BRAIN IMPROVEMENT

Simple Yet Effective Proven Strategies for Improving Memory Strength &
Retention for Dramatic Brain Improvement

By
Joseph Walker
 Copyright 2013 © Joseph Walker

Kindle Edition
All Rights Reserved, No part of this publication may be published or reproduced, redistributed, transmitted in any
form or by any means without prior written consent from the author
 Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1 - The Basics of Memory
Chapter 2 - Snooze or Lose: Sleep for your Memory
Chapter 3 - Physical Exercise can Help your Memory to Enhance
Chapter 4 - Eating Better to Help you Remember More
Chapter 5 - How Brain Workouts Enhance Memory?
Chapter 6 - Socialization can Improve your Memorization
Chapter 7 - Save your Memory by Getting Rid of Multitasking
Chapter 8 – Mnemonic Devices: A Tool to Remember
TOP TEN F.A.Q.
Conclusion
 Introduction
I want to thank you and congratulate you for downloading the book, “Brain Improvement”.
This book contains seven proven steps and strategies on how to strengthen your memory, as well as promote the
health of your brain.
Memory is an important mental ability that all individuals should possess. This is because a faulty memory will give
us trouble recalling concepts or facts that may be important in our life.
Humans can never hope to get through with their everyday lives if they have weak memories. This book will present
everything you need to know about memory, and what can you do to improve it.
Thanks again for downloading this book, I hope you enjoy it!

“I can only note that the past is beautiful because one never realizes an emotion at the time. It expands later, and
thus we don't have complete emotions about the present, only about the past.” – Virginia Wolf

“If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.” – Mark Twain

“The advantage of a bad memory is that one enjoys several times the same good things for the first time.” –
Fredrick Nietzsche
 Chapter 1 - The Basics of Memory
Mental ability can be divided into different skills – one of which is memory. Before the book fulfills its promise to
provide effective tips in improving your memory, it is important to have knowledge about it first.
This chapter will discuss the basics of human memory, as well as its counterpart – forgetting.

What is Memory?
Memory refers to an individual’s ability to perform three processes:

Encoding – refers to the process of inputting information in your brain so that you can access it at a later time.
It is the environment that provides you with the information that you can encode.
Storage – refers to “saving” the information that you have encoded in your storage system (in other words, your
brain). This process is what makes retrieval possible. Just like in a computer, you can never access the
document that you’ve been encoding if you’re not going to save it.
Retrieval – refers to the process of accessing information that you have encoded and stored. This is when you
are able to “withdraw” from the fund of information that you have and put it back where it belongs.

Importance of Memory
Memory is an important mental ability necessary for our existence because of the following:

Even the most basic skills that humans need for survival such as maintaining personal hygiene require memory.
Without it, we will need to learn and re-learn these skills every single day. Seeing an individual with
Alzheimer’s disease will give us an idea of what life will be without memory.
More success is waiting for people with good memories. This is especially true on careers where the individual
is required to process and retain as much information as possible, like physicians or lawyers. Both of those
careers rely on the individual’s memory strength to do their jobs well. Since memory is closely tied up to
intelligence, having a good memory also implies that the person is intelligent.

Ebbinghaus’ Forgetting Curve

It was in 1885 when Hermann Ebbinghaus made an experiment that involves memory. He wanted to know how long
an individual can remember non-important information, such as a series of numbers or letters that do not make
sense. By analyzing the results of his study, he was able to draw a graph and give a general estimate as to how much
time does it take for a person to forget information. This became known as the Ebbinghaus’ Forgetting Curve.
According to him, people steadily forget learned information because of passage of time. The rate at which we
forget accelerates when the information is not used, since the connection (or understanding) about the concept
weakens. Therefore, by continuously exercising this connection or using the said information, forgetting can
somehow be slowed down. Memory strength also plays a role in retention; after all, different people are born with
different capacities.
Ebbinghaus’ study on forgetting emphasized the fact that humans will eventually forget learned material, especially
if it is not used. However, with the importance of memory both at work and life, one cannot afford to let it stay
faulty and forget things easily. It is in this context that solutions were thought of to improve our memory.

“Memory believes before knowing remembers. Believes longer than recollects, longer than knowing even wonders.”
- William Faulkner

“A good snapshot keeps a moment from running away.”- Eudora Welty

“Every man's memory is his private literature.”- Aldous Huxley

 Chapter 2 - Snooze or Lose: Sleep for your Memory
One common problem experienced by most people nowadays is that they get too little sleep. This is because too
many distractions are present today. However, obtaining good health and memory is only possible if you get the
right amount of hours for sleep.
This chapter will focus on the effect of sleep on memory, as well as giving you a crash course on how you can make
sleep easier for you.

The link of Sleep and Memory

With so many destructions, getting the right enough sleep today seems like a luxury for most people. However,
getting enough sleep is one prerequisite that should be fulfilled if you want to be healthy. And if this is not
motivating enough for you to strive and get the recommended number of hours for sleep, you will be surprised that
sleep and memory are also linked. Simply put, getting enough sleep will improve your memory.
The following points will explain the connection between them:

Sleep accommodates consolidation of knowledge – It is during sleep that the individual’s brain is able to
connect their previous knowledge with what they’ve learned during the day. This is also the time when the
information is “crystallized” (and will not be easily forgotten). Therefore, it can be assumed that if the
individual gets little sleep, then little information is also connected. This is one explanation for getting lower
test results even if the person sacrificed sleep just to review test material.
Sleep repairs brain cells – Just like how your body needs to be healthy in order to effectively accomplish
physical skills, your brain should also be healthy in order to easily accomplish mental processes such as
memory. This is only possible if your brain cells are healthy and functioning properly. It is during sleep that the
brain cells are repaired from the damage that it incurs while it is being used. Therefore, getting the right amount
of sleep can save your brain cells; after all, brain cells can never be produced again once they die.
Sleep affects focus – Another beneficial component for better memory is focus. It will be very difficult to
attend to a task if your body is telling you that it needs to rest. Without focus, you can never encode the
necessary information properly.

Inviting Sleep
The previous discussions made it clear that sleep is important in enhancing your memory. One question that remains
to be answered is how you can make it possible to easily come. After all, many things are keeping people distracted
and awake.
Here are some tips that you can easily apply to accomplish this step:

Turn off the lights – Sleep becomes possible because of the hormone melatonin. This hormone is released
during low-light conditions (this explains why humans sleep during the night). If you can’t sleep in the dark,
then use a lampshade or any light source that gives off minimal light. The idea is to get rid of much light as
possible in order to increase the amount of melatonin in your body. Similarly, you need to keep away from
televisions or computers hours before your sleep schedule. Since both emit light, these can over-stimulate your
brain, making it more awake than sleepy.
Reserve your bed for sleeping – One problem why most people “toss and turn” in their bed is because it has
been associated with an activity other than sleeping and sex. Therefore, you should never work on your bed or
even watch TV while in bed. This will only cue your body that it’s not supposed to sleep.
Relaxation techniques will help – If you’re still having a hard time getting sleep, then you need to employ
different techniques that will help your body relax. Simple routines such as deep and slow breathing or calming
specific parts of your body that you feel is stressed will certainly help invite sleep. Making your room as
comfortable as possible (such as adjusting your room’s temperature) will also help you to achieve a relaxed
state, and eventually lead to sleep.
Maintain the correct sleep schedule – Sleeping is a habit. Therefore, if you train it and follow a specific time
 for sleeping, then your body will automatically get sleepy when that time comes. This will make it easier for
you to sleep. The correct sleep schedule can be achieved if you are waking up naturally on the time that you
intend to wake up (you can wake up without the use of an alarm). This is because if your body received the
right amount of sleep, it will naturally wake you up. Once you’ve achieved the appropriate sleep schedule,
strictly adhere to it.

Getting the right amount of sleep is important if you want to improve your memory and other mental functions,
along with the benefit that it can give to your body. It’s like hitting two birds with one stone! So if you’re one of
those who always sacrifice sleep with something else, then it may be time for you to change your habits and adapt a
better one.v

“Memory can make a thing seem to have been much more than it was.” - Marilynne
Robinson

“I'd trade all my tomorrows for one single yesterday.” – Kris Kristofferson

“Memory believes before knowing remembers.” – William Faulkner

Chapter 3 - Physical Exercise can Help your Memory to Enhance
It has been a known fact that exercise can do wonders to improve your physical health. However, its benefit is not
limited to your physical health, as it is also said to have an effect on your brain and ultimately, your mental
processes.
This chapter will discuss how physical exercise can help improve your memory.

Benefits of Physical Exercise to Memory

Although physical exercise does not really target the brain when you’re in the gym, it can still have an effect to
enhancing it along with your memory. Here are the benefits that physical exercise can give to your brain and
memory.

Exercise increases the supply of oxygen in your brain – When an individual exercises, they are compelled to
take more oxygen than usual. Some even take deep breaths while doing their routine. An abundant supply of
oxygen is important in any part of our body because it is nature’s way of removing harmful organisms that may
cause many diseases. It also serves as a source of energy for our cells, enabling them to effectively perform
their functions without putting too much stress on them. The same effects apply to the brain (since it is also
composed of cells). Therefore, an abundant supply of oxygen can help your brain cells to stay healthy and be
repaired at a much faster rate. This will ultimately lead to better memory, since your brain is more “fit” to
perform mental processes.
Exercise invites sleep – It was established in the previous chapter that sleep is necessary to keep your mind
healthy and improve your memory. Additionally, sleep also helps you to achieve the increased supply of
oxygen.
Exercise helps to relieve stress – Although stress itself cannot affect memory, the hormone cortisol does. This
hormone is released when an individual is under stress, and is seen to have a negative effect on that person’s
memory. With exercise, stress can be relieved and cortisol levels will be significantly reduced. Stress can also
be released through the following results gained from exercising:

a. Frustration is significantly reduced through exercise – This is because exercise can help
take your mind off from anything that has been causing your frustration. By exercising,
your brain will shift its focus from the frustrating situation to your body and environment,
eventually reducing stress.
b. Exercise relaxes the body – When an individual is stressed, the muscles in their body
become tense. With the help of exercise, these same muscles become more relaxed, thanks
to the oxygen being supplied to these areas while doing the routine.
c. Exercise increases the production of endorphins – During exercise, the body also
releases endorphins. Its notable effect is that it creates the feeling of euphoria (hence,
endorphins are also known as the “happy hormone”).

Neurotransmitter levels are also increased during exercise – Aside from the endorphins, three more
hormones are produced when the individual exercises – these are dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin.
Dopamine is known to act as messenger between neurons (resulting in better connections when making new
memories); norepinephrine influences attention and focus, and promotes long term memory; and serotonin is
important in learning, as well as in acquiring and retrieving short term memories.
Exercise can greatly reduce the risk of developing neurodegenerative disorders – one such disorder that
has an effect on the memory is Alzheimer’s disease. With exercise, the tendency to develop it during the later
years of your life will be significantly lowered.

Reminder before Taking Action

Consult a physician if you want to adapt an exercise routine. This is because not all exercises will appeal to you; this
is especially true when you have special conditions such as high blood pressure. Age is also a factor when it comes
to choosing the right exercise routine for you. By consulting, they can advice you of alternatives that you can engage
in while still experiencing the full benefits of exercise in your brain and body.
 Chapter 4 - Eating Better to Help you Remember More
There are certain types of food that you can eat if you want to enhance your memory. After all, your brain is also an
organ inside you, and it needs enough nutrients to fulfill its functions.
This chapter will focus on discussing some of the most important components that you have to look for in the food
that you’ll be consuming if you want to “eat for your brain”. Some examples of where this component may be found
will also be enumerated. After all, not all kinds of food come with a Nutritional Facts table.

Nutrients for Better Brain Health

Food may be important in satisfying our need for hunger, but what makes it more beneficial to our health is the
nutrient that each food contains. Therefore, the focus of eating should be on the nutrient that it contains and its
benefit to your overall health.
In choosing what you will eat to improve your memory, the following nutrients are what you should look for:

Antioxidants – Although this is not an actual nutrient, it is one component in food which primary role is to
reduce the amount of free radicals (components that can damage the cells) in the body and brain. Free radicals
become present in the body when the individual experiences stress or are exposed to harmful conditions.
Choosing foods that contain antioxidant is not hard, as most of them are present in the usual healthy food that
many people consume. Fruits and vegetables, especially colorful ones, are good sources of antioxidants. Green
leafy vegetables also contain them. For fruits, you may choose bananas, mangoes, and watermelons. For
vegetables, some antioxidant sources include broccoli, lettuce, and spinach.
Omega 3 – Considered as a healthy fat, this fatty acid is found to be good for the heart and in boosting your
brain health (as it is also found out to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease). One staple source of
this component is fish, especially those found on cold water such as mackerel, salmon, sardines, trout, and tuna.
Alternative sources of this nutrient (if you’re not into sea food) are flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, soybeans, spinach,
and walnuts.
Polyphenol – Another powerful antioxidant, polyphenol is said to slow down brain cell aging, improve mental
alertness, and enhance your memory (along with its ability to protect you against free radicals). One source of
this antioxidant is green tea.
Resveratrol – This component is a flavonoid, and is known to improve cognition and memory, increase blood
flow in the brain, and reduce the risk for Alzheimer’s disease. It is usually found on red wine and other
alcoholic beverages. Although alcohol consumption is known to kill brain cells, it can provide desirable results
if the product is taken in moderation (1 glass for women, 2 glasses for men every day). Other non-alcoholic
sources of resveratrol include berries, cranberry juice, fresh grape or its juice, and peanuts.

In order to further improve your memory, you also need to avoid certain foods that contain saturated fat. According
to research, diet that is high in saturated fat not only weakens your memory and concentration, it also increases your
risk of developing dementia later in life. Excessive intake of calories can also impair your cognitive ability.
Ask your doctor or nutritionist to help you develop a physical and brain healthy diet.
Since food is an integral part of our lives, you need to make sure that you’re consuming food that contains
nutrients that are necessary to maintain your physical and brain health. The right kind of food will help both
your body and memory.v
 Chapter 5 - How Brain Workouts Enhance Memory?
The cliché “If you don’t use it, you lose it” is applicable in any kind of ability – including mental skills such as
memory. Therefore, in order to stay sharp, you need to always use your brains. Your job might be manual or routine
in nature, but it doesn’t mean that you will not have a chance to sharpen your brain and memory.
This chapter will discuss the importance of brain workouts and the benefits that it can give you. Some techniques on
how to work-out your brain will also be presented.

Criteria of a Good Brain Workout

Truth be told, there are many activities that you can choose from if you’re looking for brain workout routines. In
fact, any activity can be deemed as a brain workout, as long as it follows these criteria:

It has to be challenging – An activity is considered as challenging if the participant needs to exert mental
effort in doing it. The activity should also be able to teach something new to the individual.
It has to be fun – People learn more when they enjoy the activity physically and emotionally. Another is that
fun activities motivate the individual to continue engaging on these, further increasing the benefits that these
will offer.
It has to be new – Even if the activity is challenging and fun, it should be something that you’ve experienced
for the first time (or a few times only). This is because old activities will not give as much as exercise to your
brain even if the task is intellectually demanding.

How can Brain Workouts Benefit you?

Brain workout routines may give you difficulties while engaging on them, but all of these can give you the
following benefits:

It can remove boredom – Since brain workout aims to give you something new, you get to remove the “rust”
while you were stagnant or while you’re doing routine work. After all, novelty will always capture the interest
of any person.
You get to develop new skills or explore something about yourself – Novelty can also move you out of your
comfort zone. And it is only when you get out of it that you get to know more about yourself and improve. This
is because you get to discover that you have the skills necessary to complete the task. Or it may be that you’ve
had the potential all along; you just needed an activity where it can be showcased.
Workouts enhance your overall ability to process information – Brain workout is similar to physical
workout in that it increases the capacity of your muscles. If the latter increases the amount of weight that you
can carry, then the former increases the amount of information that you can process. This in turn will result in
seeing more connections, faster reactions, or remembering more information.

Must-try Brain Workouts

Here are some of the activities that you can engage in to exercise your brain muscles and ultimately improve your
brain power and memory:

Sudoku
This is one of the newest brain games that never fail to provide challenge to any person. To complete the puzzle, you
need to fill out a 9x9 grid from numbers 1-9, with each 3x3 box and each column and row containing the numbers
only once. Since this is a non-verbal game (numbers are only used), it is culturally fair (can be enjoyed by anyone
regardless of their nationality). Pure logic is only needed, since no mathematical computation or formula is used to
solve the puzzle. Each puzzle is unique; therefore, it will always provide a challenge.

Crossword Puzzle
One of the oldest forms of brain games, this puzzle can be completed if the individual has enough vocabulary to fill
out the clues provided on each row and column. However, you also need to keep in mind that each clue has different
number of boxes (which signifies the number of letters of the exact answer). Hence, you need to have a large pool of
vocabulary and their synonyms/antonyms if you want to solve the puzzle.

Chess
Another classic game, chess relies on the formulation and execution of strategy in order to win the game. The game
is played by two people, with each side provided with different pieces that can move differently. The game is won
when one side forces the king of the opponent in a position where it cannot make another move without being
captured. This game heavily relies on evaluating the situation that your opponent brings and trying to remember any
strategy that can be used to overcome such. Hence, memorizing strategies is one key element to win in this game.

Learn a New Skill or Language

If you want to go up a notch in improving your memory, then you can engage in activities that actually require your
memory. One such activity is to learn something new, like learning a new skill or language. This is because your
brain makes new connections when you’re learning new material. It also forces the brain to remember things, such
as trying to recall which step should be accomplished first. Your brain continues to repeat and recall this information
until it becomes completely ingrained in your system.
With learning a new language, you get to remember not just words; you also need to practice the pronunciation of
each word, as well as the proper syntax (so that you can use it in actual conversations).
Although progress may be slow and its effect to memory might be unnoticed, you are still able to accomplish all the
criteria of a good brain workout. It also enhances your overall mental strength, which in some way, will have an
effect on your capacity to retain information.
Brain workouts are effective ways of training your brain and increasing its overall capacity in a challenging, fun,
and novel way. You also get to learn something new by engaging in them. They may sometimes give you a hard
time and drain you mentally, but this is a sacrifice that you have to make if you want to improve your memory
strength and mental capacity. Just like in training your body, hard work and perseverance are also needed in order to
achieve the desired results.
 Chapter 6 - Socialization can Improve your Memorization
Humans are social beings; therefore, we spend most of our time interacting with other people. It is even
unimaginable for anyone to get through the day without interaction. But did you know that socializing with your
circle can improve your memory?
In this chapter, the link between socialization and memory will be explored. Also, tips on how to improve
socialization will also be enumerated.

How does Socialization Improve Memory?

Recent researches show that individuals who have a thriving social life were found to have the slowest rate of
decline in their memories. However, what remains to be answered is what contributes to this result.
The following could explain the occurrence of this phenomenon:

Interaction helps you to learn how to focus – It is stated in the previous chapter that one important element in
memory is the presence of focus. When a person interacts, they usually focus on what their friend or family
member is saying; after all, interaction involves “give and take”. Without focus, interaction will obviously not
advance, since you will not be able to react accordingly to what the other person has stated.
Interaction helps you to recall certain events – Being connected to another person somehow requires you to
remember some events or people in their lives. It is through meeting with friends, especially those you haven’t
seen for some time, that you get to practice your memory. It is also one way of making them feel that they are
an important part of your life (since you still remember what they’ve told you even if some time has passed).
Even the simple act of remembering their birthday, the name of their husband or wife, or even some of their
family members can help you put your memory into practice (and ultimately enhance it).
Interaction always brings back the good times – Along with recalling events that your friend told you
months or years before, revisiting your circle will also bring back the good memories that you’ve had. This will
always involve laughter, which is helpful not just in combating stress, but also helps the individual to think in a
broader perspective and associate freely. Jokes and punch lines are also always present in get-togethers; aside
from lightening up the atmosphere, these two also compels the individual to think more creatively (since they
are often masked or used in a metaphor).

How can you Widen your Social Circle?

With the benefits of socialization to memory explained, you can better see the importance of widening your social
circle. Here are some tips that you can engage in to accomplish this goal:

Join a club or organization – Being a member of an organization or club is the first step to widening your
social circle. Since these organizations aim to accomplish something, you will be forced to meet new people
and learn to work with them in order to accomplish the objective of the organization where you belong into.
Not only will you get to meet more people, you also learn how to adjust to different types of people.
Reach out to your friends even impersonally – If it’s physically impossible for you to meet your friends
(they may be located on a different country), you can still connect with them through technology. Using the
chat function or calling them over the Internet is still a good way to reach them free of charge. It may be
impersonal, but it’s interaction nonetheless. As long as you’re able to reconnect with them, any method will
suffice.
Volunteer in social welfare groups – One difference of clubs or organizations to social welfare groups is that
the former can provide rewards or stipend; whereas the latter only relies on the individual’s interest to help
others without expecting anything in return. It is in volunteering that you get to meet other volunteers, as well
as clients who need the assistance of the group (such as children, elderly, natural calamity victims, etc).
Volunteering also gives a good feeling afterwards, aside from experiencing the benefits of interaction in one’s
memory.

Socializing not only strengthens relationships; it also enhances your overall mental strength and improves your
memory. Building relationships also makes life more enjoyable, and other people’s lives may also teach us valuable
lessons that you can never hope to learn by reading or studying about it.
So if you want to remember more, then it’s time to get out of your own circle and socialize more.

“Right now I’m having amnesia and déjà vu at the same time. I think I’ve forgotten this before.”- Steven Wright

“People have an annoying habit of remembering things they shouldn't.” - Christopher Paolini

“If you wish to forget anything on the spot, make a note that this thing is to be remembered.” – Edgar Allan Poe

“I think it is all a matter of love; the more you love a memory the stronger and stranger it becomes” – Vladimir
Nabakov

“To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.” – Thomas Campbell

 Chapter 7 - Save your Memory by Getting Rid of Multitasking
Aside from unhealthy habits, another practice that is detrimental to your brain health and memory is multitasking.
Recent study shows that doing more than one thing at any given time will bring more harm than good to your
memory.
This chapter will explore about how multitasking can affect your memory. Tips on how can you avoid multitasking
will also be enumerated.

How can Multitasking Damage your Memory?

Most people think that multitasking is a desirable trait. After all, with so many things that should be accomplished at
work/school or home, you can only do little with the limited time that you have. Hence, you need to learn how to do
things simultaneously.
However, researches show that there is no such thing as multitasking. And if ever there is, you need to stop doing it.
This is because engaging in it can bring the following drawbacks:

Multitasking leads to encoding failure – When an individual attends to more than one task simultaneously,
the brain fails to recognize which of the information should be encoded. This ultimately leads to forgetting
everything altogether. This explains why people who were talking over the phone tend to forget information
told to them if they’re reading something on their phone or gadget simultaneously.
Multitasking makes it difficult for you to track your progress – Since there is encoding failure with
multitasking, you will find it hard to track down where you left off for each activity. This will ultimately lead to
very slow progress, making it very hard for you to finish the tasks. Most of your time may be consumed by just
trying to recall what it is that you have to do to continue the activities.
Concentration is impossible with multitasking – An individual needs some time for it to become accustomed
with a certain activity and do it continuously. With multitasking, concentration is almost impossible to reach.
And without concentration, it will take some time for you to pick up where you left off and attend to another
task. Humans usually take 10 to 15 minutes just to concentrate again to the task that they have to attend to if
they were suddenly distracted. This will take a toll on your memory strength, since concentration is one of its
necessary components.

How can you Avoid Multitasking?

Now that the disadvantages of multitasking have been discussed, it’s time to solve the problem of getting rid of it
from your system. The following tips will help you to achieve this goal:

Make a to-do list of these tasks – Multitasking becomes more observed if an individual does not have a
definite plan for the day. Having a to-do list will remind you of what you should accomplish for that day. This
will also keep you from doing tasks that are not included in your list.
The most important tasks should be done FIRST – This is in contrast to what some people say (easier tasks
should be done first to motivate you throughout the day). This is because it is during the morning that you have
the energy to accomplish difficult tasks. It will also keep your brain alert even early in the morning (easy tasks
might make you feel sleepy and bored). By concentrating on the difficult task first, you will not be forced to
attend to it later if you started your day with the easier tasks (since you need to make progress on the difficult
task even if you’re working for the easy one).
Work on time blocks – You can improve your concentration and quality of work if you will work on time
blocks. Decide on how much time would you like to work continuously before you take a short break (ex:
working for 50 minutes straight, then allotting the 10 minutes for urgent or other tasks). Because you will be
able to allot a certain amount of concentration to accomplish the task, you can finish the task sooner. Just make
sure that you really work continuously, not letting anything distract you (unless it’s really urgent).
Take a short break after the time block – This will give you ample time to attend to other tasks such as
checking your e-mail, standing and moving around for a while, or taking care of your physiological needs (if
 you need to pee, take a sip of water, or get a snack). This is beneficial to help renew the concentration that
you’ve poured out while working straight.

Humans can never hope to accomplish more than one task at any given time without compromising the quality of
the others. Therefore, it will be best if we will only work on tasks one at a time. This will increase the quality and
quantity of your work, as well as avoid damaging your concentration and memory.

“God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December.” – J.M. Barrie

“Remembrance of things past is not necessarily the remembrance of things as they were.” - Marcel Proust

“There are some things one remembers even though they may never have happened.” – Harold Pinter
 Chapter 8 – Mnemonic Devices: A Tool to Remember
This chapter will revisit one of the oldest techniques used by many people in order to easily remember information –
mnemonic devices, that is. The common mnemonics will be discussed, along with how they can be used.

What are Mnemonic Devices?

These refer to different techniques that can be used in order to remember something. Anything that helps organize
information in a meaningful way is considered as a mnemonic device. All mnemonics also change the original
information into a form that is easier to understand as compared to the former.

Common Mnemonic Devices

Here is a list of the commonly used mnemonic devices:

Acronym – In this mnemonic, the individual usually takes out the first letter of the words that they have to
remember. After all the letters were taken out, they were arranged to form a new word. This new word will then
remind us of the items that will be found on each letter of that word. One classic example is the ROYGBIV,
which stands for the seven colors of the rainbow (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet).
Chunking – This method involves the breaking down of complex information or long list into a series of
smaller blocks (or “chunks”) that are meaningful. An example would be when you try to remember the mobile
number of a person. In chunking, the numbers will be broken down into three sets (you will remember 927-
203-2262, with pauses in-between, rather than trying to remember it continuously).
Method of loci – This method involves imagining the items that you have to remember being placed on
specific areas of a room, building, or route where you usually go. If you want to recall what you’re supposed to
buy at the grocery store, then you can imagine that the pedestrian lane has a banana (since it’s yellow), the
circle sign board is a plate, and the wheels of the cars are the eggs.
Visual image – This method again involves associating an image with what you need to remember. This is
mostly used when you want to remember the names behind the faces. For example, the name Michael Bermas
can be associated with a saint holding a beer while he preside the Holy Mass.

By applying the mnemonics mentioned above, it will be easier for you to recall things, especially those that are part
of a long list of items that you need to remember.
 TOP TEN F.A.Q.
This section will aim to provide an answer to frequently asked questions regarding memory:

1. What can I do if ever I need to wake up earlier and break my sleep schedule?

If you ever need to break your sleep schedule, then make sure that you make it up to your “sleep
debt”. You can choose to sleep earlier on the night before you need to wake up early, or you
may take a nap in the afternoon. It’s important to continue getting the right amount of time for
sleep.

2. Is there any specific physical exercise that I should do to improve my memory?

There are two types of exercise; strength training and aerobic. Whichever exercise you choose,
both of these will improve your memory.

3. What is Alzheimer’s disease?

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder; meaning, there is a decline on the

functioning of the brain. Since one of the mental skills that humans have is memory, it can be
affected if they have Alzheimer’s.

4. Shouldn’t supplements be included in your list of foods that will help enhance memory?

The book strives to provide a natural solution to enhance memory. This makes supplements out
of the question.

5. Can videogames be considered as a memory enhancer?

Yes, they can. However, the methods presented above are just as effective as some videogames.
On top of that, the abovementioned methods do not entail cost, or may only cost a small amount.

6. If laughter is an important practice in enhancing memory, why not elaborate on it?

Laughter is only present because of interaction. Hence, it all falls down to the presence of
socialization in that person’s life.

7. Is there a recommended time block?

 No, there isn’t. It is dependent on your level of concentration. If you can work without
distractions for more than an hour, that is better. If not, even a 30-minute time block is good
enough. As long as you will work straight for that amount of time, that time block will suffice.

8. Is being with a pet considered as socialization?

Yes, it can be an alternative if you are not into meeting people. After all, pets are also good
companions. However, interaction can never be possible with animals. You can only
communicate with them, but they can’t communicate with you (at least verbally).

9. Is it safe to say that multitasking leads to procrastination?

Yes, multitasking really does lead to procrastination. By doing another task on top of what
you’re already doing, you are somehow delaying your previous task.

10. How can I remember materials that are complex and do not have list of items that should be memorized?

· Aside from the mnemonic devices, reading and rehearsing what you’ve learned is one good
way to learn materials, especially complex ones. As long as you’re able to understand the main
idea behind the concept that you want to master, remembering facts will also be easier. This is
even better as compared to just focusing on individual items.
 Conclusion
Thank you again for downloading this book!
I hope this book was able to help you to improve you memory and brain power.
Finally, if you enjoyed this book, please take the time to share your thoughts and post a review on Amazon. It’d be
greatly appreciated!
Thank you and good luck

Joseph Walker
 Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1 - The Basics of Memory
Chapter 2 - Snooze or Lose: Sleep for your Memory
Chapter 4 - Eating Better to Help you Remember More
Chapter 5 - How Brain Workouts Enhance Memory?
Chapter 6 - Socialization can Improve your Memorization
Chapter 7 - Save your Memory by Getting Rid of Multitasking
Chapter 8 – Mnemonic Devices: A Tool to Remember
TOP TEN F.A.Q.
Conclusion