From tying string around a finger to buying expensive electronic gadgets that buzz and beep, we humans have always tried to find ways of remembering information that we'd be otherwise be likely to forget.
Whether it's a birthday, a doctor's appointments, the alphabet in Russian, how to find the area of a triangle or the ingredients for this evening's meal, every day throws up a plethora of reasons to make use of our memories.
While none of us will ever be able to remember everything, there are a number of simple methods that can improve our ability to recall key information.
If you have trouble remembering, read through the following tips -- they may well make life just a little easier.
Name Recall
Few situations are quite as embarrassing as meeting somebody whose name you really ought to know, only to realize you've forgotten it. The following strategies will help eliminate the struggle to remember people's names.
Repeat Names
By repeating the names of new people you meet, your brain stands a better chance of processing the information. Use the person's name in conversation but be careful not to overdo it or you'll end up sounding like an over-familiar salesperson.
Always use the person's name on parting as the brain is more capable of recalling what was said at the end of a conversation that any other time.
Use Face and Name Associations
Visual associations are very effective so next time you're introduced to somebody, try to make some kind of pictorial association. For instance, if you're introduced to Michael Green, try imagining a famous Michael with green shoots coming out of his head.
Don't worry if the picture's totally off-the-wall -- the more bizarre it is, the more likely it is to work.
Tip of the Tongue
It happens to us all. You know that person's name, that TV program or the name of that song but it just won't come to you.
Here are a couple of ways to help you remember.
Run Through the Alphabet
As words are stored according to their individual sounds, running through the alphabet will often trigger the recall of the word you're looking for.
Forget to Remember
Sometimes a wrong answer acts as a block, stopping the right answer from coming through even though we know the answer we've found is wrong. If this is the case, divert your attention to something completely different. By forgetting what we're trying to remember we allow the mind to make new associations on a sub-conscious level. The answer will then pop up when it's least expected.