A lot has been said about improving memory. But have you ever thought about what improving memory actually means?
For a start, memory is not an unchanging thing, set in stone. It is really an ongoing process. It involves the registering, retention and recall of any combination of things you see, hear, feel, think, smell and taste. You have memory for facts (semantic) and memory for things that happen (episodic). There’s also working memory, where you retain information in the short term.
There are plenty of factors (both internal and external) which have a bearing on how well you can carry out each part of the process. So, if you want to improve your memory, it helps if you can identify what specifically needs attention.
For example, one thing that frustrates many people is the ‘what am I doing here?’ syndrome. You know what it’s like when you walk into a room and forget why you went there. I have to admit that sometimes I have forgotten even before I enter the room, but keep going in the hope that something in there will remind me!
More likely, something else catches my attention and it is not until I return to the original room (on a different mission) that I remember my original purpose. And so it goes on.
In fact, the same thing happens when trawling the internet. You click on distracting links here, there and everywhere, opening a new window for each. It’s not until a few hours down the line that your computer slows down and you have to close down some windows to free up some memory.
And it works – you can follow the trail back to, and remember your original purpose!
So how do you overcome this with a view to improving memory? What if you don’t want to have to retrace your steps? What memory techniques can help? You see, I’m not convinced that this is a purely a memory problem or whether it also has to do with a lack of focus.
Let’s face it, if you’re alone in a burning house, you’re not going to wander aimlessly into another room and wonder what you’re doing there. You head straight for the exit. An extreme example, I know, but the lesson here is that leaving the house is directly related to the task in hand – not
getting burned.
But often the ‘what am I doing here’ syndrome happens because you’ve been distracted from what you were focussing on. So before breaking from a task, ask yourself whether what you now intend to do is relevant to completing the task. If it isn’t, a good memory tip is to make a note (mental or otherwise) of it, so that you can come back to it later.
On the other hand, let’s say you need a book from another room. First, say the book’s title out loud (or to yourself, if in company). Repeat it if you like. Then, picture the book’s cover and title in your mind. If you want, you can exaggerate its characteristics for the purposes of improving memory. The more senses you bring into play, the more likely you are to remember. See what works.
The more you practise this memory technique, the better your memory enhancement. Indeed, there are many memory exercises, techniques and strategies you can use for improving memory. Some swear by memory vitamins and supplements. We’ll come on to all these later.