Visualization, memory, reading and research skills
Fixed PAO visualizations are traditionally used to memorize numbers. In the first decade of the 21st century, most memory masters used this methodology for memory competitions. While I recommend using flexible PAO to encode pretty much everything, fixed PAO visualizations for numbers do not get enough attention from me. Here I want to address this …
Typically PAO is used to remember one person using one action with one object. You can add to the formula to remember more. I put my limit around 9 words per visualization: otherwise, chunking gets harder. You might add more. If you want to improve your memory using special techniques based on how indigenous people …
Continue reading “PAOX as a way to remember 20 words in one visualization”
Chunking is a very important subject, yet it is not sufficiently discussed. It appears to be very simple, misleadingly simple. When used in memory championships, chunking is preset and given as a template. But when we read, the nature of chunking changes. When we multitask it changes again. If you’re keen on delving into unlocking …
Continue reading “Using chunking with mental palaces and mindmaps”
When I just learn mental palaces I found them extremely confusing. Where do I place all of my memory objects within? How can I use these large structures to remember everything I need? Once the structure is full, how do I add more to it? It took me years to find the right way for …
Continue reading “Placing PAOs and mindmaps in mental palaces”
Most of the visualizations we use to remember things are atomic. By atomic I mean that you cannot divide the visualization without ruining it, and connections to other visualizations are not as strongs connections within the visualization. Such visualizations are not a part of a story, and require complex mental structures. Beginners almost never use …
Our memory and thinking are deeply associative. Associations are critical for creativity. However, there is no clear recipe for creating associations. Instead, I suggest several options you can mix and match. If you want to improve your memory using special and new methods based on an ancient memory technique, you should take my memory masterclass. …
Continue reading “Associative connections in mental landscapes”
Most of the memorization methods work with long term memory for several hours or days. This is what we train working with memory palaces and mindmaps. Some of the exercises work with short-term and memory: remembering an image of a paragraph or a series of numbers for a few seconds, enough to grasp complex concepts …
Memorizing tables is hard. Fortunately, there are not many people that need to memorize many tables and not many tables that most of us need. There are some adaptations for regular mental structures and some specific memory structures which work best with tables. Please consider the pros and cons of each approach. Tables of contents …
Many of my students try to remember a “marker” of just one word. This is a hard and counterproductive exercise. A word without any context is abstract. Remembering a chunk of multiple words in the same context is actually an easier task. In some sense the “random words” exercise is much harder than remembering actual …
Continue reading “More is less: add details to FACILITATE memorization”
Suppose you want to remember something for a very long time. How do you ensure memorization? There are many methods, which can be roughly divided into three categories: reviewing the notes (revisiting), actively using (speedwriting), and lifestyle choices (sleep, food, …). Here I want to deal with the lifestyle element. It is really simple to …
Continue reading “Longterm memory: lifestyle choice (sleep hacking, nootropics, NLP)”
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