As we get older, it’s typical for us to become forgetful. But this may be because we’re not employing the proper techniques and strategies to help make it a little easier for our brain to process and memorize information.
Ever wonder how we forget a list of five items on a grocery list, but we can sing the lyrics to a song that we haven’t heard for ages? It’s due to the fact that our brains remember rhymes because they are easily linked together for us by sound. So when you have a poem or a list of items that rhymes, it will be much easier to remember than a random list of words.
Think of the song, “One, two, buckle my shoe,” and you’ll easily be able to sit and recite the rest of it. So when it comes to remembering things, consider utilizing the power of rhymes—match up certain words with other memorable words to help you remember things.
Say, for example, you are trying to remember the name of a man at a party. He is the boss of the company that’s hosting the party, and his name is Mr. Jones. If he’s a particular thin, skinny guy, you could remember him as “Mr. Jones is all Bones,” or if he is a real estate guru, you could call him “Mr. Jones of the Homes.” Though silly and perhaps a little absurd, you may find yourself remembering his name more quickly because you will be relating him with a rhyming word. This is an excellent way to help improve your ability to remember names and places, because you can use rhymes to make things memorable and exciting enough to remember!