Why is My Memory so Bad? Ways to Improve Your Memory (Forget where I put things)

If you're misplacing car keys or eyeglasses on a regular basis, then try creating special spots for the items you frequently tend to lose. Make it a habit to always put these items in the exact same spot.

Do you feel unsure how to improve short term memory, or the long-term one? To improve it, give your brain some strength while doing activities such as reading, writing, puzzles, crosswords, and card games. You may also try using mobile applications that enhance your brain, like the ones on dailyburn.com.

Find a new hobby, or gain some new skills, in order to stimulate your brain. Take up mentally challenging tasks so that new information can be safely stored, and never forgotten.

Do you wonder how to increase short term memory, and long term memory? Use songs, rhymes, acronyms, and different types of imagery to remember more complex information. For example, young children at school memorize information by constructing and singing various songs and poems.

Writing memos down on paper or even in your phone can greatly keep your memory and thoughts stored safely without stressing on remembering every little thing or information. For instance, it is vital to note all of your appointments somewhere, instead of trying to remember all the times and places of each appointment.

If you want to improve short-term memory and the long-term one, prefer associating new information to the one you already know (as if you are adding files to folders on your computer or smartphones), with a logical link between them. It will then be much harder for you to forget that information.

Why is my memory so bad? Maybe because you are way too busy to focus on the information you want to memorize. The Memory Palace technique is a powerful and effective memory technique used since the time of the ancient Rome.

Follow these steps in order to master the technique:

1) Choose your Palace. Pick a place that you’re very familiar with. The effectiveness of the technique relies on your ability to mentally see and walk around in that place with ease. You should be able to ‘be there’ at will, using your mind’s eye only. A good choice is usually your own home.

2) List Distinctive Features. Pay attention to specific features in the place you chose. For example, the first noticeable feature would probably be a door. After you go through the door, what’s inside? Analyze the room step by step. What is the next feature that catches your attention? It may be the central table in the dining room, or a picture on the wall. Continue making mental notes of those features as you go. Each one of them will be a “memory slot” that you’ll later use to store a single piece of information.

3) Imprint the Palace on Your Mind. For the technique to work, the most important thing is to have the place or route 100% imprinted on your mind. Do whatever is necessary to memorize it well. If you’re a person who remembers details visually, you probably won’t have trouble with this.

4) Associate. Like most memory enhancement systems, the Memory Palace technique works with the use of visual associations. The process is simple: you take a known image, called the memory peg, and combine it with the element you want to memorize.

5) Visit Your Palace.  If you start from the same point and follow the same route, the memorized items will come to your mind instantly, as you look at the journey’s selected features. Walk from the beginning to the end of your route, paying attention to those features and replaying the scenes in your mind. When you get to the end of your route, turn around and walk in the opposite direction until you get to the starting point.

In the end, it’s all a matter of developing your visualization skills. The more relaxed you are, the easier and more effective your memorization will be.

You may find more details about this method on litemind.com.

If you have a bad short-term memory or a bad memory in general, try reading about and adopting memorization techniques. There are many books written by experts, which can surely help with memory problems. The Unlimited Memory: How to Use Advanced Learning Strategies to Learn Faster, Remember More and be More Productive by Kevin Horsley is one of them. You can buy this book on Amazon.

Stay away from alcohol and start consuming whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Low fat proteins such as fish, lean meat, and skinless chicken will give your memory the boost that it needs.

What causes short-term memory loss? Lack of interest is one of the reasons. If you're not sincerely interested in the information you're trying to remember, you will certainly forget about it. You have to understand the importance of the information before trying to memorize it.