o-pine

verb :: To express opinions.

"No doubt she will opine that it is all your fault, dearest, and that I have behaved admirably." -- George Bernard Shaw

Visual associations are a key part of many mnemonic systems. At first, making visual associations may feel unnatural, and it may slow you down, but keep practicing. The more you practice forming visual images, the quicker you will get. Creating visual images will always take a little extra time regardless of how fast you get, so it might not be the best strategy to use when the material you are trying to learn is being presented very rapidly. For material that you can learn at your own pace, using imagery will help. Even though it may take longer to go through the material once, you will need fewer repetitions and thus you will save time in the long run.

If you have a digital camera, carry it with you for an entire day and keep a lookout for things that you think are creative or interesting. Take a picture of these things. Go for at least 100 photos. If you are having a hard time, try to focus on the little details. A book could have a creative title or a pile of paper clips could be in an interesting arrangement. At the end of the day, review the photos and pick your favorite 5 things. What makes these things interesting to you? By doing this exercise you will be increasing your awareness of the creative aspects of things that are all around you. The photographs are also a good source of inspiration that you can turn to when you are stuck on a problem. Sometimes seeing other creative solutions will help you discover your own.