One Thing at a Time

Modern life can get incredibly busy and hectic. If you are going to have a proper learning experience, you need to concentrate on one thing at a time.

Make this possible by working in a quiet room away from as many distractions as possible (that includes your phone!) Take breaks as needed, but try to stay focused on just this single task. In years past, many promoted multitasking as an ideal skill, but it really just overloads your brain and leads to mistakes. How can you memorize something if your mind is in five different places at once?

Diet and Exercise

We have listed these together because they figure into so many aspects of leading a healthy and successful life. You can now add memorization as another thing you will improve by taking care of yourself.

Concentrate on foods that increase brainpower: green leafy vegetables, chickpeas, cauliflower, walnuts, blueberries, and curry are high on this list. Caffeine and sugar may keep you going for a while, but they are ultimately not a good thing, so go easy on them. Yes, it is fine to treat yourself to dessert or junk food, but definitely in moderation.

“Healthy mind, healthy body” the old saying goes and it is true. Your nerve cells release proteins known as neurotrophic factors while you exercise and these improve the overall condition of your brain. This makes it better able to absorb and retain information, which are the basics of memorization.

Get Your Eight Hours

Like diet and exercise, a good night’s sleep is also a virtual pre-requisite to good health. This applies to both brain and body. Have you ever tried memorizing something when you were sleepy? We’ll bet it didn’t go very well.

Mental performance improves when you are alert and fully able to concentrate. Scientists believe that your synaptic connections strengthen when you sleep, so the longer and better the slumber, the more new things you will learn.

Maintain a regular sleep schedule where you go to bed and get up at the same time each day. Avoid watching TV or looking at your computer for at least an hour before bed. Aim for eight solid hours of sleep each night. Choose decaffeinated tea and coffee or any other foods with caffeine, like chocolate.

Stimulate Your Brain

You can train your brain to be more receptive to new things with mental games. You can find many different brain games online and while they vary in effectiveness, all of them share the goal of sharpening your mind.

You can accomplish this by introducing a new and challenging activity that requires you to pay close attention to details. Try different brain games and see which ones engage and entertain you. Watch how quickly you improve your memorization skills the more your stimulate your brain.

Lower Your Stress Levels

There is some truth in the thought that adrenaline can help you do well in a test situation. However, in the vast majority of cases, anxiety and stress are your enemies. When you are depressed, nervous, or otherwise preoccupied, your mind cannot fully concentrate on the task at hand and your performance will suffer as a result.