1. Employ visual association. According to Michalowicz, this memory trick works because people naturally remember visual cues better than words. Plus, the more senses you involve in remembering something, the easier it becomes to recall it.
2. Try the chunking technique. When you use this memory hack, your brain essentially divides big pieces of information into smaller, more digestible chunks. He gives the example of memorizing a phone number. It’s easier to memorize it in three separate units instead of a single long string of numbers.
3. Embrace routines. This is helpful if you tend to forget where you put items for the day, like your keys or a key fob for entering your office building. Try establishing a daily routine to place your keys or other necessary items in the same place every day. The power of routine will boost your recall of where you place these items.
4. Use acronyms. In the promo industry, acronyms are everywhere, including the most widely known: PPAI. You probably also use acronyms like CTA (call to action), KPI (key performance indicators) and many others. Acronyms work because they help you more easily recall information.
5. Make it fun. When you want to remember a new acquaintance’s name, have some fun with it. You could, for example, associate their name with something from your personal life or something from TV. You could then repeat their name back to them by saying something like, “Oh, my sister’s name is Susan!” Or, if you meet a Michael and you’re a fan of The Office, you might picture the person sitting behind a desk with a “World’s Best Boss” mug.
6. Use technology. Many apps can help you remember things. Michalowicz says apps like Evernote, Google Keep and Apple Notes can help you remember fun facts or birthdates. You can also use these apps to save photos or scan documents.
No matter what you want to remember, you can use the memorization hacks above to retrieve the information you need when you need it. A better memory can help you eliminate some stress from your workday and strengthen your business relationships.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Mike Michalowicz is the creator of Profit First and Clockwork, a method to make any business run on automatic. He’s also an author and a former small business columnist for The Wall Street Journal.
