Remember her nameYou tell her your name, she mutters her's and before she finishes it's already forgotten. Here on some tips on how to remember a date's details, long lists, and phone numbers.
1. Long listsWalk into a grocery or music store without a list and, chances are, you'll forget something you came for. Mental lists can dissolve when you're faced with an abundance of similar choices.
The brain booster
Visualise each choice. "The more unusual, the more easily it can be recalled," says neuropsychologist Dr Shane Bush. Imagine Keira Knightley holding the milk in one hand and a loaf of bread in the other, wearing nothing but a miniskirt made out of your favourite cereal. Bizarre? Sure. Effective? Definitely.
2. A date's detailsRemember little things - her dog's name, her favorite colour - and she'll be eating out of your hand. But that laundry list of information is diffi cult to sort out, particularly when you're paying more attention to her lips.
The brain booster
Use the room technique. "You'll be able to recall a tremendous amount of information quite quickly," says Hagwood. Pick a room that's familiar to you. As she's telling you things about her life, imagine her doing them in different parts of that room. If she likes running, picture her jogging in the corner. If she watches Egoli, imagine her watching it on your TV. And so on.
3. Phone numbersThe brain's buffer can handle only so many numbers. So, "combine them into bigger units," says mental health professor Dr George Rebok.
The brain booster
Find meaning in sections of the number. Phone numbers are already broken up, but re-chunk them to simplify. Look for three- and four-digit patterns and link them to years, postal codes, whatever.
