![\"memory](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/AA-Memory-Hacks-That-Make-You-More-Productive.jpeg?resize=770%2C495&ssl=1\" "\\"\\"")
Table of contents<\/h3>\n\n- Memory Hacks for Remembering Names<\/a>\n
\n- First Hack: Say Their Name Back to Them When You First Meet<\/a><\/li>\n
- How You Do It<\/a><\/li>\n
- Why It Works<\/a><\/li>\n
- Maybe This Is Better<\/a><\/li>\n
- Second Hack: Make a Table Map<\/a><\/li>\n
- How You Do It<\/a><\/li>\n
- Why It Works<\/a><\/li>\n
- Maybe This Is Better<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Memory Hack for Remembering Numbers<\/a>\n
\n- How to Do It<\/a><\/li>\n
- Maybe This Is Better<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Memory Hack for Remembering Every Password<\/a>\n
\n- How to Do It<\/a><\/li>\n
- Why It Works<\/a><\/li>\n
- Maybe This Is Even Better<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Working Your Memory Muscle, Or, Why This Matters<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
There are a lot of moments in the workday when you need your memory to work. In a busy practice, introductions happen all the time \u2014 about as often as having to recall names. You type a password 19 billion times before lunch. You have to enter a docket number into a database and can\u2019t find the sticky note on your desk.<\/p>\n
These memory hacks will carry you through some of the most critical recall challenges.<\/p>\n
Memory Hacks for Remembering Names<\/h2>\n
Forgetting someone\u2019s name is the worst, since you\u2019re usually staring at their face while you\u2019re clearly not remembering who they are. But you can trick your brain into stapling their name to the tip of your tongue.<\/p>\n
First Hack: Say Their Name Back to Them When You First Meet<\/h3>\n
You\u2019ve heard this before and you never do it because you keep forgetting to. But it works. That\u2019s why it\u2019s in every post about memory hacks on the internet.<\/p>\n
How You Do It<\/h3>\n
Person with a name: Hi, I\u2019m Marsha.<\/p>\n
You: Hi, Marsha, your name is Marsha. Marsha is your name.<\/em><\/p>\nMarsha: Oh my God, you\u2019re a robot.<\/em><\/p>\nYou:\u00a0Marsha (laughs in human tone)! You\u2019re so funny, Marsha.<\/em><\/p>\nMarsha: (Stares)<\/em><\/p>\nYou: Marsha.<\/em><\/p>\nWhy It Works<\/h3>\n
Because our brains are dumb. Yeah, I know, they\u2019re the most extraordinary computer on earth, but they\u2019re also built on top of the vestigial stump of a lizard brain from the Mesozoic that lacks a frontal cortex and just sits there at the end of your medulla oblongata with its eyes half open drooling. Yet it runs everything. EVERYTHING. Using the inherent rules of logic laid down 10 million years ago by our reptilian robot overlords is a way to hack that lizard mind to make memories stick better.<\/p>\n
Maybe This Is Better<\/h3>\n
If repeating someone\u2019s name is too weird for you to work into a conversation, try turning their name into a story featuring their face. DON\u2019T DO THIS OUT LOUD. This memory hack works because, again, lizards. Just look at Marsha who has a killer blue-black asymmetrical haircut that would\u2019ve made David Bowie kick himself in the ass but is staring at you through granny glasses and sporting a turtleneck sweater. So \u201870s.<\/em> Oh, my god, she\u2019s Marsha Brady if Marsha Brady went punk. She\u2019s punk rock Marsha Brady! You will never forget her name. You will whisper her name as you slough this mortal coil. <\/em><\/p>\nSecond Hack: Make a Table Map<\/h3>\n
You may not have a chance to repeat everyone\u2019s name if the initial introductions are done in a meeting. As you\u2019re thinking how in the !@#% am I going to remember all these people\u2019s names, everyone does the introduce-yourself-around-the-table thing and you\u2019re like, oh crap, I\u2019m already behind.<\/p>\n
How You Do It<\/h3>\n
Whip out a pen and paper. Draw a rectangle in the middle. This is the table. Put an X for yourself, then as they go around the table introducing themselves, jot down their name, what they do, and some standout feature. PICK THE FIRST THING THAT COMES TO MIND. Don\u2019t try to game this. Your mind is helping you out by noticing that Malcolm from logistics is wearing octagonal lenses. Just do it: Malcolm\/Logistics\/Octagonal glasses.<\/em><\/p>\nWhy It Works<\/h3>\n
Because I just told you. Your hind brain[1]<\/a> is already trying to remember everything in incredible detail. You, working there in the forebrain, only need to play along. If your monkey mind tells you Lorraine\u2019s oversize collar is from a Vermeer painting, just jot down Vermeer collar and keep going. Trust your inner monkey.<\/p>\nMaybe This Is Better<\/h3>\n
There is nothing better.<\/p>\n
Memory Hack for Remembering Numbers<\/h2>\n
For a while, way back before smartphones, I couldn\u2019t remember my sister\u2019s new phone number. It drove me crazy. Every time I tried to call her, I had to look it up. I finally realized I could apply a version of Lewis Carroll\u2019s couplets, a memory hack from the Victorian era. Carroll (Alice in Wonderland, mathematician) turned important prime numbers, dates and who knows what other long numbers into rhyming couplets based on a table of correspondences using Greek and French alphabets (and my head already hurts thinking about it). You can use a version of Carroll\u2019s couplets by making up stupid little stories based on the numbers you need to recall.<\/p>\n
How to Do It<\/h3>\n
To remember the number (312) 869-2408 I break it into chunks. Chicago\u2019s area code is 312, so those three numbers become \u201cCHICAGO.\u201d The rest of the number breaks down like this:<\/p>\n
\n- 312 \u2014 \u201cChicago\u201d<\/li>\n
- 86 \u2014 \u201c86\u201d restaurant term for removing from the menu<\/li>\n
- 24 \u2014 \u201cdays\u201d because there are 24 hours in a day<\/li>\n
- 08 \u2014 \u201cOnions August\u201d because 0 can be the first letter in onions, a restaurant item, and 8 is August.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
I then turn this into a really stupid story: \u201cChicago eighty-nined whole days of onions in August.\u201d<\/p>\n
I bet you just read that and thought, \u201cMy God, that is idiotic!\u201d And I agree. That sentence is meaningless and stupid, but it feels like it means something. Its grammar works. And none of that matters. The only thing that matters is the process of turning it into a story. You can easily recall this little tale, then unpack the number it contains. It works because you<\/em> did the work, because you<\/em> made up a kind of system, and because the imagery is ridiculous.<\/p>\nIt works just as easily for docket numbers. Working on a chancery case known as 19-CH-751214 (a number I made up, so if you really are working on this case, that\u2019s a WILD coincidence and please call me)? Have to write this sucker down 87 times a day? Turn it into a story: \u201cThis year check for 75 bucks in the month of February.\u201d Doesn\u2019t make a lick of sense, but it sticks.<\/p>\n
If you need a cleaner memory hack for numbers, your rule might be that every long number is divided into pairs. So the example above becomes 31-28-69-24-08. You can devise a permanent collection of numerical associations for the single digits. The most typical way is to associate them with images that rhyme, which has led to this very common rubric:<\/p>\n
\n- 1 is a gun<\/li>\n
- 2 is a shoe<\/li>\n
- 3 is a tree<\/li>\n
- 4 is a door<\/li>\n
- 5 is a hive<\/li>\n
- 6 is a sticks<\/li>\n
- 7\u00a0is a heaven<\/li>\n
- 8\u00a0is a gate<\/li>\n
- 9\u00a0is a wine<\/li>\n
- 0\u00a0is a hero<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Your number can now be:\u00a0Tree-gun shoe-gate sticks-wine shoe-door hero-gate.<\/em><\/p>\nTurning each of these pairs into an image is a memory hack that helps you recall the number. It takes practice and, ironically, you have to remember the correspondences. This may lead you to create the following brilliant and epic story: A tree with a gun shot a gate made of sticks and wine bottles then the shoe ran through the door but was stopped by a hero at the gate. <\/em><\/p>\nMaybe This Is Better<\/h3>\n
Combine them. The area code is always the city for the number: 312 is Chicago, 404 is Atlanta and so on. Some pairs of numbers work better as a single image. So, now you have 312-86-9-24-08.<\/p>\n
Chicago gate sticks wine all day, not August<\/em>. Which is dumb. A little tweaking lets you incorporate very simple rhyming correspondences. Eight equals ate. Sticks is six. Which turns the whole thing into a dipsomaniacal tragedy: Chicago ate six wines all day \u2014 not in August. <\/em><\/p>\nMemory Hack for Remembering Every Password<\/h2>\n
Most big firms use programs, apps and wireless dongles to constantly update passwords to keep electronic files safe. However, you may not have that kind of scratch, so instead you\u2019ve got a secret legal pad filled edge-to-edge with all your logins and passwords. Just as you may have developed a naming convention for all your files, you can create a master password format that allows you to generate new passwords on the fly.<\/p>\n
How to Do It<\/h3>\n\n- Step 1:<\/strong> Figure out your hook. This will be the body of your password and it can be anything. Really into \u201cGame of Thrones\u201d? Use \u201cI drink and I know things.\u201d<\/em> Big fan of Ariana Grande? Try \u201cGod Is a Woman.\u201d The first letters of these phrases or titles become the middle of your master password. IDAIKT or GIAW.<\/li>\n
- Step 2:<\/strong> Use the lowercase initials of the service or protected document. So Evernote becomes e n. The Lucas Ford Diagnostics case will always use lfd.<\/li>\n
- Step 3:<\/strong> Use the year or month you\u2019re in. If you change your passwords monthly, then March is 03, May is 05, etc. Annually? For this year, you\u2019d use 19 all year.<\/li>\n
- Step 4:<\/strong> Throw in some kind of wingdings. For example, always start with an asterisk or always use @ for \u201ca\u201d or always end with a favorite number, like 33.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
So your password convention is *GI@W1903xx33 where xx will be the initials of the service you\u2019re using. If you\u2019re logging in to LexisNexis in May, your password will be *GI@W1905ln33#.<\/strong><\/p>\nWhy It Works<\/h3>\n
When we chunk information \u2014 that is, break it down into manageable portions \u2014 our mind has a much, much easier time recalling it. Repeating information and turning it into a pattern also makes for easier retrieval.<\/p>\n
For password strength, using a combination of symbols, uppercase and lowercase, and more than 10 characters makes your password very hard to decrypt. How hard? I ran the example above through mylogin.com\u2019s strength test and got this:<\/p>\n
Maybe This Is Even Better<\/h3>\n
Not to go all non-Analog on you, but, as every technology and security expert who\u2019s written for Attorney at Work, ever, will tell you: Get a password manager!<\/a><\/p>\nWorking Your Memory Muscle, Or, Why This Matters<\/h2>\n
Remembering information is the fastest way to use it. Although our smartphones and robot assistants make it very easy to find, they\u2019re still not faster than remembering someone\u2019s number that isn\u2019t on your favorites list.<\/p>\n
Yes, apps can store mountains of data, but you still have to petition its recall with a few keystrokes. Hacking your memory turns your brain into your most finely honed information technology.<\/p>\n
Also, working your memory muscle keeps your brain elastic. As you grow older, your memory settles<\/a>. (This is not a science paper, OK?) Although a healthy senior partner\u2019s mind has a perfectly capable memory, unless it is used it will recede into the back of the cranial closet. Then, when it is needed, it takes a minute for memory to work its way past all the clutter, old brooms and half-forgotten \u201970s song lyrics to come to the fore.<\/p>\nEmploying one\u2019s memory regularly keeps it upfront in the mental toolbox for a long time.<\/p>\n
And finally, let\u2019s be honest here, being able to recall complex strings of numbers and important information instantly is impressive. It\u2019s like doing long division in your head. People will think you\u2019re magical.<\/p>\n
The techniques listed above are only a handful of a whole world of memory hacks. There are entire societies of people devoted to hacking their memory. Do you have a favorite memory hack? <\/p>\n
[1]<\/a> LOL. This is not a thing.<\/p>\nImage \u00a9 iStockPhoto.com. <\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/AttorneyatWork-Logo-%C2%AE-2021-1.jpg?resize=372%2C106&ssl=1\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\nSign up for Attorney at Work\u2019s daily practice tips newsletter here<\/a> and subscribe to our podcast<\/a>, Attorney at Work Today.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Bull Garlington | These memory hacks will carry you through some of the most critical recall challenges. The post Memory Hacks That Make You More Productive appeared first on Articles, Tips and Tech for Law Firms and Lawyers. Memory hacks are important because \u2026 I mean, I was going to say \u2026 uhm. Table of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-119703","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-legal_matters"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119703","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=119703"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119703\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=119703"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=119703"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=119703"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
- \n
- First Hack: Say Their Name Back to Them When You First Meet<\/a><\/li>\n
- How You Do It<\/a><\/li>\n
- Why It Works<\/a><\/li>\n
- Maybe This Is Better<\/a><\/li>\n
- Second Hack: Make a Table Map<\/a><\/li>\n
- How You Do It<\/a><\/li>\n
- Why It Works<\/a><\/li>\n
- Maybe This Is Better<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Memory Hack for Remembering Numbers<\/a>\n
- \n
- How to Do It<\/a><\/li>\n
- Maybe This Is Better<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Memory Hack for Remembering Every Password<\/a>\n
- \n
- How to Do It<\/a><\/li>\n
- Why It Works<\/a><\/li>\n
- Maybe This Is Even Better<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Working Your Memory Muscle, Or, Why This Matters<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
There are a lot of moments in the workday when you need your memory to work. In a busy practice, introductions happen all the time \u2014 about as often as having to recall names. You type a password 19 billion times before lunch. You have to enter a docket number into a database and can\u2019t find the sticky note on your desk.<\/p>\n
These memory hacks will carry you through some of the most critical recall challenges.<\/p>\n
Memory Hacks for Remembering Names<\/h2>\n
Forgetting someone\u2019s name is the worst, since you\u2019re usually staring at their face while you\u2019re clearly not remembering who they are. But you can trick your brain into stapling their name to the tip of your tongue.<\/p>\n
First Hack: Say Their Name Back to Them When You First Meet<\/h3>\n
You\u2019ve heard this before and you never do it because you keep forgetting to. But it works. That\u2019s why it\u2019s in every post about memory hacks on the internet.<\/p>\n
How You Do It<\/h3>\n
Person with a name: Hi, I\u2019m Marsha.<\/p>\n
You: Hi, Marsha, your name is Marsha. Marsha is your name.<\/em><\/p>\n
Marsha: Oh my God, you\u2019re a robot.<\/em><\/p>\n
You:\u00a0Marsha (laughs in human tone)! You\u2019re so funny, Marsha.<\/em><\/p>\n
Marsha: (Stares)<\/em><\/p>\n
You: Marsha.<\/em><\/p>\n
Why It Works<\/h3>\n
Because our brains are dumb. Yeah, I know, they\u2019re the most extraordinary computer on earth, but they\u2019re also built on top of the vestigial stump of a lizard brain from the Mesozoic that lacks a frontal cortex and just sits there at the end of your medulla oblongata with its eyes half open drooling. Yet it runs everything. EVERYTHING. Using the inherent rules of logic laid down 10 million years ago by our reptilian robot overlords is a way to hack that lizard mind to make memories stick better.<\/p>\n
Maybe This Is Better<\/h3>\n
If repeating someone\u2019s name is too weird for you to work into a conversation, try turning their name into a story featuring their face. DON\u2019T DO THIS OUT LOUD. This memory hack works because, again, lizards. Just look at Marsha who has a killer blue-black asymmetrical haircut that would\u2019ve made David Bowie kick himself in the ass but is staring at you through granny glasses and sporting a turtleneck sweater. So \u201870s.<\/em> Oh, my god, she\u2019s Marsha Brady if Marsha Brady went punk. She\u2019s punk rock Marsha Brady! You will never forget her name. You will whisper her name as you slough this mortal coil. <\/em><\/p>\n
Second Hack: Make a Table Map<\/h3>\n
You may not have a chance to repeat everyone\u2019s name if the initial introductions are done in a meeting. As you\u2019re thinking how in the !@#% am I going to remember all these people\u2019s names, everyone does the introduce-yourself-around-the-table thing and you\u2019re like, oh crap, I\u2019m already behind.<\/p>\n
How You Do It<\/h3>\n
Whip out a pen and paper. Draw a rectangle in the middle. This is the table. Put an X for yourself, then as they go around the table introducing themselves, jot down their name, what they do, and some standout feature. PICK THE FIRST THING THAT COMES TO MIND. Don\u2019t try to game this. Your mind is helping you out by noticing that Malcolm from logistics is wearing octagonal lenses. Just do it: Malcolm\/Logistics\/Octagonal glasses.<\/em><\/p>\n
Why It Works<\/h3>\n
Because I just told you. Your hind brain[1]<\/a> is already trying to remember everything in incredible detail. You, working there in the forebrain, only need to play along. If your monkey mind tells you Lorraine\u2019s oversize collar is from a Vermeer painting, just jot down Vermeer collar and keep going. Trust your inner monkey.<\/p>\n
Maybe This Is Better<\/h3>\n
There is nothing better.<\/p>\n
Memory Hack for Remembering Numbers<\/h2>\n
For a while, way back before smartphones, I couldn\u2019t remember my sister\u2019s new phone number. It drove me crazy. Every time I tried to call her, I had to look it up. I finally realized I could apply a version of Lewis Carroll\u2019s couplets, a memory hack from the Victorian era. Carroll (Alice in Wonderland, mathematician) turned important prime numbers, dates and who knows what other long numbers into rhyming couplets based on a table of correspondences using Greek and French alphabets (and my head already hurts thinking about it). You can use a version of Carroll\u2019s couplets by making up stupid little stories based on the numbers you need to recall.<\/p>\n
How to Do It<\/h3>\n
To remember the number (312) 869-2408 I break it into chunks. Chicago\u2019s area code is 312, so those three numbers become \u201cCHICAGO.\u201d The rest of the number breaks down like this:<\/p>\n
- \n
- 312 \u2014 \u201cChicago\u201d<\/li>\n
- 86 \u2014 \u201c86\u201d restaurant term for removing from the menu<\/li>\n
- 24 \u2014 \u201cdays\u201d because there are 24 hours in a day<\/li>\n
- 08 \u2014 \u201cOnions August\u201d because 0 can be the first letter in onions, a restaurant item, and 8 is August.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
I then turn this into a really stupid story: \u201cChicago eighty-nined whole days of onions in August.\u201d<\/p>\n
I bet you just read that and thought, \u201cMy God, that is idiotic!\u201d And I agree. That sentence is meaningless and stupid, but it feels like it means something. Its grammar works. And none of that matters. The only thing that matters is the process of turning it into a story. You can easily recall this little tale, then unpack the number it contains. It works because you<\/em> did the work, because you<\/em> made up a kind of system, and because the imagery is ridiculous.<\/p>\n
It works just as easily for docket numbers. Working on a chancery case known as 19-CH-751214 (a number I made up, so if you really are working on this case, that\u2019s a WILD coincidence and please call me)? Have to write this sucker down 87 times a day? Turn it into a story: \u201cThis year check for 75 bucks in the month of February.\u201d Doesn\u2019t make a lick of sense, but it sticks.<\/p>\n
If you need a cleaner memory hack for numbers, your rule might be that every long number is divided into pairs. So the example above becomes 31-28-69-24-08. You can devise a permanent collection of numerical associations for the single digits. The most typical way is to associate them with images that rhyme, which has led to this very common rubric:<\/p>\n
- \n
- 1 is a gun<\/li>\n
- 2 is a shoe<\/li>\n
- 3 is a tree<\/li>\n
- 4 is a door<\/li>\n
- 5 is a hive<\/li>\n
- 6 is a sticks<\/li>\n
- 7\u00a0is a heaven<\/li>\n
- 8\u00a0is a gate<\/li>\n
- 9\u00a0is a wine<\/li>\n
- 0\u00a0is a hero<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Your number can now be:\u00a0Tree-gun shoe-gate sticks-wine shoe-door hero-gate.<\/em><\/p>\n
Turning each of these pairs into an image is a memory hack that helps you recall the number. It takes practice and, ironically, you have to remember the correspondences. This may lead you to create the following brilliant and epic story: A tree with a gun shot a gate made of sticks and wine bottles then the shoe ran through the door but was stopped by a hero at the gate. <\/em><\/p>\n
Maybe This Is Better<\/h3>\n
Combine them. The area code is always the city for the number: 312 is Chicago, 404 is Atlanta and so on. Some pairs of numbers work better as a single image. So, now you have 312-86-9-24-08.<\/p>\n
Chicago gate sticks wine all day, not August<\/em>. Which is dumb. A little tweaking lets you incorporate very simple rhyming correspondences. Eight equals ate. Sticks is six. Which turns the whole thing into a dipsomaniacal tragedy: Chicago ate six wines all day \u2014 not in August. <\/em><\/p>\n
Memory Hack for Remembering Every Password<\/h2>\n
Most big firms use programs, apps and wireless dongles to constantly update passwords to keep electronic files safe. However, you may not have that kind of scratch, so instead you\u2019ve got a secret legal pad filled edge-to-edge with all your logins and passwords. Just as you may have developed a naming convention for all your files, you can create a master password format that allows you to generate new passwords on the fly.<\/p>\n
How to Do It<\/h3>\n
- \n
- Step 1:<\/strong> Figure out your hook. This will be the body of your password and it can be anything. Really into \u201cGame of Thrones\u201d? Use \u201cI drink and I know things.\u201d<\/em> Big fan of Ariana Grande? Try \u201cGod Is a Woman.\u201d The first letters of these phrases or titles become the middle of your master password. IDAIKT or GIAW.<\/li>\n
- Step 2:<\/strong> Use the lowercase initials of the service or protected document. So Evernote becomes e n. The Lucas Ford Diagnostics case will always use lfd.<\/li>\n
- Step 3:<\/strong> Use the year or month you\u2019re in. If you change your passwords monthly, then March is 03, May is 05, etc. Annually? For this year, you\u2019d use 19 all year.<\/li>\n
- Step 4:<\/strong> Throw in some kind of wingdings. For example, always start with an asterisk or always use @ for \u201ca\u201d or always end with a favorite number, like 33.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
So your password convention is *GI@W1903xx33 where xx will be the initials of the service you\u2019re using. If you\u2019re logging in to LexisNexis in May, your password will be *GI@W1905ln33#.<\/strong><\/p>\n
Why It Works<\/h3>\n
When we chunk information \u2014 that is, break it down into manageable portions \u2014 our mind has a much, much easier time recalling it. Repeating information and turning it into a pattern also makes for easier retrieval.<\/p>\n
For password strength, using a combination of symbols, uppercase and lowercase, and more than 10 characters makes your password very hard to decrypt. How hard? I ran the example above through mylogin.com\u2019s strength test and got this:<\/p>\n
Maybe This Is Even Better<\/h3>\n
Not to go all non-Analog on you, but, as every technology and security expert who\u2019s written for Attorney at Work, ever, will tell you: Get a password manager!<\/a><\/p>\n
Working Your Memory Muscle, Or, Why This Matters<\/h2>\n
Remembering information is the fastest way to use it. Although our smartphones and robot assistants make it very easy to find, they\u2019re still not faster than remembering someone\u2019s number that isn\u2019t on your favorites list.<\/p>\n
Yes, apps can store mountains of data, but you still have to petition its recall with a few keystrokes. Hacking your memory turns your brain into your most finely honed information technology.<\/p>\n
Also, working your memory muscle keeps your brain elastic. As you grow older, your memory settles<\/a>. (This is not a science paper, OK?) Although a healthy senior partner\u2019s mind has a perfectly capable memory, unless it is used it will recede into the back of the cranial closet. Then, when it is needed, it takes a minute for memory to work its way past all the clutter, old brooms and half-forgotten \u201970s song lyrics to come to the fore.<\/p>\n
Employing one\u2019s memory regularly keeps it upfront in the mental toolbox for a long time.<\/p>\n
And finally, let\u2019s be honest here, being able to recall complex strings of numbers and important information instantly is impressive. It\u2019s like doing long division in your head. People will think you\u2019re magical.<\/p>\n
The techniques listed above are only a handful of a whole world of memory hacks. There are entire societies of people devoted to hacking their memory. Do you have a favorite memory hack? <\/p>\n
[1]<\/a> LOL. This is not a thing.<\/p>\n
Image \u00a9 iStockPhoto.com. <\/p>\n
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Bull Garlington | These memory hacks will carry you through some of the most critical recall challenges. The post Memory Hacks That Make You More Productive appeared first on Articles, Tips and Tech for Law Firms and Lawyers. Memory hacks are important because \u2026 I mean, I was going to say \u2026 uhm. Table of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-119703","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-legal_matters"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119703","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=119703"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119703\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=119703"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=119703"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=119703"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
- Step 2:<\/strong> Use the lowercase initials of the service or protected document. So Evernote becomes e n. The Lucas Ford Diagnostics case will always use lfd.<\/li>\n
- Step 1:<\/strong> Figure out your hook. This will be the body of your password and it can be anything. Really into \u201cGame of Thrones\u201d? Use \u201cI drink and I know things.\u201d<\/em> Big fan of Ariana Grande? Try \u201cGod Is a Woman.\u201d The first letters of these phrases or titles become the middle of your master password. IDAIKT or GIAW.<\/li>\n
- Why It Works<\/a><\/li>\n
- Maybe This Is Better<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- How You Do It<\/a><\/li>\n