4 Memory Improvement Strategies to Stay on Top of Your Online Courses
Maintaining a strong memory is one of the best ways to stay organized, whether you’re an online student or a working professional. It’s important to remember information for tests, classes, and everyday life—and we could all use a little help.
So how do you improve your memory? Check out these four strategies:
1. Consider the Big Picture
When you’re exposed to information of any kind, your brain takes that data and processes it to make sense of it. This is known as encoding. Don’t just study the information presented in your classes. Consider how each unit fits into the larger context of what you’re learning. This helps you recall information more effectively.
When learning new material, don’t just read the words and think that’s enough. Take the time to relate this information to what you already know. This allows for greater comprehension, helps you retain more of what you’ve learned, and makes it easier to understand how this new knowledge affects your current viewpoints or philosophies.
2. Study with The Goal of Teaching
When you study to teach and share what you’ve learned with others, you’re engaging in a powerful learning technique. To understand a concept, you must first be able to clearly explain it to someone else. This forces you to clarify your understanding of the material, making the knowledge stick.
This strategy works with everything from studying new vocabulary words to memorizing dates in history class. It can also be helpful when studying for tests or quizzes. Try recording yourself explaining the material as you would to another. Then, watch the video back and critique yourself. What material, if any, did you omit? How can you improve your explanation?
3. Focus on Your Health
The mind and body are deeply linked, so it’s essential to maintain a healthy diet that includes vitamins and nutrients to help keep your brain sharp. Focus on adding fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats (such as omega-3s), and lean protein.
Foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids can help keep your brain healthy and functioning well. Omega-3s are also associated with a reduced risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in older adults. Among these healthy foods for the brain are salmon, tuna, shrimp, chicken, and eggs.
Additionally, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is an essential part of a healthy diet. Blueberries, apples, bananas, beans, broccoli, and tomatoes are particularly suitable for keeping us mentally sharp as we age. The antioxidants in these foods help protect what’s called “white matter” in our brains—which is responsible for processing memory and complex thinking.
It is also important to focus on your sleep. Sleep and naps won’t make you into a genius, but studies have found that they can increase your ability to learn new information. Sleeping after studying helps your brain integrate information and form stronger memories, which means you’ll remember the new information longer.
4. Train Your Brain
Mental stimulation and keeping your brain sharp are just as important as your physical health. Your memory is the gateway to all of your thoughts, experiences, and ideas, so keep it youthful and active through constant practice. Here are a few ways to exercise your brain.
Memorize a List
Start by making a list of items you want to remember. You could make a list of 10 words you’d like to memorize. Print out your list and put it where you’ll see it often—on top of your desk or next to your computer. Look at each word on your list for 10 seconds, then cover up the words with a piece of paper so you can’t see them anymore. Go through and try to recall the words and their order without looking at the list again.
Dance
There are plenty of reasons to dance: improve motor function, energy levels, and muscle tone as well as boost memory and brainpower. Busting a move isn’t just for the pros. Learn a couple of dance moves at home to help keep your brain healthy while having fun. You might have fun trying out some of these popular dances: swing, salsa, tango, and country two-step.
Conclusion
Remembering information is key to success, whether you’re studying for a test, working at a meeting, or just trying to remember your grocery list. Memory techniques can help you retain information quickly and are helpful for students and professionals alike.