Easy ways to upgrade memory
Have you ever wished you could upgrade your child's memory as easily as a computer's? If remembering people, places, facts, or dates is difficult for someone in your family, don't be discouraged. It's often easy to make great improvements in your memory. All it takes is a little knowledge about how the brain works, and a few tips on how to better form, store, or retrieve memories.
Forming Memories
Just how does your brain remember things? Well, in very simple terms, the first step is figuring out what is important enough to remember. Given the millions of things we sense each day, our brain must make snap decisions on what's important. Therefore the first few tips are:
Pay Attention. It takes time for your brain to signal itself to encode a memory (up to 8 seconds), so concentration is key. People who are easily distracted or try to do several things at once often find it harder to remember things. The first key is to force yourself to concentrate—to pay attention—and not allow yourself to be distracted by other people, things, or your own thoughts.
Make it interesting. Even the most hyper or scattered person can remember things when they are really interested in the subject. Unfortunately in school not all subjects are our favourites. In these cases, the key is to find a way to make the topic seem very important or interesting. How? Remind yourself this will be on the test, make a game out of learning the facts, or think about how learning this will make your life easier.
Storing and Retrieving
Once your mind has decided something is important enough, it has to file it away in your brain. This is the second reason why some people seem to have poor memories—they are poor filers! How can you help yourself out?
Make it relevant. Try to relate the current information to prior knowledge—something you already know or have done before. Making a connection to something already in your memory will help you to file this memory in a logical spot, and make it easier to find later.
Chunk it. Did you know that the reason phone numbers are only 7-digits long is that most short-term memories can only remember about 7 things? Need to learn lots of things or a big list? Break it into smaller related pieces. It's the same way most us learn a new song—a few lines at a time.
Match your learning style. Most people learn best by seeing things (visual), hearing things (auditory), or doing things (kinesthetic). Figure out your learning style and use it to help you memorize things. Make flashcards (visual), record yourself (auditory), act it out or get active while studying (kinesthetic)
Watch your diet & exercise. Eating a balanced diet, getting lots of sleep, and regular exercise can also enhance your ability to process and recall information.
So the next time someone in your family is having difficulty remembering something, be sure to share these easy ways to upgrade your memory … if you remember!
• Interested in attending a workshop to help support improved academic success this year? Or having Rob speak at your group or school? Visit www.YouthCoachCanada.com for more information.
