entertainment and many more other ever growing amusement channels being introduced frequently by various Television Channels affecting the sub-conscious mind of children.

       As if this was not enough, mobile with lot of other facilities has come into the picture. Students who are weak in their studies find this type of reward more exciting. Parents provide these facilities in anticipation that they have fulfilled the desire of their children and that they would take more interest in their studies. But when students do not excel, parents are worried. They try to find out other solutions for betterment of studies.
         However, the facts mentioned above may be appealing, but these cannot be conclusive altogether. Students who are availing all these facilities are still best at their studies and those without it have been found loosing their grades. All this is a matter of concentration and brain memory.

          Is it possible to increase concentration power? Is it possible to improve memory? How to improve memory, how to focus on the activities you are performing and how to understand the concepts of your subject easily? Some of the below mentioned techniques are useful to enhance your memory power.

Ø Impressions:
           Memory power is less because of lack of impressions in the mind, when you show 100% concentration you will be able to remember it. Always mind will be roaming with lot of things. If your mind is concentrating on one aspect, in such case you will be able to remember the concept for ever in your life. There are some situations when people have to do two or more work at a time. Chances are less to have command over any topic.

           If you are feeling bored and to pass time you go and attend a seminar, it may not be useful to you. With curiosity and interest, if you attend the seminar it will be useful. Ex: A Professor gave two hours lecture on Banking or Stock Exchange, students feel bored, so take them to the bank or stock exchange and explain.  They will concentrate and remember the things in long term memory.

           Do the things which you like and are useful for you in life, then you will get success. If the students are studying the subjects for the exams, they cannot remember it easily. If they like and love the subject, they will easily understand and get the things in their long term memory.  Ex:  when you see a beautiful lady in a party, you will never forget her in your life. Here interest plays a vital role. Compare your mind with steel (anything written on mind will not erase).

Ø Relaxation:

    Concentration and relaxation both are inter-related things. We get concentration, when mind and body are totally relaxed. Ex: An Officer who feels he was loaded with lot of work and does things in tension, he makes a lot of mistakes.  If he feels cool and does the things, he would never make mistakes.
           As per the research on some students, it has been proved that “those who are in tension, lack self-confidence, feel inferior and are 50% failures. Ex: you are not much handsome and you love a beautiful girl, she will never look at you. You concentrate on your professional career and get good name and fame, not only that beautiful girl but everybody would like you.

          Study the subject by relaxing: Ex: A person who studies six hours a day for one week without much interest and another person who studies one hour daily with lot of concentration, who will get more advantage? Obviously the second person. Let me explain through another example: Ravi, a student who used to study the subjects two days before exams was scoring 60% on an average when he realised this method would not be beneficial for his career he started reading the subjects daily and never got less than 90%.To become perfect and thorough, daily practice is needed.

Ø Repetition:

If you read any concept by repeating many times, you will be able to remember that concept in the long run. Students will be saying that “I am unable to remember the subject” remedy is, read the same topic more times. Read it loudly, when you read loudly, your voice will reach your mind and concentration will not go anywhere.

         Suppose there are 10 topics to remember, split it into 5 parts. After learning 2 topics, before going to the 3rd topic, revise the first two topics and go for the third topic. In the same way, when you go for the 6th topic, revise 5 topics and touch the 6th topic.
The following tips will be useful to remember the subject.

v Instead of learning continuously for three hours, take rest in the middle and continue your work.
v Read loudly, where your voice, eyes, mind, ears, heart should work.
v After a long gap if you touch an interesting topic you will never forget in your life.
v Go for self talk like “I am able to remember whatever I read”.
v Instead of making parts of one topic, read everything at a time, so that you will be able to understand it more effectively.
v Understand, feel and study the subject, it will be easy to memorize the things.


Ø Recitation:

         With this method any matter you may understand more easily. After reading one topic, keep the book a side and start recollecting with your voice. If you go for this method, you will be able to remember the topic in the long run. Ex: when a professor is giving a lecture, if you write the notes, you cannot concentrate on lecture. The best method is, hear the lecture with concentration and empathetically. After the lecture, recollect the points and write the notes. If you read one hour, spend half an hour to recollect the topic.
                                         
v First understand the concept of topic

v Then start reading

v The more times you read, you will remember it for a long period

How to remember the names of people:

When you meet new friends or colleagues it will be difficult to remember their names. Remedy is, whenever you meet them call them with their names use their name frequently. Instead of asking how are you? Say how are you Mr. Raju? To remember the names connect their names with something. Ex: A person’s name is Ashok, recollect the king Ashoka or Ashoka chakra in our flag. If it is Mr. Anand, recollect chess champion Viswanathan Anand. Take great personalities imagine anything.

Ø Self-Confidence:

Negative thoughts are the main draw back of self-confidence. Negative thoughts like “I am unable to remember, I cannot concentrate”. When you have confidence on your self, it will sharpen your memory power. If you are in a dilemma, fear, inferior complex, whatever you read you cannot remember it or mind will not cooperate.

         Daily before going to bed at least ten times go for self talk like “my memory power is increasing, I am able to remember it”. It will enhance your self-confidence as well as you are able to remember the things. Be confident on your memory. Never doubt your memory. You should believe your memory like a relation between friends, husband and wife, mother and son. Whenever in such a relation, if one person suspects the other that relation will not stay for long. In the same way, you and your memory should have a good understanding and should be always positive.

Ø No disturbance:

When you are studying, there should not be any disturbance like friends want to chat with you or radio, TV, Cricket something is attracting you. Now you’re reading my article without disturbance. After this reading, memorize the things for half an hour. You will have the maximum benefit and progress.

After reading, sleep soundly without watching TV. When you get up in the morning, you will be able to recollect the topic. When you sleep there should not be any disturbance to your memory. When you are awake the whole night with a second show movie or any other avocation, your memory will not cooperate to remember the material.
  
Ø Selection of topics/Subjects:

Do not read the same subject many hours together, because it will be very difficult to concentrate and you will feel bored.  Ex: after reading science for two hours take math’s and after math’s take English like this change your subjects and read.

Ø Solutions  to problems in dreams:

When you want innovative thoughts something useful for your presentation solution for a problem you will get new ideas, thoughts and solutions to problems in night dream. Ex: Mr. Aravind always gets solutions and different ideas in dreams which made him no 1 in class.

Ø Pressure on mind:

Never put pressure on mind. Suppose you want to recollect particular thing, but you are not getting it. Relax; feel burden free, think and you will be able to recollect it.

Ø Music therapy:

If you are determined to read four to five hours at a stretch, after an hour or two, instead of watching a crime serial or a movie go for music therapy. Select a melody song and close your eyes and lie down on the bed for 10 minutes and get back to studies.

Good habits for reading:
v Fix up a particular time. Daily follow the same time table.
v Create cool atmosphere in your room.
v Arrange all things like pen, pencil, pad and required books. Unnecessarily if you get up in between you may loose your concentration.
v Ask family or friends not to disturb you. Do not keep phone or T.V near by.
v After reading for an hour take rest for 10minutes
v Never read after taking food, if you read immediately body will be lazy for some period. Take snacks or fruits in relaxation period.
v Take care of ventilation and chair.
v Read first difficult subject and then easy subject.

If you follow the above method you will go to optimum learning state.

Conclusion:  A great memory can help you in succeeding in school, college, in your job, business and in personal life. It can help you learn faster, and fast learners are always in demand and they make more money, name and fame. If you’re willing to make a few life styles changes and learn powerful memory techniques. You really can improve your memory.
        
You might have heard the word ‘No’ lakh times in your life and ‘Yes’ in hundreds, that negative impact will be there on the mind. You want to be a good teacher, politician, Engineer etc, but you may not be having talent, sources, and experience. In all such cases, the word ‘but’ plays a negative role and turn it in a positive role wherever you go, whatever you do, you will be successful.

(The author is HOD – MBA Dept, Gurunanak Institute of Technology, Ibrahimpatnam)

No comments:

Post a Comment