Memory is our ability to hold on to information and recall it when required. This ability of the brain is not perfect and everyone is prone to forget some things once in a while. Becoming forgetful is also part of normal aging. But if you have noticed an unusual difficulty in remembering information, here are some tips to boost your memory.
1. The first step in storing anything in our memory is paying attention and concentrating well on it. Ensure proper focus on the task at hand by:
- Avoiding multi-tasking or trying to do too many things at once.
- Minimising distractions when you are trying to learn something new.
- Practising mindfulness in your everyday life so that you are fully engaged in the present moment and thus remember it better.
2. Repeat new information to yourself several times and try to recall it at different time intervals to check how well you remember it. This will consolidate the information more effectively in your memory.
3. Practise deep encoding techniques. These are techniques that help you process the incoming information in greater detail, allowing better storage of it.
- Mnemonics or strategies to boost memory e.g., if you have to buy Bread, Eggs, Apples and Detergent, instead you remember you have to buy BEAD
- Associating the new incoming information with already known or familiar bits e.g., if you have to remember someone’s name is Sachin, you could connect it to Sachin Tendulkar to remember it more easily.
- Categorizing or grouping related information together e.g., if you have to buy bread, apples, detergent and toilet cleaning liquid then you could categorize that as 2 items each of food and cleaning material.
4. Make information personally relevant or humorous to remember it better.
5. Use external memory aids like reminders set in your mobile phone, sticky notes, lists, etc. to help you remember important information.
6. Exercise your cognitive abilities by engaging in brain games like crosswords, puzzles, sudoku, memory games. etc.
7. If you remember to do something, do it immediately if possible. Delays and time gaps increase the possibility of forgetting.
8. Try to be organised and have a routine (let things have a place where they are usually kept and activities have a particular time when you do them in your schedule)
9. Maintain your physical and mental health to in turn ensure the health of your brain.
10. Get adequate sleep
Don’t be harsh on yourself for forgetting. Come speak with our neuropsychologist about your concerns and we can help address the issue more effectively!