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Ballerina, Olympic ambassador arrested in London sweep
By Liz Goodwin | The Lookout – 5 hrs ago
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Riot police in London on Monday (AP)
More than 1,700 people have been arrested in England after nearly a week of rioting that started Saturday, and courthouses have had to stay open overnight to deal with the flood of defendants, the AP reports.
Prime Minister David Cameron has vowed "swift justice" for those who participated in the riots, which were sparked by the police shooting of 29-year-old Mark Duggan. Cameron has even proposed setting limits on the use of Twitter, Facebook, and BlackBerry's direct messaging service, which was reportedly used to organize the rioting. Some people have already been charged with inciting violence on social media, according to the AP.
Cameron's former adviser Danny Kruger wrote in the Financial Times that the riots are the "intifada of the underclass." But among those arrested are a straight-A Exeter University student whose family wealth makes it unlikely she would loot out of necessity, and a 24-year-old college graduate and aspiring social worker whose mother said, "She didn't want a TV. She doesn't even know why she took it," according to The Daily Mail.
Daniel Knowles at The Telegraph argues that, "Many of these criminals are no different from [liberal politician] Nick Clegg, who at the age of 16 narrowly escaped a conviction in Germany for setting fire to a professor's cactus collection for a 'drunken lark.' Or, for that matter, from the Bullingdon Club, of which David Cameron and [London Mayor] Boris Johnson were members, which goes around smashing up restaurants.
There is something deeply hypocritical about middle-aged politicians condemning teenagers as though these sorts of crimes have never happened before."
But London Mayor Boris Johnson said Londoners want to see "significant sentences" for anyone involved in looting or violence.
Here's a breakdown of some of the news-making arresting over the past few days:
The Olympic ambassador
Eighteen-year-old Chelsea Ives, a volunteer ambassador for next year's Olympic Games, was turned in by her own mother who spotted her on TV footage of the riots. "How can you sit there and see that and say 'that's OK'? We were watching people lose their homes and businesses," Ives' mother told The Telegraph. "As parents we had to say; 'She can't get away with that.'" Ives, who previously met with London's mayor as part of her ambassador duties, now faces charges of throwing a brick at a cop car and burglary. She pleaded not guilty.
The youngest suspect?
An 11-year-old girl was reportedly given a 9-month "referral order" after witnesses said she hurled rocks at two store windows during the riots, according to the Daily Mail. The girl lives in a foster home, and the Daily Mail says she refused to apologize to the judge who sentenced her.
The ballerina-turned-looter
A 17-year-old ballerina turned herself in after images of her looting were published in a newspaper and broadcast on TV, according to the Telegraph. The footage showed her taking two televisions from an electronics store.
The straight-A student
Laura Johnson, the 19-year-old daughter of well-to-do parents and a straight-A student at Exeter University, is accused of stealing electronic goods worth thousands of dollars in London. She pleaded not guilty but has a curfew of 7 p.m. and must wear an electronic tag before her court date, according to the Telegraph. Her parents run a marketing firm.
The social worker
University graduate and aspiring social worker Natasha Reid turned herself in when she became overcome by guilt over stealing a TV from a electronics store while on her way to McDonalds during the looting. According to the AP, a judge told 24-year-old Reid she would probably face jail time.
The violin thief
A 19-year-old aspiring musician grabbed a violin from a looted music store before being nabbed by the cops. According to the Daily Mail, he was sentenced to four months in jail.
The middle class 'rioters' revealed: The millionaire's daughter, the aspiring musician and the organic chef all in the dock
By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 3:14 PM on 12th August 2011
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Poverty, social exclusion, poor education - these are just some of the theories put forward to explain the recent rioting.
Yet shockingly, among those in the dock accused of looting are a millionaire's grammar school daughter, a ballet student and an organic chef.
A law student, university graduate, a musician and an opera steward also said to have taken part.
They are just some of the youngsters from comfortable middle-class backgrounds who have been charged with criminality.
Some of them were arrested at the scene, others handed themselves in after seeing their faces in photographs and on video.
Whatever the reasons for their alleged trouble-making, it is clear that their future dreams could be crushed by their moments of madness.
Here are some of those allegedly involved...
Millionaire's daughter: Laura Johnson, 19, was charged with stealing £5,000-worth of electronic goods including TVs and mobile phones
THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL GIRL:
Millionaire's daughter Laura Johnson, 19, was charged with stealing £5,000-worth of electronic goods, including a Toshiba TV, Goodmans TV, microwave and mobile phones.
The goods were allegedly found in a car being driven by Miss Johnson after a branch of Comet in Charlton, south-east London, was raided.
Bexleyheath magistrates heard that a 'public order kit' of balaclava, gloves and a bandana was also found in the car.
Miss Johnson attended St Olave's Grammar School in Orpington, Kent, the fourth best performing state school in the country, after transferring from its sister school Newstead Wood.
She achieved A*s in French, English literature, classical civilisation and geography A-levels, and is now studying English and Italian at Exeter University.
Her parents, Robert and Lindsay Johnson, live in a large detached farmhouse in Orpington. It has extensive grounds and a tennis court. They sold their previous house, near Greenwich, for £930,000 in 2006.
Miss Johnson's parents, who supported her in court, run Avongate, a direct marketing company.
Her father is a businessman with directorships in several companies. He was a director in a company that took over the Daily Sport and Sunday Sport newspapers in 2007.
More...
It's payback time for the looters: Police snatch squads swoop on homes of riot suspects in a string of dawn raids across London
Unmask the thugs! Looters will no longer be able to cover up, says PM as he also promises a crackdown on social media AND cash for the rioters' victims
Petition on Government website calling for looters to be evicted from council houses receives 100,000 signatures in 48 hours
'Britain is great': Malaysian student mugged by 'Good Samaritans' says he feels sorry for his attackers
Straight from Shameless: Rogues' gallery of riot thugs who have already been found guilty by the court (but police say sentences are too lenient)
Organic chef and an opera steward: How the well-heeled joined the downtrodden in looting spree
Olympic ambassador 'hurled bricks at police car' and led attack on Vodafone store during riots - and was shopped to police by her mum
During her schooling, Miss Johnson offered her services as a tutor. On a website she wrote: 'I was a student at Newstead Wood School for girls and gained four A*s and nine A grades at GCSE.'
Country pile: Laura Johnson's home in Orpington which has extensive grounds and a tennis court
Miss Johnson indicated a plea of not guilty to five counts of burglary and was granted bail on condition that she does not associate with the two men allegedly found with her.
She must wear an electronic tag, submit to a curfew between 7pm and 6am and not enter any London postcode. She is due to return to court on September 21.
Camberwell Green magistrates heard that a 17-year-old and Alexander Elliot-Joahill, 18, were allegedly passengers in the car. Both were denied bail and will next appear on September 7.
THE SOCIAL WORKER STUDENT:
University graduate: Natasha Reid, 24, stole a £300 TV from a damaged comet store
University graduate Natasha Reid, 24, came from a comfortable family home and studied at university to achieve her dream of becoming a social worker.
But her career hopes are now in jeopardy after she stole a £300 JVC television from a battered Comet store on her way home.
You young woman had been eating at a McDonalds fast-food chain when she became involved in the opportunistic looting.
Reid, from Edmonton, north London, yesterday pleaded guilty at Westminster Magistrates Court to theft and entering with intent to steal.
The young woman told the court that she was so overcome with guilt after stealing the TV on Saturday evening that she handed herself in to the police the next day. They promptly arrested her.
Reid's mother, Pamela, said that her daughter was baffled by her criminal behaviour as she already has a 27-inch TV in her bedroom.
'She didn't want a TV. She doesn't even know why she took it. She doesn't need a telly,' the girl's mother told the Times.
Pamela said that her daughter had cancelled her holiday which was due to begin to tomorrow.
She has been spending the last week sobbing in her bedroom as she comes to terms with the effect that a conviction will have on the hopes of her future career.
'She's not eaten this morning. She hasn't slept since Sunday night. She's shaking. She was bawling her eyes out,' Reid's mother added.
Miss Reid was too upset to speak and was being comforted in her room by her father. She will be sentenced next month.
Stefan Hoyle was clutching a looted violin when he was arrested in the aftermath of riots in Manchester
THE ASPIRING MUSICIAN:
Stefan Hoyle was clutching a looted violin when he was arrested in the aftermath of riots in Manchester.
Smelling strongly of drink, the aspiring musician quipped: ‘I’ve always wanted to learn to play the violin.’ His parents wept in the dock as district judge Alan Berg told the 19-year-old it was an ‘absolute tragedy’ that he had thrown away his prospects in this way.
Hoyle, of Manchester, was arrested at 3am on Wednesday when police encircled a group of youths and saw him clutching the violin, thought to be from a music shop which had earlier been looted.
He tried to run away as police arrested a girl, but the court heard he was chased and caught, telling officers: ‘I can understand why people riot, you really are fascist ********.’
Hoyle had never been in trouble before and is on Jobseekers’ Allowance, the court heard.
Sentencing him to four months in a young offenders’ institution for theft, Judge Berg told Hoyle he had brought ‘shame and disgrace’ on his family. But he told the shamefaced teenager: ‘Nobody forced you to get drunk and pick up the violin.’
THE BALLERINA:
The 17-year-old ballerina, who cannot be named, is caught on CCTV during the riots
An aspiring ballerina was arrested after police published images of her looting two boxed flat screen TVs from a hi-fi store where £190,000 of damage was caused.
The 17-year-old, who has been studying ballet since she was seven and wants to be a dance teacher, gave herself up after seeing a CCTV image of herself in a newspaper.
The dancer was among a group of masked women caught on camera looting Richer Sounds, in Croydon.
She was remanded in custody. She in understood to have turned herself in at the front counter of Croydon police station.
Yesterday she admitted burglary after film footage showed her removing two televisions from the store.
The 17-year-old is due to start a course at a dance academy on September 21, and wants to study health and social care. But a criminal conviction could end her chances of working with children and young people.
Goods to the value of £190,000 are estimated to have been stolen from the hi-fi and home cinema store. The shop suffered £15,000 in damage.
Enlarge
Shame: Rioters raid a clothes shop in Hackney and a home cinema shop in Birmingham, right, this week
Hands full: Youths spill out of a ransacked Poundland store in Peckham clutching crisps and fizzy drinks among other things - but many rioters were middle class
THE LAW STUDENT:
Law student Marouane Rouhi, 21, is alleged to have been part of gang of 16 that stormed cafes and restaurants in St John's Wood, London.
The second-year university law student was remanded in custody after being charged with violent disorder after the incident shortly after midnight on Wednesday.
Rouhi, from north west London, is said to have been among a large group of between 30 and 50 disorderlies who were involved in the trouble.
Charged: Marouane Rouhi, 21, is alleged to have ransacked cafes and restaurants in St John's Wood, northwest London, similar to these damaged eateries in Ealing
Up to 50 masked men armed with knives and lighter fuel attacked Le Bijou and other restaurants.
Rouhi is currently mid-way through a law degree and is understood to be fighting to clear his name.
Any conviction would almost certainly end his dreams of working in the legal profession.
Prosecutor Becky Owen told Westminster magistrates that the group 'ransacked properties and terrorised customers' in the area around Lodge Road.
She said between 30 and 50 people were involved in the disorder and added: 'Eventually customers rallied and chased the group off.'
Solicitor Jim Kelly said his client was keen to clear his name so that he could continue to pursue his legal ambitions.
THE COLLEGE STUDENT
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Nicholas Robinson, 23, was jailed for six months for looting a £3.50 case of water from Lidl.
The college student was walking back from his girlfriends house in Brixton in the early hours of Monday morning when he saw the superstore on Acre Lane being looted.
He took the opportunity to go in and help himself to a case of water because he was 'thirsty'.
But when the police came in, at around 2.40am, he discarded the bottles and attempted to flee the scene.
He was caught and arrested by officers at the scene. Wearing a black leather jacket, the electrical engineering student, looked shocked as he was jailed by District Judge Alan Baldwin at Camberwell Magistrates Court yesterday.
Robinson, from south London, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to a charge of burglary of a place other than other than a dwelling (theft).
There were gasps from the public gallery as the judge handed down the maximum penalty he could to Robinson, who has no previous convictions, for his part in the 'chaos'.
District Judge Baldwin said: 'The burglary of commercial premises in circumstances such as this, where substantial and serious public disorder is or has taken place is commonly known as looting.'
THE BAPTIST MENTOR:
A student who acts as a Baptist Church mentor for younger boys looted jewellery and clothing from shops in Clapham Junction, West London Magistrates were told.
Scott Bates, 18, admitted stealing trainers from JD Sports, watches from Debenhams, and a hooded top from Primark.
Bates told officers he had gone to Clapham Junction on Monday evening to watch the riots and found the items lying around outside the shops.
Raids: Looters have devastated businesses in cities across England causing thousands of pounds of damage
His solicitor Joan Mitchell said Bates was an active member of his local baptist church and mentored younger members of the congregation.
Although he has previous convictions for robbery and theft, Bates had 'turned his life around', she claimed.
District judge Paul Clark told Bates he would go to prison, probably for more than 12 months.
He was refused bail and sent to Inner London Crown Court to be sentenced.
THE ESTATE AGENT:
Gassam Ojjeh, 22, was accused of attempting to steal from a branch of PC World in Colliers Wood, South London the day after it had been devastated by rioters.
Westminster Magistrates heard he was caught by a police dog handler at the store with students Saffron Armstrong and Kairo Lawson, both 21.
Armstrong, an accounting student at Kingston University, claimed to be a freelance journalist when he was caught. Lawson, a civil engineering student at South Bank University, had to be restrained by police and was punched repeatedly in the back.
Ojjeh, an estate agent, denied burglary. The two other men admitted the same charge. All three were remanded in custody.
THE ORGANIC CHEF:
Fitzroy Thomas, of Streatham and his 47-year-old brother, Ronald, allegedly smashed up a branch of Nando's, the chicken restaurant, in Clapham, south London, and stole a laptop.
The pair pleaded not guilty at Camberwell Green Magistrates Court in south London and were remanded in custody, the Times reported.
THE OPERA STEWARD:
19-year-old Nan Asante, who had recently taken up a job as a steward at an outdoor opera venue in London's upmarket Holland Park district, pleaded not guilty to looting a supermarket.
Looted: The battered shop front of an Argos store in Surrey Street, Croydon. The area was hit hard by rioters
A star pupil from £1m home. How did she end up in the dock?
By Paul Bracchi
Privilege: Laura Johnson, left, and friend in a photo posted on Facebook last year
Balaclava. Gloves. Bandana. Could the ‘evidence’ allegedly in the car Laura Johnson was found driving be more sinister? The items, the police claim, were part of a ‘public order kit’ used to loot shops during the riots.
But this is not the most shocking aspect of the story you are about to read.
For the 19-year-old who found herself in the dock before Bexleyheath magistrates on Wednesday, flanked by uniformed security guards, charged with five counts of burglary in connection with the theft of goods from stores was perhaps the very last person you would expect to be implicated in the mayhem of the past week.
According to the prosecution, she was the getaway driver for a gang which pillaged branches of Curry’s, Comet, Halfords, and PC World as well as a BP service station in south-east London.
Getaway driver? It is a description her mother and father, sitting at the back of the court, will scarcely be able to comprehend.
The family live in a £1million detached converted farmhouse, with extensive grounds and a tennis court, in leafy Orpington, Kent.
Her millionaire parents, Robert and Lindsay, are successful company directors who run the direct-marketing firm Avongate.
Mr Johnson was also a director of a company that took over the Daily Sport and Sunday Sport newspapers in 2007.
Their daughter attended St Olave’s Grammar, the fourth-best state school in the country, and its sister school, Newstead Wood, gaining nine GCSE A Grades and four A*s.
The star pupil studied A-levels in French, English literature, geography, and classical civilisation before gaining a place at Exeter University where she is an English and Italian undergraduate.
Proof, if any more were needed, of Laura’s privileged upbringing is revealed in family photographs posted on the internet.
In one, on Facebook, she is dressed in a long black evening gown, glass of red wine in hand, hugging a blonde school friend. There is a swimming pool in the background.
Laura Johnson's £1m detached family home in Orpington, Kent. It has extensive grounds and a tennis court
Whatever the reasons for Laura’s ignominious predicament, they appear to have nothing to do with alienation or despair; not that this is any excuse for the shameful events that have scarred the country this week.
Indeed, it would be difficult to imagine a young woman with a brighter future: a future which has now been jeopardised, perhaps irrevocably so.
How and why she came to be driving a car, which, it is claimed, contained a £5,000 haul of stolen goods – including two television sets, a microwave, a Blu-ray player, mobile phones, cigarettes and alcohol – is a matter for her pending trial.
Laura was granted conditional bail and is due to return to court next month, having pleaded not guilty to the charges against her. The case is expected to be committed to the Inner London Crown Court.
One of her alleged accomplices is 18-year-old Alexander Elliott-Joahill. The other, a 17-year-old, cannot be named. The younger boy’s mother, a secondary school teacher, said her son was a ‘good boy’ who had gone for a job interview in the City earlier this week.
The well-spoken woman, who lives in a two-storey terraced house in south-east London, added: ‘He is doing a business qualification, so he has taken his CV to an interview on Monday.
‘He’s a complete coward and hates fighting so I don’t understand how he could have got caught up in this.
‘I spoke to him at 1.30am on Tuesday morning and told him to be careful of the riots and that I was worried. He said he’d be coming home. He knows [Alexander Elliott-Oakhill] but I’ve never heard him mention this Laura girl.’
The prosecution claim the three had ‘driven around stealing from shops with windows kicked in during the rioting . . . and were active participants in looting’ before being apprehended by the police.
How painful – and embarrassing – these details must have been for Laura’s family sitting in the public gallery, as must be the continued police activity at their home.
Yesterday, five officers spent about 30 minutes inside, although it was unclear whether they were taking statements or searching for something in particular.
Mr and Mrs Johnson, who also have two sons, Rory, 21, and Scott, 17, did not wish to comment. Laura’s grandparents, John and Irene Temple, were visibly shocked when informed of her arrest at their Fife home and also declined to comment.
A glimpse of the world Laura inhabited, or at least her family thought she inhabited, is revealed on a website where she once advertised her services as a tutor.
Her entry says: ‘My name is Laura Johnson, a sixth form student studying English Literature, classical civilisation, geography and French at St Olave’s Grammar School.
‘One of my A*s is in English which I intend to carry on at university level.’
But for how long? The University of Exeter, where Laura has just finished her first-year exams, said they would await the outcome of criminal proceedings before ‘deciding on whether to take any action.’
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2025068/UK-riots-Middle-class-rioters-revealed-including-Laura-Johnson-Natasha-Reid-Stefan-Hoyle.html#ixzz1UqqFLyj1
Friday, August 12, 2011
How to Create a Password You Can Remember
Edited byLisa Brooks and 49 others
Article
Edit Discuss History
In our modern society just about everything is password protected. Coming up with a password which is both easy to remember and safe is no easy task. Try one or all of these different techniques to create a secure but memorable password.
EditSteps
Develop a Truly Random Password and Use a Mnemonic Device
Use software or, less reliable but usually effective enough, simply jot down letters and numbers as they come to your mind.
1Focus on each letter of the password. A way to remember a randomized, assigned difficult password, like "tthertd" can be simple and fun. Think of a sentence where there is one word beginning with each letter of the password, for example, "tthertd" could be "terrible tigers have every right to drive."
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Develop an Algorithm
Take the name of the website and then add the last four digits of a friend's home phone number to the end. (Don't use your own phone number, since a clever hacker could try the same algorithm in a dictionary attack.) The password for wikiHow might be "wikiHow4588". This is by way of example only because it is too easy for others to figure out but you would add your own personal twist. Maybe you would spell wikihow backwards. The more steps in your algorithm, and the more unpredictable each step is, the more secure your password.
Combine the Best of You
Choose a favorite number (or two), a favorite word (or two), a favorite symbol (or two). Add the first one (or two) symbols that come to mind when you see the website address or the most prominent words on the sign-in page. Choose an order and put them all together into one long string (for example, four and crazy and _ could change into four_crazy or _crafourzy)
Remove the Vowels
Take a word or phrase and remove the vowels from it (for example, "eat the cheeseburger" becomes "tthchsbrgr").
Use the Keyboard
If your password doesn't use the Q, A, or Z, you can hit the key to the left of your password. Or to the right if you don't use the P, L, or M. 'Speedracer' goes to both sides, but 'wikiHow' can become 'qujugiq' or 'eolojpe'. Shifting things up a key, choose left or right. 'wikiHow' becomes '28i8y92' or '39o9u03'. Shifting up and to the left is slightly more intuitive. Adding the other security measures afterwards is all trivial.
Combine Small Words
Combine. A smart way to develop an easy to remember password is to combine three small words to make a single password. For example, you can use "howstopyes" or "earpengold". If you want an even easier to remember password, you can use words that are related to each other like "yesnomaybe". Be aware, however, that this is much less secure! It adds more security to capitalize the first letters of the different words: "ballzonecart" becomes "BallZoneCart".
Connect the first letters
Develop a password using the first letters of a sentence or phrase that means something to you - like your national anthem or a slogan you have seen somewhere. 'Don't shop for it, Argos it' would become DsfiAi.
Use an Image Based Password
Use "Pixelock.com" to upload a sequence of personalised images and then generate and regenerate a secure password by clicking on remembered points in the images.
Use a Password Manager
Use a password manager, such as "PasswordSafe", "Roboform" or "PassPack" to generate random passwords and then secure them using one master password.
Mix Words
Choose two words and combine their letters to create the password, choosing one letter of the first word and one letter of the second word, and repeating this until you get to the last letter of each word. An example could be:
Words: house & plane
Password: hpoluasnee
Use Year and Month Plus Letters
Use the current year and first three letters of the current month. Then add the three letters from, say, your name. In this case, your password would read 2007aprJoe. Next month, change it to 2007mayJoe. It's impossible to have the same password twice or to forget it.
1
Many users combine a date component inside a larger password. This helps when the password needs to change from time to time. But, remember to never use only a date because lists of password guesses exist and date only based passwords are at higher risk to being cracked than other choices.
Books
Choose a favorite passage out of a favorite book and use a word from the passage. For example, if your favorite book is "The Eye of the World", by Robert Jordan, and your favorite passage is the second paragraph on page 168, use a word from that passage. You can use the word Draghkar. So you would put 2Draghkar168. 2 is the paragraph number and 168 is the page number.
1Mix it up even more by using symbols in place of letters and use capitals, for example, 2Dr@Ghk@R168.
Turn Letters into Numbers
1Think of a phrase or name for your password.
2Type that name using the numbers located on the telephone number pad. The letters have now turned into numbers. It will make it more secure to add a random letter or symbol as well.
Substituting numbers for letters is called "leet". This technique is programmed into most password cracking tools, making it slightly less secure. Remember to make this a component of a larger password or compound pass-phrase.
Use a Hash Function
Use a hash function so you only have to remember one master password. Use something like 'echo "" "" "" | openssl dgst -md5' to give yourself many different unique passwords.
Pass Phrases
Length can be a huge advantage to memorization. If your typing is fairly accurate, consider large phrases from a book.
"It was a dark and stormy night!"
"My fellow Americans!"
"Houston, we have a problem."
Phrases are easy to memorize. The length of a pass phrase has several advantages
The length can provide security even if special symbols are not used. This can help with sites that prevent the use of symbols.
The phrase itself does not need to be geeky, coolness can be fun to remember.
Make good use of punctuation and capitalization to make a secure pass phrase that complies with common password rules.
Reverse Numbers
Think of a random phrase, let's say you choose Scarlet Pickles.
Link the words, so you now have ScarletPickles.
Reverse the phrase, so it becomes selkciPtelracS.
Put numbers and symbols imbetween, so now you have sel8k^ciPt99el()rac%S!.
"Hacker-ize" it
"Hacker-ize" your password! You can use numbers, or even symbols in the place of letters!!
For example, "cardboard shelf" becomes "(@|2|)|30@|2|) $|-|3|_|=.
Wikipedia has a guide to leet/1337, but keep in mind that this kind of password is usually much harder to remember.
Number Rows
Pick a number with two or three digits.
Now look at your keyboard. Find your number, then look at the letters that are directly beneath it.
Let's say you chose 1. The numbers directly beneath the 1 key are Q, A, and Z.
Now, when you create your password, press the first number that you chose, then press all of the letter keys that are directly beneath it. Do this with all of your numbers. Now all you have to remember are the numbers!!
If you want a more difficult password, try capitalizing the first letter of the row, making one of the numbers a symbol, or something else along those lines.
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EditTips
Try the diceware method.
Change numbers into Roman numerals for more security (i.e. iamcool2 becomes iamcoolii). You can even mix normal numbers and Roman numerals. 1i = 11; 1ii = 12; and so on.
When coming up with a mnemonic sentence, try and make the sentence funny or relevant to yourself. That way you will find it easier to remember the sentence, so you can remember the password.
The more complex and longer the password, the less likely it is to be cracked but it is often proportionately harder to remember.
Mixing letters and numbers is always safer than just using numbers or just using letters.
Try thinking of a name (BOB). Now use only every second letter, being BB. Then go back and plug any other letter you did not type. Your password would be BBO.
Take the the first four letters of your name (ex: lydi) and the first four letters of the site/program you are using the password for (ex: wiki) and alternate between using the letters in your name and the company (lwyidkii). Optional: add a set of numbers you have memorized to the end.
If you are so inclined, scripture references make good passwords. Choose a passage you can remember and use the reference for your password. An example would if you chose The Beatitudes, your password could be Matt5:1-12.
You might combine several of these methods and still come up with a truly memorable yet very strong pass phrase. You might use a favorite quotation, song lyric, or the advertising slogan you despise most (preferably six words long or more) and create an acronym by using the first letter of each word (Where Would You Like To Go Today = wwyltgt). You can introduce character-word substitutions, like replacing the 'y' (for the word 'you') with a 'u' or 'U', which would give us wwUltgt. Now your pass phrase might resemble wwU17g7 or wwU1797. Add standard rules for your personal method such as always capitalizing the first character (or the second, the third, the seventh, whichever tickles you), or inserting an exclamation point after the second character (left out for those sites that do not allow punctuation). Now, you would have Ww!U17g7 or WwU1797, or some such, as a very secure, yet personally memorable pass phrase. Using such a method, "Rock on with your bad self" might be transformed into R0!wy85, r0_wY8$, r0Wy_8$, or any number of others.
If you prefer to have a word that has no symbols or numbers in it, the best thing is for it not to be a word in the dictionary, like 'wazzup'. Also, you can simply substitute letters so it still can sound the same, like this: Crazy = Kraizee. This is not too challenging.
The most secure passwords contain lowercase letters, capital letters, numbers, AND symbols. This sounds like a bit of a chore but there is an easy way to make all of your passwords fully mixed and more secure: use one of the above methods to create a password with both letters and numbers, and then hold down the shift key while typing part of it. Make a standard of holding down shift for the first four characters, or characters three through seven, or whatever you like. You won't have to stop and remember where you inserted that pesky exclamation point or whether you replaced the 's' with '5' or '$' this time.
If you say the letters or numbers to yourself as you type them you will begin to get a rhythm this will help to memorize it.
If you are so inclined, references from a faith text can make good passwords. Choose a passage you can remember, and use the reference for your password.
If you can then add a password hint, but make sure it dosnt give away too much information, but just enough to jog your memory
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EditWarnings
Do not use any of the passwords listed above. Because they have been listed here, they are now visible to the world.
Don't use common words and numbers as your password.
When using numbers only, make sure the sequence is completely random and has no importance. It's best not to use any number that is a matter of record, such as phone, address, and Social Security numbers.
Do not use the same password for several logins, especially if they involve sensitive financial or other personal information.
Do not rely on replacing letters with numbers for security. Password cracking programs break these passwords as easily as the words themselves.
Do not simply combine two or more dictionary words even if you think they are rare. Many password crackers try combinations of dictionary words first.
When registering on websites that ask for your email address, never use the same password as you do for your email account.
If for some reason you write down your password, make sure you burn the sheet of paper where it was written. You might think it's safe if you discard it, but what if someone decides to dumpster dive when looking for your password?
Edited byLisa Brooks and 49 others
Article
Edit Discuss History
In our modern society just about everything is password protected. Coming up with a password which is both easy to remember and safe is no easy task. Try one or all of these different techniques to create a secure but memorable password.
EditSteps
Develop a Truly Random Password and Use a Mnemonic Device
Use software or, less reliable but usually effective enough, simply jot down letters and numbers as they come to your mind.
1Focus on each letter of the password. A way to remember a randomized, assigned difficult password, like "tthertd" can be simple and fun. Think of a sentence where there is one word beginning with each letter of the password, for example, "tthertd" could be "terrible tigers have every right to drive."
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Develop an Algorithm
Take the name of the website and then add the last four digits of a friend's home phone number to the end. (Don't use your own phone number, since a clever hacker could try the same algorithm in a dictionary attack.) The password for wikiHow might be "wikiHow4588". This is by way of example only because it is too easy for others to figure out but you would add your own personal twist. Maybe you would spell wikihow backwards. The more steps in your algorithm, and the more unpredictable each step is, the more secure your password.
Combine the Best of You
Choose a favorite number (or two), a favorite word (or two), a favorite symbol (or two). Add the first one (or two) symbols that come to mind when you see the website address or the most prominent words on the sign-in page. Choose an order and put them all together into one long string (for example, four and crazy and _ could change into four_crazy or _crafourzy)
Remove the Vowels
Take a word or phrase and remove the vowels from it (for example, "eat the cheeseburger" becomes "tthchsbrgr").
Use the Keyboard
If your password doesn't use the Q, A, or Z, you can hit the key to the left of your password. Or to the right if you don't use the P, L, or M. 'Speedracer' goes to both sides, but 'wikiHow' can become 'qujugiq' or 'eolojpe'. Shifting things up a key, choose left or right. 'wikiHow' becomes '28i8y92' or '39o9u03'. Shifting up and to the left is slightly more intuitive. Adding the other security measures afterwards is all trivial.
Combine Small Words
Combine. A smart way to develop an easy to remember password is to combine three small words to make a single password. For example, you can use "howstopyes" or "earpengold". If you want an even easier to remember password, you can use words that are related to each other like "yesnomaybe". Be aware, however, that this is much less secure! It adds more security to capitalize the first letters of the different words: "ballzonecart" becomes "BallZoneCart".
Connect the first letters
Develop a password using the first letters of a sentence or phrase that means something to you - like your national anthem or a slogan you have seen somewhere. 'Don't shop for it, Argos it' would become DsfiAi.
Use an Image Based Password
Use "Pixelock.com" to upload a sequence of personalised images and then generate and regenerate a secure password by clicking on remembered points in the images.
Use a Password Manager
Use a password manager, such as "PasswordSafe", "Roboform" or "PassPack" to generate random passwords and then secure them using one master password.
Mix Words
Choose two words and combine their letters to create the password, choosing one letter of the first word and one letter of the second word, and repeating this until you get to the last letter of each word. An example could be:
Words: house & plane
Password: hpoluasnee
Use Year and Month Plus Letters
Use the current year and first three letters of the current month. Then add the three letters from, say, your name. In this case, your password would read 2007aprJoe. Next month, change it to 2007mayJoe. It's impossible to have the same password twice or to forget it.
1
Many users combine a date component inside a larger password. This helps when the password needs to change from time to time. But, remember to never use only a date because lists of password guesses exist and date only based passwords are at higher risk to being cracked than other choices.
Books
Choose a favorite passage out of a favorite book and use a word from the passage. For example, if your favorite book is "The Eye of the World", by Robert Jordan, and your favorite passage is the second paragraph on page 168, use a word from that passage. You can use the word Draghkar. So you would put 2Draghkar168. 2 is the paragraph number and 168 is the page number.
1Mix it up even more by using symbols in place of letters and use capitals, for example, 2Dr@Ghk@R168.
Turn Letters into Numbers
1Think of a phrase or name for your password.
2Type that name using the numbers located on the telephone number pad. The letters have now turned into numbers. It will make it more secure to add a random letter or symbol as well.
Substituting numbers for letters is called "leet". This technique is programmed into most password cracking tools, making it slightly less secure. Remember to make this a component of a larger password or compound pass-phrase.
Use a Hash Function
Use a hash function so you only have to remember one master password. Use something like 'echo "
Pass Phrases
Length can be a huge advantage to memorization. If your typing is fairly accurate, consider large phrases from a book.
"It was a dark and stormy night!"
"My fellow Americans!"
"Houston, we have a problem."
Phrases are easy to memorize. The length of a pass phrase has several advantages
The length can provide security even if special symbols are not used. This can help with sites that prevent the use of symbols.
The phrase itself does not need to be geeky, coolness can be fun to remember.
Make good use of punctuation and capitalization to make a secure pass phrase that complies with common password rules.
Reverse Numbers
Think of a random phrase, let's say you choose Scarlet Pickles.
Link the words, so you now have ScarletPickles.
Reverse the phrase, so it becomes selkciPtelracS.
Put numbers and symbols imbetween, so now you have sel8k^ciPt99el()rac%S!.
"Hacker-ize" it
"Hacker-ize" your password! You can use numbers, or even symbols in the place of letters!!
For example, "cardboard shelf" becomes "(@|2|)|30@|2|) $|-|3|_|=.
Wikipedia has a guide to leet/1337, but keep in mind that this kind of password is usually much harder to remember.
Number Rows
Pick a number with two or three digits.
Now look at your keyboard. Find your number, then look at the letters that are directly beneath it.
Let's say you chose 1. The numbers directly beneath the 1 key are Q, A, and Z.
Now, when you create your password, press the first number that you chose, then press all of the letter keys that are directly beneath it. Do this with all of your numbers. Now all you have to remember are the numbers!!
If you want a more difficult password, try capitalizing the first letter of the row, making one of the numbers a symbol, or something else along those lines.
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EditTips
Try the diceware method.
Change numbers into Roman numerals for more security (i.e. iamcool2 becomes iamcoolii). You can even mix normal numbers and Roman numerals. 1i = 11; 1ii = 12; and so on.
When coming up with a mnemonic sentence, try and make the sentence funny or relevant to yourself. That way you will find it easier to remember the sentence, so you can remember the password.
The more complex and longer the password, the less likely it is to be cracked but it is often proportionately harder to remember.
Mixing letters and numbers is always safer than just using numbers or just using letters.
Try thinking of a name (BOB). Now use only every second letter, being BB. Then go back and plug any other letter you did not type. Your password would be BBO.
Take the the first four letters of your name (ex: lydi) and the first four letters of the site/program you are using the password for (ex: wiki) and alternate between using the letters in your name and the company (lwyidkii). Optional: add a set of numbers you have memorized to the end.
If you are so inclined, scripture references make good passwords. Choose a passage you can remember and use the reference for your password. An example would if you chose The Beatitudes, your password could be Matt5:1-12.
You might combine several of these methods and still come up with a truly memorable yet very strong pass phrase. You might use a favorite quotation, song lyric, or the advertising slogan you despise most (preferably six words long or more) and create an acronym by using the first letter of each word (Where Would You Like To Go Today = wwyltgt). You can introduce character-word substitutions, like replacing the 'y' (for the word 'you') with a 'u' or 'U', which would give us wwUltgt. Now your pass phrase might resemble wwU17g7 or wwU1797. Add standard rules for your personal method such as always capitalizing the first character (or the second, the third, the seventh, whichever tickles you), or inserting an exclamation point after the second character (left out for those sites that do not allow punctuation). Now, you would have Ww!U17g7 or WwU1797, or some such, as a very secure, yet personally memorable pass phrase. Using such a method, "Rock on with your bad self" might be transformed into R0!wy85, r0_wY8$, r0Wy_8$, or any number of others.
If you prefer to have a word that has no symbols or numbers in it, the best thing is for it not to be a word in the dictionary, like 'wazzup'. Also, you can simply substitute letters so it still can sound the same, like this: Crazy = Kraizee. This is not too challenging.
The most secure passwords contain lowercase letters, capital letters, numbers, AND symbols. This sounds like a bit of a chore but there is an easy way to make all of your passwords fully mixed and more secure: use one of the above methods to create a password with both letters and numbers, and then hold down the shift key while typing part of it. Make a standard of holding down shift for the first four characters, or characters three through seven, or whatever you like. You won't have to stop and remember where you inserted that pesky exclamation point or whether you replaced the 's' with '5' or '$' this time.
If you say the letters or numbers to yourself as you type them you will begin to get a rhythm this will help to memorize it.
If you are so inclined, references from a faith text can make good passwords. Choose a passage you can remember, and use the reference for your password.
If you can then add a password hint, but make sure it dosnt give away too much information, but just enough to jog your memory
Ads by Google
Brain Test™ Developed by Neuroscientists Complete brain analysis - Free.
www.braingradetest.com
3-Minute Chakra Test Take the Free Chakra Test to Find Out Which of Your Chakras Are Weak
www.ChakraHealing.com
Key Leadership Skills Download Leadership Whitepaper From AchieveGlobal®
AchieveGlobal.com/whitepaper
EditWarnings
Do not use any of the passwords listed above. Because they have been listed here, they are now visible to the world.
Don't use common words and numbers as your password.
When using numbers only, make sure the sequence is completely random and has no importance. It's best not to use any number that is a matter of record, such as phone, address, and Social Security numbers.
Do not use the same password for several logins, especially if they involve sensitive financial or other personal information.
Do not rely on replacing letters with numbers for security. Password cracking programs break these passwords as easily as the words themselves.
Do not simply combine two or more dictionary words even if you think they are rare. Many password crackers try combinations of dictionary words first.
When registering on websites that ask for your email address, never use the same password as you do for your email account.
If for some reason you write down your password, make sure you burn the sheet of paper where it was written. You might think it's safe if you discard it, but what if someone decides to dumpster dive when looking for your password?
How to Memorize a Grocery List
Edited byJosh W. and 9 others
Article
Edit Discuss History
Tired of having to write everything down? If there's no scrap paper available and you need just a few items at the grocery store, this will help you to memorize them instead of killing trees.
EditSteps
1Try to make a word out of the first letters of each word. For example, if you have to get bread, apples, carrots, and kale, you could just remember the word BACK.
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2Set the list to a tune. Hum it in your head until its stuck there. Keep singing the song under your breath while you are in the supermarket.
3Picture yourself writing a list in your mind. Take your time writing the list in your head. When you're done, hold a mental image of the "list" in your head.
House Method
1Associate each item with a room in your house. Imagine walking counter-clockwise in your home. Make the associations as absurd as possible.
This was first done by the ancient Greeks to remember topics in a speech.
2Imagine in the living room that all furniture are in the shape of apples. In the next room imagine that the floor, windows and doors are covered with bagels and you cannot see outside. In the next room imagine that the bath only has faucets that give off beer. In the next room slip on butter that is all over the carpet. In the next room, you cannot get in because there are thousands of cereal boxes.
3Review (before going on, after 5 rooms): living room, apples; bonus room, bagles; bath, beer; bedroom, butter; bedroom, cereal. If you cannot remember some, then redo that association before I go on to 6 through 10. I then do another 5 and review.
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EditTips
Tell whoever is going with you.
Repeat the story once or twice.
Make sure it's a story you enjoy. If you like humor, make it funny. If you like gory, bloody, horror stories, make it gory, bloody and horror filled.
The more absurd and unusual the story is, the more likely it is that you'll remember it.
Ads by Google
Brain Training Games Improve memory and attention with scientific brain games.
www.lumosity.com
12 Brain Boosting Foods Learn how to increase your mental health with brain charging foods.
www.doctorshealthpress.com
EditWarnings
It may take some getting used to, but it will improve your memory and it saves trees.
Edited byJosh W. and 9 others
Article
Edit Discuss History
Tired of having to write everything down? If there's no scrap paper available and you need just a few items at the grocery store, this will help you to memorize them instead of killing trees.
EditSteps
1Try to make a word out of the first letters of each word. For example, if you have to get bread, apples, carrots, and kale, you could just remember the word BACK.
Ads by Google
Brain Training Games Improve memory and attention with scientific brain games.
www.lumosity.com
2Set the list to a tune. Hum it in your head until its stuck there. Keep singing the song under your breath while you are in the supermarket.
3Picture yourself writing a list in your mind. Take your time writing the list in your head. When you're done, hold a mental image of the "list" in your head.
House Method
1Associate each item with a room in your house. Imagine walking counter-clockwise in your home. Make the associations as absurd as possible.
This was first done by the ancient Greeks to remember topics in a speech.
2Imagine in the living room that all furniture are in the shape of apples. In the next room imagine that the floor, windows and doors are covered with bagels and you cannot see outside. In the next room imagine that the bath only has faucets that give off beer. In the next room slip on butter that is all over the carpet. In the next room, you cannot get in because there are thousands of cereal boxes.
3Review (before going on, after 5 rooms): living room, apples; bonus room, bagles; bath, beer; bedroom, butter; bedroom, cereal. If you cannot remember some, then redo that association before I go on to 6 through 10. I then do another 5 and review.
Ads by Google
12 Brain Boosting Foods Learn how to increase your mental health with brain charging foods.
www.doctorshealthpress.com
Free Coffee Sample Try a Free Sample of Nescafé® Taster's Choice Gourmet Coffee Now!
www.TastersChoice.com
Local 1-Day Coupons Up To 90% Off The Best Stuff To Do! Restaurants, Events, Food And More.
www.LivingSocial.com
EditTips
Tell whoever is going with you.
Repeat the story once or twice.
Make sure it's a story you enjoy. If you like humor, make it funny. If you like gory, bloody, horror stories, make it gory, bloody and horror filled.
The more absurd and unusual the story is, the more likely it is that you'll remember it.
Ads by Google
Brain Training Games Improve memory and attention with scientific brain games.
www.lumosity.com
12 Brain Boosting Foods Learn how to increase your mental health with brain charging foods.
www.doctorshealthpress.com
EditWarnings
It may take some getting used to, but it will improve your memory and it saves trees.
How to Memorize Lists Using the Pure Link System
Edited byAnthony Davies and 11 others
Article
Edit Discuss History
Can you remember everything in the picture?
This method has been used for many centuries, but was recently made popular by the promotion of NBA Legend, Jerry Lucas. In this method, the items are linked together visually to make items more tangible and easier to remember. Since the items are linked together, this works best on an ordered list, such as a shopping list or "to do" schedule, but can be utilized in any type of list that needs to be memorized.
EditSteps
1Come up with the list of items that need to be memorized. For this instruction, an example list of 5 items will be used to illustrate the concepts. The items are as follows:
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Submarine
Horse
Watermelon
Key
Tennis Racket
2Link yourself to the first item to designate the start of the list.
In the example, Submarine is the first item. Now visualize yourself being tied to a rope and being dragged through the water by a giant submarine.
3Combine the first item with the second item, second item with the third item, etc. until the end of the list. The best way to do this is think up a unique image that is unusual that incorporates both items.
For submarine-horse: Imagine a submarine, now add horse legs, a tail, and a saddle to the submarine to make it look like a "submarine horse."
For horse-watermelon: Imagine a horse galloping along the road with a watermelon with arms and legs riding on the saddle.
For watermelon-key: Imagine a watermelon being squished into a keyhole and being used as a key to open a door.
For key-tennis racket: Imagine a man holding a giant key in his hand and swinging it to hit a tennis ball.
4To conclude the list, once again visualize yourself in an image that incorporates the last item to designate the end of the list.
In the example, tennis racket is the last item. To remember that it is the last item, picture yourself
Edited byAnthony Davies and 11 others
Article
Edit Discuss History
Can you remember everything in the picture?
This method has been used for many centuries, but was recently made popular by the promotion of NBA Legend, Jerry Lucas. In this method, the items are linked together visually to make items more tangible and easier to remember. Since the items are linked together, this works best on an ordered list, such as a shopping list or "to do" schedule, but can be utilized in any type of list that needs to be memorized.
EditSteps
1Come up with the list of items that need to be memorized. For this instruction, an example list of 5 items will be used to illustrate the concepts. The items are as follows:
Ads by Google
Free Online Advertising See What $75 of Free Google Ads Can Do For Your Business. Try It Now!
www.Google.com/AdWords
Submarine
Horse
Watermelon
Key
Tennis Racket
2Link yourself to the first item to designate the start of the list.
In the example, Submarine is the first item. Now visualize yourself being tied to a rope and being dragged through the water by a giant submarine.
3Combine the first item with the second item, second item with the third item, etc. until the end of the list. The best way to do this is think up a unique image that is unusual that incorporates both items.
For submarine-horse: Imagine a submarine, now add horse legs, a tail, and a saddle to the submarine to make it look like a "submarine horse."
For horse-watermelon: Imagine a horse galloping along the road with a watermelon with arms and legs riding on the saddle.
For watermelon-key: Imagine a watermelon being squished into a keyhole and being used as a key to open a door.
For key-tennis racket: Imagine a man holding a giant key in his hand and swinging it to hit a tennis ball.
4To conclude the list, once again visualize yourself in an image that incorporates the last item to designate the end of the list.
In the example, tennis racket is the last item. To remember that it is the last item, picture yourself
How to Improve Your Memory
TIPS AND EXERCISES TO SHARPEN YOUR MIND AND BOOST BRAINPOWER
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If our brains were computers, we'd simply add a chip to upgrade our memory. The human brain, however, is more complex than even the most advanced machine, so improving our memory isn’t quite so easy. Just as it takes effort to build physical fitness, so too does boosting brain power.
A strong memory depends on the health and vitality of your brain. Whether you’re a student studying for final exams, a working professional interested in doing all you can to stay mentally sharp, or a senior looking to preserve and enhance your grey matter as you age, there are lots of things you can do to improve your memory and mental performance. Read on for some of the most promising ways to keep your mind and memory in top form.
IN THIS ARTICLE:
Don’t skimp on exercise or sleep
Make time for friends and fun
Relaxation
Bulk up on brain-boosting foods
Give your brain a workout
Mnemonic devices and memorization
Enhancing your ability to learn
Related links
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Harnessing the power of your brain
How memory works
To learn more about how the brain learns and remembers new information, read What is Memory? (PDF)
They say that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but when it comes to the brain, scientists have discovered that this old adage simply isn’t true. The human brain has an astonishing ability to adapt and change—even into old age. This ability is known as neuroplasticity. With the right stimulation, your brain can form new neural pathways, alter existing connections, and adapt and react in ever-changing ways.
The brain’s incredible ability to reshape itself holds true when it comes to learning and memory. You can harness the natural power of neuroplasticity to increase your cognitive abilities, enhance your ability to learn new information, and improve your memory.
Improving memory tip 1: Don’t skimp on exercise or sleep
Just as an athlete relies on sleep and a nutrition-packed diet to perform his or her best, your ability to remember increases when you nurture your brain with a good diet and other healthy habits.
When you exercise the body, you exercise the brain
Treating your body well can enhance your ability to process and recall information. Physical exercise increases oxygen to your brain and reduces the risk for disorders that lead to memory loss, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.Exercise may also enhance the effects of helpful brain chemicals and protect brain cells.
Improve your memory by sleeping on it
When you’re sleep deprived, your brain can’t operate at full capacity. Creativity, problem-solving abilities, and critical thinking skills are compromised. Whether you’re studying, working, or trying to juggle life’s many demands, sleep deprivation is a recipe for disaster.
But sleep is critical to learning and memory in an even more fundamental way. Research shows that sleep is necessary for memory consolidation, with the key memory-enhancing activity occurring during the deepest stages of sleep.
Improving memory tip 2: Make time for friends and fun
When you think of ways to improve memory, do you think of “serious” activities such as wrestling with the New York Times crossword puzzle or mastering chess strategy or do more lighthearted pastimes—hanging out with friends or enjoying a funny movie—come to mind? If you’re like most of us, it’s probably the former. But countless studies show that a life that’s full of friends and fun comes with cognitive benefits.
Healthy relationships: the ultimate memory booster?
Humans are highly social animals. We’re not meant to thrive, let alone thrive, in isolation. Relationships stimulate our brains—in fact, interacting with others may be the best kind of brain exercise.
Research shows that having meaningful relationships and a strong support system are vital not only to emotional health, but brain health. In one recent study from the Harvard School of Public Health, for example, researchers found that people with the most active social lives had the slowest rate of memory decline.
There are many ways to start taking advantage of the brain and memory-boosting benefits of socializing. Volunteer, join a club, make it a point to see friends more often, or reach out over the phone. And if a human isn’t handy, don’t overlook the value of a pet—especially the highly-social dog.
Laughter is good for your brain
You’ve heard that laughter is the best medicine, and that holds true for the brain as well as the body. Unlike emotional responses, which are limited to specific areas of the brain, laughter involves multiple regions across the whole brain.
Furthermore, listening to jokes and working out punch lines activates areas of the brain vital to learning and creativity.As psychologist Daniel Goleman notes in his book Emotional Intelligence, “laughter…seems to help people think more broadly and associate more freely.”
Looking for ways to bring more laughter in your life? Start with these basics:
Laugh at yourself. Share your embarrassing moments. The best way to take ourselves less seriously is talk about times when we took ourselves too seriously.
When you hear laughter, move toward it. Most of the time, people are very happy to share something funny because it gives them an opportunity to laugh again and feed off the humor you find in it. When you hear laughter, seek it out and ask, “What’s funny?”
Spend time with fun, playful people. These are people who laugh easily–both at themselves and at life’s absurdities–and who routinely find the humor in everyday events. Their playful point of view and laughter are contagious.
Surround yourself with reminders to lighten up. Keep a toy on your desk or in your car. Put up a funny poster in your office. Choose a computer screensaver that makes you laugh. Frame photos of you and your family or friends having fun.
Pay attention to children and emulate them. They are the experts on playing, taking life lightly, and laughing.
Improving memory tip 3: Keep stress in check
Stress is one of the brain’s worst enemies. Over time, if left unchecked, chronic stress destroys brain cells and damages the hippocampus, the region of the brain involved in the formation of new memories and the retrieval of old ones.
The stress-busting, brain-boosting benefits of meditation
The scientific evidence for the mental health benefits of meditation continues to pile up. Studies show that meditation helps improve many different types of conditions, including depression, anxiety, chronic pain, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Meditation also can improve focus, concentration, creativity, and learning and reasoning skills.
Meditation works its “magic” by changing the actual brain. Brain images show that regular meditators have more activity in the left prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain associated with feelings of joy and equanimity. Meditation also increases the thickness of the cerebral cortex and encourages more connections between brain cells—all of which increases mental sharpness and memory ability.
To learn more about meditation and other brain-boosting relaxation techniques, see Relaxation Techniques for Stress Relief: Relaxation Exercises and Tips.
Get depression in check
In addition to stress, depression takes a heavy toll on the brain. In fact, some of the symptoms of depression include difficulty concentrating, making decisions, and remembering things. If you are mentally sluggish because of depression, seeking treatment will make a big difference in your cognitive abilities, including memory.
Read: Understanding Depression: Signs, Symptoms, Causes, and Help
Improving memory tip 4: Bulk up on brain-boosting foods
Just as the body needs fuel, so does the brain. You probably know already that a diet based on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and “healthy” fats will provide lots of health benefits, but such a diet can also improve memory. But for brain health, it’s not just what you eat—it’s also what you don’t eat. The following nutritional tips will help boost your brainpower and reduce your risk of dementia.
Get your omega-3s. More and more evidence indicates that omega-3 fatty acids are particularly beneficial for brain health. Fish is a particularly rich source of omega-3, especially cold water “fatty fish” such as salmon, tuna, halibut, trout, mackerel, sardines, and herring. In addition to boosting brainpower, eating fish may also lower your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. If you’re not a fan of fish, consider turning to fish oil supplements. Other non-fish sources of omega-3s include walnuts, ground flaxseed, flaxseed oil, pumpkin seeds, and soybeans.
Limit saturated fat. Research shows that diets high in saturated fat increase your risk of dementia and impair concentration and memory. The primary sources of saturated far are animal products: red meat, whole milk, butter, cheese, sour cream, and ice cream.
Eat more fruit and vegetables. Produce is packed with antioxidants, substances that protect your brain cells from damage. Colorful fruits and vegetables are particularly good antioxidant superfood sources. Try leafy green vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, romaine lettuce, Swiss chard, and arugula, and fruit such as apricots, mangoes, cantaloupe, and watermelon.
Drink wine (or grape juice) in moderation. Keeping your alcohol consumption in check is key, since alcohol kills brain cells. But in moderation (around 1 glass a day for women; 2 for men), alcohol may actually improve memory and cognition. Red wine appears to be the best option, as it is rich in resveratrol, a flavonoid that boosts blood flow in the brain and reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Other resveratrol-packed options include grape juice, cranberry juice, fresh grapes and berries, and peanuts.
For mental energy, choose complex carbohydrates.
Just as a racecar needs gas, your brain needs fuel to perform at its best. When you need to be at the top of your mental game, carbohydrates can keep you going. But the type of carb you choose makes all the difference. Carbohydrates fuel your brain, but simple carbs (sugar, white bread, refined grains) give a quick boost followed by an equally rapid crash. For energy that lasts, choose complex carbohydrates such as whole-wheat bread, brown rice, oatmeal, high-fiber cereal, lentils, and whole beans.
Improving memory tip 5: Give your brain a workout
By the time you’ve reached adulthood, your brain has developed millions of neural pathways that help you process information quickly, solve familiar problems, and execute familiar tasks with a minimum of mental effort. But if you always stick to these well-worn paths, you aren’t giving your brain the stimulation it needs to keep growing and developing. You have to shake things up from time to time!
Memory, like muscular strength, requires you to “use it or lose it.” The more you work out your brain, the better you’ll be able to process and remember information. The best brain exercising activities break your routine and challenge you to use and develop new brain pathways. The activity can be virtually anything, so long as it meets the following three criteria:
It’s new. No matter how intellectually demanding the activity, if it’s something you’re already good at, it’s not a good brain exercise. The activity needs to be something that’s unfamiliar and out of your comfort zone.
It’s challenging. Anything that takes some mental effort and expands your knowledge will work. Examples include learning a new language, instrument, or sport, or tackling a challenging crossword or Sudoku puzzle.
It’s fun. The more interested and engaged you are in the activity, the more likely you’ll be to continue doing it and the greater the benefits you’ll experience. The activity should be challenging, yes, but not so difficult or unpleasant that you dread doing it.
Use mnemonic devices to make memorization easier
Mnemonics (the initial “m” is silent) are clues of any kind that help us remember something, usually by helping us associate the information we want to remember with a visual image, a sentence, or a word.
Mnemonic device
Technique
Example
Visual image
Associate a visual image with a word or name to help you remember them better. Positive, pleasant images that are vivid, colorful, and three-dimensional will be easier to remember.
To remember the name Rosa Parks and what she’s known for, picture a woman sitting on a park bench surrounded by roses, waiting as her bus pulls up.
Acrostic (or sentence)
Make up a sentence in which the first letter of each word is part of or represents the initial of what you want to remember.
The sentence “Every good boy does fine” to memorize the lines of the treble clef, representing the notes E, G, B, D, and F.
Acronym
An acronym is a word that is made up by taking the first letters of all the key words or ideas you need to remember and creating a new word out of them.
The word “HOMES” to remember the names of the Great Lakes: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior.
Rhymes and alliteration
Rhymes, alliteration (a repeating sound or syllable), and even jokes are a memorable way to remember more mundane facts and figures.
The rhyme “Thirty days hath September, April, June, and November” to remember the months of the year with only 30 days in them.
Chunking
Chunking breaks a long list of numbers or other types of information into smaller, more manageable chunks.
Remembering a 10-digit phone number by breaking it down into three sets of numbers: 555-867-5309 (as opposed to5558675309).
Method of loci
Imagine placing the items you want to remember along a route you know well or in specific locations in a familiar room or building.
For a shopping list, imagine bananas in the entryway to your home, a puddle of milk in the middle of the sofa, eggs going up the stairs, and bread on your bed.
Tips for enhancing your ability to learn and remember
Pay attention. You can’t remember something if you never learned it, and you can’t learn something—that is, encode it into your brain—if you don’t pay enough attention to it. It takes about eight seconds of intense focus to process a piece of information into your memory. If you’re easily distracted, pick a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted.
Involve as many senses as possible. Try to relate information to colors, textures, smells and tastes. The physical act of rewriting information can help imprint it onto your brain.Even if you’re a visual learner, read out loud what you want to remember. If you can recite it rhythmically, even better.
Relate information to what you already know. Connect new data to information you already remember, whether it’s new material that builds on previous knowledge, or something as simple as an address of someone who lives on a street where you already know someone.
For more complex material, focus on understanding basic ideas rather than memorizing isolated details. Practice explaining the ideas to someone else in your own words.
Rehearse information you’ve already learned. Review what you’ve learned the same day you learn it, and at intervals thereafter. This “spaced rehearsal” is more effective than cramming, especially for retaining what you’ve learned.
TIPS AND EXERCISES TO SHARPEN YOUR MIND AND BOOST BRAINPOWER
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If our brains were computers, we'd simply add a chip to upgrade our memory. The human brain, however, is more complex than even the most advanced machine, so improving our memory isn’t quite so easy. Just as it takes effort to build physical fitness, so too does boosting brain power.
A strong memory depends on the health and vitality of your brain. Whether you’re a student studying for final exams, a working professional interested in doing all you can to stay mentally sharp, or a senior looking to preserve and enhance your grey matter as you age, there are lots of things you can do to improve your memory and mental performance. Read on for some of the most promising ways to keep your mind and memory in top form.
IN THIS ARTICLE:
Don’t skimp on exercise or sleep
Make time for friends and fun
Relaxation
Bulk up on brain-boosting foods
Give your brain a workout
Mnemonic devices and memorization
Enhancing your ability to learn
Related links
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Harnessing the power of your brain
How memory works
To learn more about how the brain learns and remembers new information, read What is Memory? (PDF)
They say that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but when it comes to the brain, scientists have discovered that this old adage simply isn’t true. The human brain has an astonishing ability to adapt and change—even into old age. This ability is known as neuroplasticity. With the right stimulation, your brain can form new neural pathways, alter existing connections, and adapt and react in ever-changing ways.
The brain’s incredible ability to reshape itself holds true when it comes to learning and memory. You can harness the natural power of neuroplasticity to increase your cognitive abilities, enhance your ability to learn new information, and improve your memory.
Improving memory tip 1: Don’t skimp on exercise or sleep
Just as an athlete relies on sleep and a nutrition-packed diet to perform his or her best, your ability to remember increases when you nurture your brain with a good diet and other healthy habits.
When you exercise the body, you exercise the brain
Treating your body well can enhance your ability to process and recall information. Physical exercise increases oxygen to your brain and reduces the risk for disorders that lead to memory loss, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.Exercise may also enhance the effects of helpful brain chemicals and protect brain cells.
Improve your memory by sleeping on it
When you’re sleep deprived, your brain can’t operate at full capacity. Creativity, problem-solving abilities, and critical thinking skills are compromised. Whether you’re studying, working, or trying to juggle life’s many demands, sleep deprivation is a recipe for disaster.
But sleep is critical to learning and memory in an even more fundamental way. Research shows that sleep is necessary for memory consolidation, with the key memory-enhancing activity occurring during the deepest stages of sleep.
Improving memory tip 2: Make time for friends and fun
When you think of ways to improve memory, do you think of “serious” activities such as wrestling with the New York Times crossword puzzle or mastering chess strategy or do more lighthearted pastimes—hanging out with friends or enjoying a funny movie—come to mind? If you’re like most of us, it’s probably the former. But countless studies show that a life that’s full of friends and fun comes with cognitive benefits.
Healthy relationships: the ultimate memory booster?
Humans are highly social animals. We’re not meant to thrive, let alone thrive, in isolation. Relationships stimulate our brains—in fact, interacting with others may be the best kind of brain exercise.
Research shows that having meaningful relationships and a strong support system are vital not only to emotional health, but brain health. In one recent study from the Harvard School of Public Health, for example, researchers found that people with the most active social lives had the slowest rate of memory decline.
There are many ways to start taking advantage of the brain and memory-boosting benefits of socializing. Volunteer, join a club, make it a point to see friends more often, or reach out over the phone. And if a human isn’t handy, don’t overlook the value of a pet—especially the highly-social dog.
Laughter is good for your brain
You’ve heard that laughter is the best medicine, and that holds true for the brain as well as the body. Unlike emotional responses, which are limited to specific areas of the brain, laughter involves multiple regions across the whole brain.
Furthermore, listening to jokes and working out punch lines activates areas of the brain vital to learning and creativity.As psychologist Daniel Goleman notes in his book Emotional Intelligence, “laughter…seems to help people think more broadly and associate more freely.”
Looking for ways to bring more laughter in your life? Start with these basics:
Laugh at yourself. Share your embarrassing moments. The best way to take ourselves less seriously is talk about times when we took ourselves too seriously.
When you hear laughter, move toward it. Most of the time, people are very happy to share something funny because it gives them an opportunity to laugh again and feed off the humor you find in it. When you hear laughter, seek it out and ask, “What’s funny?”
Spend time with fun, playful people. These are people who laugh easily–both at themselves and at life’s absurdities–and who routinely find the humor in everyday events. Their playful point of view and laughter are contagious.
Surround yourself with reminders to lighten up. Keep a toy on your desk or in your car. Put up a funny poster in your office. Choose a computer screensaver that makes you laugh. Frame photos of you and your family or friends having fun.
Pay attention to children and emulate them. They are the experts on playing, taking life lightly, and laughing.
Improving memory tip 3: Keep stress in check
Stress is one of the brain’s worst enemies. Over time, if left unchecked, chronic stress destroys brain cells and damages the hippocampus, the region of the brain involved in the formation of new memories and the retrieval of old ones.
The stress-busting, brain-boosting benefits of meditation
The scientific evidence for the mental health benefits of meditation continues to pile up. Studies show that meditation helps improve many different types of conditions, including depression, anxiety, chronic pain, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Meditation also can improve focus, concentration, creativity, and learning and reasoning skills.
Meditation works its “magic” by changing the actual brain. Brain images show that regular meditators have more activity in the left prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain associated with feelings of joy and equanimity. Meditation also increases the thickness of the cerebral cortex and encourages more connections between brain cells—all of which increases mental sharpness and memory ability.
To learn more about meditation and other brain-boosting relaxation techniques, see Relaxation Techniques for Stress Relief: Relaxation Exercises and Tips.
Get depression in check
In addition to stress, depression takes a heavy toll on the brain. In fact, some of the symptoms of depression include difficulty concentrating, making decisions, and remembering things. If you are mentally sluggish because of depression, seeking treatment will make a big difference in your cognitive abilities, including memory.
Read: Understanding Depression: Signs, Symptoms, Causes, and Help
Improving memory tip 4: Bulk up on brain-boosting foods
Just as the body needs fuel, so does the brain. You probably know already that a diet based on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and “healthy” fats will provide lots of health benefits, but such a diet can also improve memory. But for brain health, it’s not just what you eat—it’s also what you don’t eat. The following nutritional tips will help boost your brainpower and reduce your risk of dementia.
Get your omega-3s. More and more evidence indicates that omega-3 fatty acids are particularly beneficial for brain health. Fish is a particularly rich source of omega-3, especially cold water “fatty fish” such as salmon, tuna, halibut, trout, mackerel, sardines, and herring. In addition to boosting brainpower, eating fish may also lower your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. If you’re not a fan of fish, consider turning to fish oil supplements. Other non-fish sources of omega-3s include walnuts, ground flaxseed, flaxseed oil, pumpkin seeds, and soybeans.
Limit saturated fat. Research shows that diets high in saturated fat increase your risk of dementia and impair concentration and memory. The primary sources of saturated far are animal products: red meat, whole milk, butter, cheese, sour cream, and ice cream.
Eat more fruit and vegetables. Produce is packed with antioxidants, substances that protect your brain cells from damage. Colorful fruits and vegetables are particularly good antioxidant superfood sources. Try leafy green vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, romaine lettuce, Swiss chard, and arugula, and fruit such as apricots, mangoes, cantaloupe, and watermelon.
Drink wine (or grape juice) in moderation. Keeping your alcohol consumption in check is key, since alcohol kills brain cells. But in moderation (around 1 glass a day for women; 2 for men), alcohol may actually improve memory and cognition. Red wine appears to be the best option, as it is rich in resveratrol, a flavonoid that boosts blood flow in the brain and reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Other resveratrol-packed options include grape juice, cranberry juice, fresh grapes and berries, and peanuts.
For mental energy, choose complex carbohydrates.
Just as a racecar needs gas, your brain needs fuel to perform at its best. When you need to be at the top of your mental game, carbohydrates can keep you going. But the type of carb you choose makes all the difference. Carbohydrates fuel your brain, but simple carbs (sugar, white bread, refined grains) give a quick boost followed by an equally rapid crash. For energy that lasts, choose complex carbohydrates such as whole-wheat bread, brown rice, oatmeal, high-fiber cereal, lentils, and whole beans.
Improving memory tip 5: Give your brain a workout
By the time you’ve reached adulthood, your brain has developed millions of neural pathways that help you process information quickly, solve familiar problems, and execute familiar tasks with a minimum of mental effort. But if you always stick to these well-worn paths, you aren’t giving your brain the stimulation it needs to keep growing and developing. You have to shake things up from time to time!
Memory, like muscular strength, requires you to “use it or lose it.” The more you work out your brain, the better you’ll be able to process and remember information. The best brain exercising activities break your routine and challenge you to use and develop new brain pathways. The activity can be virtually anything, so long as it meets the following three criteria:
It’s new. No matter how intellectually demanding the activity, if it’s something you’re already good at, it’s not a good brain exercise. The activity needs to be something that’s unfamiliar and out of your comfort zone.
It’s challenging. Anything that takes some mental effort and expands your knowledge will work. Examples include learning a new language, instrument, or sport, or tackling a challenging crossword or Sudoku puzzle.
It’s fun. The more interested and engaged you are in the activity, the more likely you’ll be to continue doing it and the greater the benefits you’ll experience. The activity should be challenging, yes, but not so difficult or unpleasant that you dread doing it.
Use mnemonic devices to make memorization easier
Mnemonics (the initial “m” is silent) are clues of any kind that help us remember something, usually by helping us associate the information we want to remember with a visual image, a sentence, or a word.
Mnemonic device
Technique
Example
Visual image
Associate a visual image with a word or name to help you remember them better. Positive, pleasant images that are vivid, colorful, and three-dimensional will be easier to remember.
To remember the name Rosa Parks and what she’s known for, picture a woman sitting on a park bench surrounded by roses, waiting as her bus pulls up.
Acrostic (or sentence)
Make up a sentence in which the first letter of each word is part of or represents the initial of what you want to remember.
The sentence “Every good boy does fine” to memorize the lines of the treble clef, representing the notes E, G, B, D, and F.
Acronym
An acronym is a word that is made up by taking the first letters of all the key words or ideas you need to remember and creating a new word out of them.
The word “HOMES” to remember the names of the Great Lakes: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior.
Rhymes and alliteration
Rhymes, alliteration (a repeating sound or syllable), and even jokes are a memorable way to remember more mundane facts and figures.
The rhyme “Thirty days hath September, April, June, and November” to remember the months of the year with only 30 days in them.
Chunking
Chunking breaks a long list of numbers or other types of information into smaller, more manageable chunks.
Remembering a 10-digit phone number by breaking it down into three sets of numbers: 555-867-5309 (as opposed to5558675309).
Method of loci
Imagine placing the items you want to remember along a route you know well or in specific locations in a familiar room or building.
For a shopping list, imagine bananas in the entryway to your home, a puddle of milk in the middle of the sofa, eggs going up the stairs, and bread on your bed.
Tips for enhancing your ability to learn and remember
Pay attention. You can’t remember something if you never learned it, and you can’t learn something—that is, encode it into your brain—if you don’t pay enough attention to it. It takes about eight seconds of intense focus to process a piece of information into your memory. If you’re easily distracted, pick a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted.
Involve as many senses as possible. Try to relate information to colors, textures, smells and tastes. The physical act of rewriting information can help imprint it onto your brain.Even if you’re a visual learner, read out loud what you want to remember. If you can recite it rhythmically, even better.
Relate information to what you already know. Connect new data to information you already remember, whether it’s new material that builds on previous knowledge, or something as simple as an address of someone who lives on a street where you already know someone.
For more complex material, focus on understanding basic ideas rather than memorizing isolated details. Practice explaining the ideas to someone else in your own words.
Rehearse information you’ve already learned. Review what you’ve learned the same day you learn it, and at intervals thereafter. This “spaced rehearsal” is more effective than cramming, especially for retaining what you’ve learned.
How to Memorize a List Using Numbers and Rhyming Words
Edited byScott Hanson and 13 others
Article
Edit Discuss History
You can memorize anything by associating the things to be memorized with numbers and pictures in your mind. This method is called a pegword system.
1 bun Associate your first item with a bun
2 shoe Associate your second item with shoes
3 tree Associate your third item with a tree
4 door Associate your fourth item with a door
5 hive Associate your fifth item with bees
6 bricks
7 heaven
8 plate
9 wine
10 pen
EditSteps
1Memorize the list above.
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2Since the numbers and the objects rhyme, you can create your own number objects for numbers eleven and up. The more unusual and strange the objects are, the better it is for you to remember it.
3Take the list of things you need to memorize and picture each item in your mind with the number objects. For instance, pretend that you are trying to memorize the following things: cup, rice, turkey, grass, pencil, sad, computer, guitar, needle, rabbit. Now take each item and associate them with each number item so that you picture in your mind: one is a bun - a cup between 2 buns; two is a shoe - a shoe filled with grains of rice; three is a tree - a turkey sitting on a tree; four is a door - a door covered with grass; five is a hive - a pencil sticking out of a beehive; six bricks - a bunch of sad-faced bricks; seven is heaven - a computer sitting on a mass of clouds in front of the golden gate of heaven; eight is a plate - a guitar sitting on top of a plate; nine a glass of wine - needles in a glass of wine (ouch!); ten is a pen - a rabbit writing something with a pen in his hand.
4Try to recall these things fifteen minutes later by thinking of a number, that number's object, and then the thing you are trying to remember (which is associated with then number object). For example, (if you follow the example shown in this so far) think of the number three: three is a tree. What is sitting on that tree? Check back to see if you got it right. Does it work? I hope so, it sure does work for me!
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EditTips
Think of the number objects as vividly in your mind as possible. And put the thing you are trying to memorize in the most uncommon place/manner, so that you can remember it better.
Practice makes perfect! The more you try to memorize things, the easier it will get.
If you want longer lists than are possible with rhymes (21 rhymes with 31 rhymes with 41, and so on limiting the number of pegs), see the article Memorize Numbers. You can generate pegs with that system. It does take longer to learn however, and rhymes can be learned immediately.
Edited byScott Hanson and 13 others
Article
Edit Discuss History
You can memorize anything by associating the things to be memorized with numbers and pictures in your mind. This method is called a pegword system.
1 bun Associate your first item with a bun
2 shoe Associate your second item with shoes
3 tree Associate your third item with a tree
4 door Associate your fourth item with a door
5 hive Associate your fifth item with bees
6 bricks
7 heaven
8 plate
9 wine
10 pen
EditSteps
1Memorize the list above.
Ads by Google
Brain Training Games Improve Memory with Scientifically Designed Exercises - Free Trial!
www.lumosity.com
2Since the numbers and the objects rhyme, you can create your own number objects for numbers eleven and up. The more unusual and strange the objects are, the better it is for you to remember it.
3Take the list of things you need to memorize and picture each item in your mind with the number objects. For instance, pretend that you are trying to memorize the following things: cup, rice, turkey, grass, pencil, sad, computer, guitar, needle, rabbit. Now take each item and associate them with each number item so that you picture in your mind: one is a bun - a cup between 2 buns; two is a shoe - a shoe filled with grains of rice; three is a tree - a turkey sitting on a tree; four is a door - a door covered with grass; five is a hive - a pencil sticking out of a beehive; six bricks - a bunch of sad-faced bricks; seven is heaven - a computer sitting on a mass of clouds in front of the golden gate of heaven; eight is a plate - a guitar sitting on top of a plate; nine a glass of wine - needles in a glass of wine (ouch!); ten is a pen - a rabbit writing something with a pen in his hand.
4Try to recall these things fifteen minutes later by thinking of a number, that number's object, and then the thing you are trying to remember (which is associated with then number object). For example, (if you follow the example shown in this so far) think of the number three: three is a tree. What is sitting on that tree? Check back to see if you got it right. Does it work? I hope so, it sure does work for me!
Ads by Google
Brain Training Games Improve Memory with Scientifically Designed Exercises - Free Trial!
www.lumosity.com
Brain Test™ Developed by Neuroscientists Complete brain analysis - Free.
www.braingradetest.com
EditTips
Think of the number objects as vividly in your mind as possible. And put the thing you are trying to memorize in the most uncommon place/manner, so that you can remember it better.
Practice makes perfect! The more you try to memorize things, the easier it will get.
If you want longer lists than are possible with rhymes (21 rhymes with 31 rhymes with 41, and so on limiting the number of pegs), see the article Memorize Numbers. You can generate pegs with that system. It does take longer to learn however, and rhymes can be learned immediately.
memory
http://www.wikihow.com/Improve-Your-Memory
How to Improve Your Memory
Edited byBen Rubenstein and 107 others
Article
Edit Discuss History
Wouldn’t it be nice to just look at a page and never forget what was on there? What if you could never again forget a friend’s birthday? The bad news is, not everyone has a photographic memory, otherwise known as eidetic memory. Most of us rely on mnemonic devices. The good news, however, is that everyone can take steps to improve their memory, and with time and practice most people can gain the ability to memorize seemingly impossible amounts of information. Whether you want to win the World Memory Championships, ace your history test, or simply remember where you put your keys, this article can get you started.
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EditSteps
Specific Tips
1Convince yourself that you do have a good memory that will improve. Too many people get stuck here and convince themselves that their memory is bad, that they are just not good with names, that numbers just slip out of their minds for some reason. Erase those thoughts and vow to improve your memory. Celebrate even little achievements to keep yourself motivated.
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2Memory is best practiced through association.[1] The reason that most of us can't remember our friend's phone number is because 535-3473 just a string of numbers that have no obvious connection to your friend. In order to use your memory efficiently, the best way is to actively create an association for things you're trying to remember. For example, write out your friend's phone number: five three five three four seven three. Now try to create a clever phrase that starts with the first letter of those words: fairy tales feel true for some time. You're now much more likely to remember that phone number.
Alternatively, you could create a story that involves 5 characters buying 3 things and doing 5 more things with them... Use your imagination. The point is that you want to connect the phone number to something else. Throwing your best friend as a character in the story would be a good idea too.
3Association also works if you created vivid, memorable images. You remember information more easily if you can visualize it. If you want to associate a child with a book, try not to visualize the child reading the book -- that's too simple and forgettable. Instead, come up with something more jarring, something that sticks, like the book chasing the child, or the child eating the book. It's your mind -– make the images as shocking and emotional as possible to keep the associations strong.
4Group information together to help you remember them; this is called chunking. Random lists of things (a shopping list, for example) can be especially difficult to remember. To make it easier, try categorizing the individual things from the list. If you can remember that, among other things, you wanted to buy four different kinds of vegetables, you’ll find it easier to remember all four.
Another example: you probably won't remember 17761812184818651898, but try putting a space after every fourth number. Now you can see that those numbers are years, and you can pick key events from each year to help you remember the string of numbers (e.g., Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Mexican-American War, Civil War, Spanish-American War).
5Repeat information you're trying to memorize to yourself every few days or so. This is called spaced repetition learning. We are more likely to remember more recent things and things that we've experienced with greater frequency[2], so repeating associations and mnemonics to yourself is a good idea. Start practicing every day, and you can gradually decrease the frequency until you remember it naturally.
Flash cards are especially useful for studying. It's essentially a card with a question on one side and the answer on the other. (You can also put two things you want to associate on opposite sides of a flashcard.) In the course of learning a topic, you would have a stack of cards and would go through them testing yourself. Those that you got right you would put to one side and review a few days later. The more difficult ones might take several days to fix in the brain. However, how do you determine the ideal time to review the cards that you have temporarily remembered? Leave it too long and, like all memories, it may have faded and we forget the answer. If we review it too soon then we waste time looking at it. We need some system to know exactly when to review each card. This is where "Spaced Repetition Software" comes in. This software automatically works out the most efficient time to test you on each card for optimum memory retention. There are a number of free bits of software out there for you to use.
Cramming only works to put information in your short-term memory. You may remember the information for your exam the next day, but you will barely recall the unit when it's time to take the final. Spacing out your studying is important because it gives your brain time to encode the information and store it in your long-term memory.
6Organize your life. Keep items that you frequently need, such as keys and eyeglasses, in the same place every time. Use an electronic organizer or daily planner to keep track of appointments, due dates for bills, and other tasks. Keep phone numbers and addresses in an address book or enter them into your computer or cell phone. Improved organization can help free up your powers of concentration so that you can remember less routine things. Even if being organized doesn’t improve your memory, you’ll receive a lot of the same benefits (i.e. you won’t have to search for your keys anymore).
General Advice
1Exercise your brain. Regularly "exercising" the brain keeps it growing and spurs the development of new nerve connections that can help improve memory. By developing new mental skills -- especially complex ones such as learning a new language or learning to play a new musical instrument -- and challenging your brain with puzzles and games, you can keep your brain active and improve its physiological functioning. Try some fun puzzle exercises everyday such as crosswords, Sudoku, and other games which are easy enough to for anyone.
2Exercise daily. Regular aerobic exercise improves circulation and efficiency throughout the body -- including the brain -- and can help ward off the memory loss that comes with aging. Exercise also makes you more alert and relaxed, and can thereby improve your memory uptake, allowing you to take better mental "pictures".
3Reduce stress. Chronic stress does in fact physically damage the brain, it can make remembering much more difficult. After prolonged stress, the brain will start to become affected and deteriorate.
Stressful situations are recognized by the hypothalamus, which in turn signals the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland then secretes adrenocorticotropic hormones (ACTH) which influences the adrenal glands to secrete adrenaline and later, cortisol (corticosteroids). The corticosteroids can weaken the blood-brain barrier and damage the hippocampus (the memory center). Ironically, the hippocampus controls the secretion of the hormone released by the hypothalamus through a process of negative feedback. After chronic stress, it will begin to deteriorate and will not be as efficient in regulating the degenerative corticosteroids, impairing memory. Neurogenesis (formation of new neurons) indeed exists in the hippocampus, but stress inhibits it.
Realistically speaking, stress may never be completely eliminated from one's life, but it definitely can be controlled. Even temporary stresses can make it more difficult to effectively focus on concepts and observe things. Try to relax, regularly practice yoga or other stretching exercises, and see a doctor if you have severe chronic stress as soon as possible.
4Eat well and eat right. There are a lot of herbal supplements on the market that claim to improve memory, but none have yet been shown to be effective in clinical tests (although small studies have shown some promising results for ginkgo biloba and phosphatidylserine). A healthy diet, however, contributes to a healthy brain, and foods containing antioxidants -- broccoli, blueberries, spinach, and berries, for example -- and Omega-3 fatty acids appear to promote healthy brain functioning.
Feed your brain with such supplements as Thiamine, Niacin and Vitamin B-6.
Grazing, or eating 5 or 6 small meals throughout the day instead of 3 large meals, also seems to improve mental functioning (including memory) by limiting dips in blood sugar, which may negatively affect the brain. Make sure it's healthy stuff.
5Take better pictures. Often we forget things not because our memory is bad, but rather because our observational skills need work. One common situation where this occurs (and which almost everyone can relate to) is meeting new people. Often we don’t really learn people’s names at first because we aren’t really concentrating on remembering them. You’ll find that if you make a conscious effort to remember such things, you’ll do much better.
One way to train yourself to be more observant is to look at an unfamiliar photograph for a few seconds and then turn the photograph over and describe or write down as many details as you can about the photograph. Try closing your eyes and picturing the photo in your mind. Use a new photograph each time you try this exercise, and with regular practice you will find you’re able to remember more details with even shorter glimpses of the photos.
6Give yourself time to form a memory. Memories are very fragile in the short-term, and distractions can make you quickly forget something as simple as a phone number. The key to avoid losing memories before you can even form them is to be able to focus on the thing to be remembered for a while without thinking about other things, so when you’re trying to remember something, avoid distractions and complicated tasks for a few minutes.
7Sleep well. The amount of sleep we get affects the brain's ability to recall recently learned information. Getting a good night's sleep -- a minimum of seven hours a night -- may improve your short-term memory and long-term relational memory, according to recent studies conducted at the Harvard Medical School.
8Build your memorization arsenal. Memory pegs, memory palaces, and the Dominic System are just some techniques which form the foundation for mnemonic techniques, and which can visibly improve your memory. Memory pegs involve visualization methods in which you make use of various familiar landmarks, associating the to be learnt information to these various popular landmarks. This helps to trigger and enhance the memory process.
9Venture out and learn from your mistakes. Go ahead and take a stab at memorizing the first one hundred digits of pi, or, if you've done that already, the first one thousand. Memorize the monarchs of England through your memory palaces, or your grocery list through visualization. Through diligent effort you will eventually master the art of memorization.
Ads by Google
Calcium binding proteins World leader in antibodies to calbindin, calretinin, parvalbumin
www.swant.com
Clinic Lemana Switzerland Stress, tension, mental fatigue? Your solution: medical cell therapy
www.lemana.com
EditVideo
This video contains a variety of tips for memory enhancement.
EditTips
Most people’s brains are not very good at remembering abstract information, such as numbers. This is one of the things that separate those with eidetic memory from those with a great, normal memory. The key to being able to recall such things is to build associations and links that evoke the memory. This is why almost anybody with normal brain functioning can dramatically improve their ability to recall things using mnemonics. While building a memory palace, for example, actually requires that you "remember" more, by associating the thing to be remembered with other things (emotions, other memories, images, etc.) you build more mental "links" to the memory, thus making it easier to access.
A large number of memory improvement products are available (a search on the internet will produce hundreds of such products). Most of these products actually teach you mnemonic strategies, and while some are no doubt bunk, some are legitimate.
One easy method to help you remember people’s names is to look at the person when you are introduced and say the person’s name: "Nice to meet you, Bill." Another way to remember someone's name is to visualize that person holding hands with another person you know well with that name. It's weird but it works.
Try memorizing the order of a deck of playing cards. Although this may seem like a pointless task, it will allow you to discover memorization techniques that work best for you.
Take a tray of objects (say, 10 objects). Study them for 30 seconds. Take the tray away and write down all the objects you can. Increase the number of items to exercise the mind even more. Or, get someone else to find the objects on the tray; this makes them harder to remember and will test you more.
Put black ink at the end of your palm to remember any important thing for the next day or for that day itself. Whenever you see the black dot, you'll remember what to do.
Visualize whatever you have to do as part of something you see every day. For example, if you have to give your dog some medicine, visualize your dog in your fridge every time you walk past it or look inside. This will keep your dog fresh in your mind.
Write the event or task down immediately. If you don't have a pen, one thing you can do is change the time on your watch; later on you will remember why it is set at the wrong time. You could also wear your watch upside down.
Write in a diary or journal every day without fail. Even small issues should be written down -- this is a good way to make sure you don't miss anything.
Leave yourself a telephone message reminding yourself of important "to do" tasks.
Memorize your favorite song or poem until you can say it to yourself without any help. Try to do this often.
There are also games that have been created to help you improve your memory. Playing some of these will help.
EditWarnings
If you notice a severe or sudden deterioration of memory, talk to your doctor immediately. Sometimes "senior moments" can be precursors to Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.
Exercise due diligence when purchasing a memory improvement product. Find out as much as you can about how the program works, and do your own research to determine if it will work for you. Some of these products are simply scams. Be especially wary of products that promise to improve your memory instantly or with little or no effort: effective strategies to improve recall take time and practice.
While some herbal supplements that claim to improve memory may in fact work, there is no conclusive evidence that any of these are effective. Most are harmless, however, and may be worth a try, but exercise caution: so
How to Improve Your Memory
Edited byBen Rubenstein and 107 others
Article
Edit Discuss History
Wouldn’t it be nice to just look at a page and never forget what was on there? What if you could never again forget a friend’s birthday? The bad news is, not everyone has a photographic memory, otherwise known as eidetic memory. Most of us rely on mnemonic devices. The good news, however, is that everyone can take steps to improve their memory, and with time and practice most people can gain the ability to memorize seemingly impossible amounts of information. Whether you want to win the World Memory Championships, ace your history test, or simply remember where you put your keys, this article can get you started.
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EditSteps
Specific Tips
1Convince yourself that you do have a good memory that will improve. Too many people get stuck here and convince themselves that their memory is bad, that they are just not good with names, that numbers just slip out of their minds for some reason. Erase those thoughts and vow to improve your memory. Celebrate even little achievements to keep yourself motivated.
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2Memory is best practiced through association.[1] The reason that most of us can't remember our friend's phone number is because 535-3473 just a string of numbers that have no obvious connection to your friend. In order to use your memory efficiently, the best way is to actively create an association for things you're trying to remember. For example, write out your friend's phone number: five three five three four seven three. Now try to create a clever phrase that starts with the first letter of those words: fairy tales feel true for some time. You're now much more likely to remember that phone number.
Alternatively, you could create a story that involves 5 characters buying 3 things and doing 5 more things with them... Use your imagination. The point is that you want to connect the phone number to something else. Throwing your best friend as a character in the story would be a good idea too.
3Association also works if you created vivid, memorable images. You remember information more easily if you can visualize it. If you want to associate a child with a book, try not to visualize the child reading the book -- that's too simple and forgettable. Instead, come up with something more jarring, something that sticks, like the book chasing the child, or the child eating the book. It's your mind -– make the images as shocking and emotional as possible to keep the associations strong.
4Group information together to help you remember them; this is called chunking. Random lists of things (a shopping list, for example) can be especially difficult to remember. To make it easier, try categorizing the individual things from the list. If you can remember that, among other things, you wanted to buy four different kinds of vegetables, you’ll find it easier to remember all four.
Another example: you probably won't remember 17761812184818651898, but try putting a space after every fourth number. Now you can see that those numbers are years, and you can pick key events from each year to help you remember the string of numbers (e.g., Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Mexican-American War, Civil War, Spanish-American War).
5Repeat information you're trying to memorize to yourself every few days or so. This is called spaced repetition learning. We are more likely to remember more recent things and things that we've experienced with greater frequency[2], so repeating associations and mnemonics to yourself is a good idea. Start practicing every day, and you can gradually decrease the frequency until you remember it naturally.
Flash cards are especially useful for studying. It's essentially a card with a question on one side and the answer on the other. (You can also put two things you want to associate on opposite sides of a flashcard.) In the course of learning a topic, you would have a stack of cards and would go through them testing yourself. Those that you got right you would put to one side and review a few days later. The more difficult ones might take several days to fix in the brain. However, how do you determine the ideal time to review the cards that you have temporarily remembered? Leave it too long and, like all memories, it may have faded and we forget the answer. If we review it too soon then we waste time looking at it. We need some system to know exactly when to review each card. This is where "Spaced Repetition Software" comes in. This software automatically works out the most efficient time to test you on each card for optimum memory retention. There are a number of free bits of software out there for you to use.
Cramming only works to put information in your short-term memory. You may remember the information for your exam the next day, but you will barely recall the unit when it's time to take the final. Spacing out your studying is important because it gives your brain time to encode the information and store it in your long-term memory.
6Organize your life. Keep items that you frequently need, such as keys and eyeglasses, in the same place every time. Use an electronic organizer or daily planner to keep track of appointments, due dates for bills, and other tasks. Keep phone numbers and addresses in an address book or enter them into your computer or cell phone. Improved organization can help free up your powers of concentration so that you can remember less routine things. Even if being organized doesn’t improve your memory, you’ll receive a lot of the same benefits (i.e. you won’t have to search for your keys anymore).
General Advice
1Exercise your brain. Regularly "exercising" the brain keeps it growing and spurs the development of new nerve connections that can help improve memory. By developing new mental skills -- especially complex ones such as learning a new language or learning to play a new musical instrument -- and challenging your brain with puzzles and games, you can keep your brain active and improve its physiological functioning. Try some fun puzzle exercises everyday such as crosswords, Sudoku, and other games which are easy enough to for anyone.
2Exercise daily. Regular aerobic exercise improves circulation and efficiency throughout the body -- including the brain -- and can help ward off the memory loss that comes with aging. Exercise also makes you more alert and relaxed, and can thereby improve your memory uptake, allowing you to take better mental "pictures".
3Reduce stress. Chronic stress does in fact physically damage the brain, it can make remembering much more difficult. After prolonged stress, the brain will start to become affected and deteriorate.
Stressful situations are recognized by the hypothalamus, which in turn signals the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland then secretes adrenocorticotropic hormones (ACTH) which influences the adrenal glands to secrete adrenaline and later, cortisol (corticosteroids). The corticosteroids can weaken the blood-brain barrier and damage the hippocampus (the memory center). Ironically, the hippocampus controls the secretion of the hormone released by the hypothalamus through a process of negative feedback. After chronic stress, it will begin to deteriorate and will not be as efficient in regulating the degenerative corticosteroids, impairing memory. Neurogenesis (formation of new neurons) indeed exists in the hippocampus, but stress inhibits it.
Realistically speaking, stress may never be completely eliminated from one's life, but it definitely can be controlled. Even temporary stresses can make it more difficult to effectively focus on concepts and observe things. Try to relax, regularly practice yoga or other stretching exercises, and see a doctor if you have severe chronic stress as soon as possible.
4Eat well and eat right. There are a lot of herbal supplements on the market that claim to improve memory, but none have yet been shown to be effective in clinical tests (although small studies have shown some promising results for ginkgo biloba and phosphatidylserine). A healthy diet, however, contributes to a healthy brain, and foods containing antioxidants -- broccoli, blueberries, spinach, and berries, for example -- and Omega-3 fatty acids appear to promote healthy brain functioning.
Feed your brain with such supplements as Thiamine, Niacin and Vitamin B-6.
Grazing, or eating 5 or 6 small meals throughout the day instead of 3 large meals, also seems to improve mental functioning (including memory) by limiting dips in blood sugar, which may negatively affect the brain. Make sure it's healthy stuff.
5Take better pictures. Often we forget things not because our memory is bad, but rather because our observational skills need work. One common situation where this occurs (and which almost everyone can relate to) is meeting new people. Often we don’t really learn people’s names at first because we aren’t really concentrating on remembering them. You’ll find that if you make a conscious effort to remember such things, you’ll do much better.
One way to train yourself to be more observant is to look at an unfamiliar photograph for a few seconds and then turn the photograph over and describe or write down as many details as you can about the photograph. Try closing your eyes and picturing the photo in your mind. Use a new photograph each time you try this exercise, and with regular practice you will find you’re able to remember more details with even shorter glimpses of the photos.
6Give yourself time to form a memory. Memories are very fragile in the short-term, and distractions can make you quickly forget something as simple as a phone number. The key to avoid losing memories before you can even form them is to be able to focus on the thing to be remembered for a while without thinking about other things, so when you’re trying to remember something, avoid distractions and complicated tasks for a few minutes.
7Sleep well. The amount of sleep we get affects the brain's ability to recall recently learned information. Getting a good night's sleep -- a minimum of seven hours a night -- may improve your short-term memory and long-term relational memory, according to recent studies conducted at the Harvard Medical School.
8Build your memorization arsenal. Memory pegs, memory palaces, and the Dominic System are just some techniques which form the foundation for mnemonic techniques, and which can visibly improve your memory. Memory pegs involve visualization methods in which you make use of various familiar landmarks, associating the to be learnt information to these various popular landmarks. This helps to trigger and enhance the memory process.
9Venture out and learn from your mistakes. Go ahead and take a stab at memorizing the first one hundred digits of pi, or, if you've done that already, the first one thousand. Memorize the monarchs of England through your memory palaces, or your grocery list through visualization. Through diligent effort you will eventually master the art of memorization.
Ads by Google
Calcium binding proteins World leader in antibodies to calbindin, calretinin, parvalbumin
www.swant.com
Clinic Lemana Switzerland Stress, tension, mental fatigue? Your solution: medical cell therapy
www.lemana.com
EditVideo
This video contains a variety of tips for memory enhancement.
EditTips
Most people’s brains are not very good at remembering abstract information, such as numbers. This is one of the things that separate those with eidetic memory from those with a great, normal memory. The key to being able to recall such things is to build associations and links that evoke the memory. This is why almost anybody with normal brain functioning can dramatically improve their ability to recall things using mnemonics. While building a memory palace, for example, actually requires that you "remember" more, by associating the thing to be remembered with other things (emotions, other memories, images, etc.) you build more mental "links" to the memory, thus making it easier to access.
A large number of memory improvement products are available (a search on the internet will produce hundreds of such products). Most of these products actually teach you mnemonic strategies, and while some are no doubt bunk, some are legitimate.
One easy method to help you remember people’s names is to look at the person when you are introduced and say the person’s name: "Nice to meet you, Bill." Another way to remember someone's name is to visualize that person holding hands with another person you know well with that name. It's weird but it works.
Try memorizing the order of a deck of playing cards. Although this may seem like a pointless task, it will allow you to discover memorization techniques that work best for you.
Take a tray of objects (say, 10 objects). Study them for 30 seconds. Take the tray away and write down all the objects you can. Increase the number of items to exercise the mind even more. Or, get someone else to find the objects on the tray; this makes them harder to remember and will test you more.
Put black ink at the end of your palm to remember any important thing for the next day or for that day itself. Whenever you see the black dot, you'll remember what to do.
Visualize whatever you have to do as part of something you see every day. For example, if you have to give your dog some medicine, visualize your dog in your fridge every time you walk past it or look inside. This will keep your dog fresh in your mind.
Write the event or task down immediately. If you don't have a pen, one thing you can do is change the time on your watch; later on you will remember why it is set at the wrong time. You could also wear your watch upside down.
Write in a diary or journal every day without fail. Even small issues should be written down -- this is a good way to make sure you don't miss anything.
Leave yourself a telephone message reminding yourself of important "to do" tasks.
Memorize your favorite song or poem until you can say it to yourself without any help. Try to do this often.
There are also games that have been created to help you improve your memory. Playing some of these will help.
EditWarnings
If you notice a severe or sudden deterioration of memory, talk to your doctor immediately. Sometimes "senior moments" can be precursors to Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.
Exercise due diligence when purchasing a memory improvement product. Find out as much as you can about how the program works, and do your own research to determine if it will work for you. Some of these products are simply scams. Be especially wary of products that promise to improve your memory instantly or with little or no effort: effective strategies to improve recall take time and practice.
While some herbal supplements that claim to improve memory may in fact work, there is no conclusive evidence that any of these are effective. Most are harmless, however, and may be worth a try, but exercise caution: so
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