Our brain is a complex and extremely intelligent organ but it wasn’t designed to store declarative data- passwords, PINs and addresses. So don’t feel too bad about not being able to remember something and try some of these tips to help jog your memory:

 

To help you remember passwords, attach some kind of meaning to it. It could be the first letter of your five closest friends’ names or a mash-up between your name and your pet’s name. When there’s meaning to a password, we become emotionally involved and thus it makes it easier to recall passwords.

 

Make a conscious effort:

A lot of times we don’t make a commitment to memorising things and it simply gets thrown out of our memories. Distraction also plays a part – it’s why we are constantly asking if anyone has seen our spectacles or handphones. Try taking a mental picture of what you’re trying to memorise and it could significantly help you remember the order of numbers and passwords. Chanting the number or password a couple of times could also improve your memory. Test yourself every few hours and you should more or less have it in the bag by the next day!

 

Create good habits by making sure you’re aware of what you’re doing at all times. For example when putting your keys at the table top, tell yourself silently or out loud, “I am putting my keys on the table” Do this consistently and you’ll, without fail always know where your keys are.

 

Image source: Forgetting