Remembering Numbers

Numbers can be hard to remember because they’re abstract concepts, but there are several techniques that will make a big difference.

Chunking

Simple but effective. If you have a long number to remember, break it down into manageable pieces, no more than 2-4 digits long. So 3361986010 might become 336 1986 010 To make things even more memorable, look for patterns or associations within each chunk. Eg. 336 makes sense because 3+3=6. 1986 is a date, what happened then that you remember? And 010 is nicely balanced. Or you could even make a % sign out of it.

Rhymes

Radio stations and adverts often use this technique to drill their frequencies or phone numbers into your head. Create a catchy song or rhyme that involves the number you need. Here’s a well known one: ‘In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue.’

The Peg System

This technique takes a little bit of work to begin with, but is a much more powerful technique. It involves combining numbers with images. Here’s how to do it:

Step One

Decide on an image you’re going to use for each number from 0 to 9. These images are based on the shape of the number – so there’s a visual clue to help you remember them. Here are some examples you could use:
1 = a pencil, or a sentry, or a magic wand
2 = a swan
3 = a fork
4 = a yacht
5 = a hook
6 = an elephant’s trunk
7 = a cliff
8 = a snowman
9 = a balloon on a string

Step Two

Take a few minutes to get the images lodged in your mind.

Step Three

Now, each time you have to remember a number, invent a story using the respective images. Say you want to remember the number 4489. You could dream up a story which starts with two yachts (44) … then a huge snowman (8) comes along and jumps on them, blows up a balloon on a string (9) and floats off up to the skies. The more surreal the better – just make sure it all happens in the right sequence.
Use this one for:

• Remembering dates
• Memorising PIN numbers
• Remembering important phone numbers.