Memory Improvement Programs: How to Choose the Right One
There are many memory training programs available, and some people see them as a solution to memory loss. Unfortunately, not all memory improvement programs are effective. You need to know exactly what you are looking for if you are going to choose a good one.
1. A variety of techniques
First of all, choose a program that teaches you a variety of memory techniques. There is a lot more to memory improvement than mnemonics. A program that promises to teach a variety of techniques should offer several different training exercises or games, each focusing on a different memory skill.
2. Ease of use and good support
Second, choose a program that is user-friendly and comes with good customer and technical support. If a program is difficult to use, chances are you'll give up before you begin to see any benefit, and you will have wasted your time and money. As far as user-friendliness goes, some of the best programs come with training videos, and some even build the videos into the exercises, so you can watch a short lesson before beginning each module.
3. Practice exercises and tests
Third, any memory training program you choose should have practice exercises and tests. After all, how else will you know whether your memory is actually improving? Any change takes time, so a good program should give you a way to test your memory along the way. Practice tests also let you measure how good your memory was before you started.
4. Support for multiple users
Next, look for a program that allows multiple users and keeps track of each user's progress. This way, the whole family can use the same program without anyone's scores getting mixed up with someone else's. For a program to work well for several users, its exercises also need to vary in difficulty.
5. Compatibility
Finally, choose a program that works across different operating systems and devices. It wouldn't make sense to buy a new memory program just because you have changed your computer or phone.
Look for a guarantee
Above all, a good sign of a genuine memory program is the developer's willingness to offer a money-back guarantee. So even as you apply the tips above, make sure the program you choose comes with one.
Software isn't the only way to train your memory, either. See our memory improvement exercises and inexpensive ways to improve memory.