[Image by WikimediaImages of Pixabay]
Most of us probably wish our memory was something like duct tape meaning it had a sticky quality to it. In that way, we could easily remember what we wanted when we wanted. Unfortunately, that’s not the case for many people.
A few years ago the owners of my gym asked me to conduct a presentation for a segment of their customers. My idea was to talk about improving memory and they liked it. Here’s what I had to say:
Let’s understand what memory is. Memory is the activity of recalling information that you either learned or experienced. We have two types of memory; short-term and long-term. Each of us has three brain-parts that help with memory. They include the hippocampus, the amygdala and the cerebral cortex.
Please know that there are five healthy lifestyle habits that support our memory and they are:
- regular exercise (e.g., Yoga, Tai Chi) increases oxygen to the brain and decreases the risk of disease
- stress management
- good sleep habits
- not smoking
- eating healthy foods (e.g., fruits, grains, vegetables, healthy fats) and avoiding sodium
Additionally, there are ten strategies to strengthen our memory which include:
- paying attention (e.g., eliminating distractions, being fully present)
- catering to your learning style
- involving as many of your senses as possible
- associating new information to something you already know
- organizing information into categories and taking notes
- telling someone else what you’ve learned
- over-learning
- creating memory spots in your home or office so that you consistently store items in the same location
- flexing your brain muscle (e.g., crossword puzzles, learning a new language or instrument, driving an alternate route, playing cards)
- having a positive attitude (e.g., telling yourself you can learn vs. saying I’m too old or I’m having a senior moment)
So the next time you misplace an object (e.g., your keys, your phone)…please consider improving your memory by using the information that you’ve read here. If I may assist you with improving your memory for business communication, I’d be happy to help you or members of your team.