Strategies for Improving Memory: The Power of Association Games

[Ivan Seeking]

Tsu and I have some up with a great technique. Because I have an office located about 400 feet from our house, I am always forgetting to either bring something up to the house, or to take something down to the office. So the technique works like this: Tsu tells me to bring something up to the house. In order to be sure that I do, I tell her to call and remind me before I come up. She then tells me to call and remind her to call me. So now I have two things to remember instead of one. This means that I have twice the chance that I will remember at least one of them.

 

[berkeman]

Two words: Post-It Notes.

 

[ketamynx]

The hard way would be meditation, this will enhance your awareness and capability to remember, among other things. The easy way is to simply give things the proper importance.

There's also the reminder function of your cellphone.

 

[Andre]

The upside of not memorizing is getting some free extra physical exercise

 

[Pengwuino]

Don't get older. That's my tip.

 

[Sorry!]

Smoke a blunt.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

I'm currently working on my patented time machine reminder device. It instantly sends a message through time to remind you to do something. Currently I can only get it to send messages forward in time though.

 

[Chronos]

I tried to buy the twin pack plasma tv with 20 lbs of beef jerky online. They emailed me back and said it was on forward order.

 

[Lisa!]

Tsu and I have some up with a great technique. Because I have an office located about 400 feet from our house, I am always forgetting to either bring something up to the house, or to take something down to the office. So the technique works like this: Tsu tells me to bring something up to the house. In order to be sure that I do, I tell her to call and remind me before I come up. She then tells me to call and remind her to call me. So now I have two things to remember instead of one. This means that I have twice the chance that I will remember at least one of them.

I guess that even decrease the chance of remembering the thing that you actually need to take to your office!

 

[Ivan Seeking]

The upside of not memorizing is getting some free extra physical exercise

No kidding! And there is nothing to improve the memory like having to walk down the hill in the freezing rain, at 2AM, because I forgot something again. Tsu gets home from work very late and likes to get on the internet. If I forget to disconnect down in the office, she can't get on. It didn't take many of those nights before I started to check the internet status religiously, before going out the door. "Nuisance" is a good memory tool. Also, the op was as much true as it was a joke. Reinforcement works. The little routine described came about as a joke, but it actually helps me to remember!

 

[Moonbear]

What sort of internet connection do you have that you can't both be on at the same time? That negates my original thought of telling her to email you or send an IM to remind you.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

What sort of internet connection do you have that you can't both be on at the same time? That negates my original thought of telling her to email you or send an IM to remind you.

The buildings are too far apart for standard wireless and I had to use the ethernet cable [installed when I did the original remodel for my office] for rebroadcasting the TV signal up to the house, which wasn't planned. Also, I don't want a network. This would require that I leave one computer connected continuously, which I don't want to do. So we each use the same DSL connection with separate modems - I ran both phones lines down to the office, but we only have DSL on one of them. Only one modem can be on at a time.

We actually have two intercoms; one built into each phone. They too are right at their limit but work well enough for quick messages. In addition to the base unit, the new phones offer a remote unit that requires no wire, which is nice.

 

[Moonbear]

Yes, I have those types of phones too. I love them. My house has phone jacks in strange places, so all I needed to do was connect one phone as my "base station" and then put the others anywhere I wanted as long as it was near an electric outlet to plug it in.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Does anyone play numbers games to remember things? Over the years a number of basic association games evolved. For example:

If a phone number is 423-5538 [a random example from the past], I might remember that 423 is like 234, so that is easy. As soon as I can remember 234, I can remember the proper prefix. As for 5538: I just need to remember three 5's - 5, 5, and 3 from 8.

As a rule I tend to remember numbers very well, but if for some reason one won't stick, I find myself thinking of easy associations.

18436572 - name that number without googling, anyone?