Improve your memory
11 Simple Ways to Improve Your Memory
1. CONCENTRATE FOR EIGHT SECONDS
These days we’re all about things being faster. That’s why this advice is invaluable: When you really need to remember something, concentrate on it for at least eight seconds. That can seem like a long time when you're running around trying to get a million things done, but it is worth it. Studies have shown that eight seconds is the minimum amount of time it takes for a piece of information to go from your short-term memory to your long-term memory.
2. DON’T WALK THROUGH A DOORWAY
We’ve all walked into a room and suddenly realized we can’t remember why we needed to be there in the first place. Don’t worry, you’re not getting more forgetful—chances are it was the act of walking through a doorway that made you go completely blank. Researchers found that participants in both virtual and real-world studies were far more likely to forget what object they had just placed in a container if they were asked right after walking through a doorway than if they carried the object the same distance in a single room. Scientists have yet to figure out why, but something about entering a new place seems to restart our memory.
3. MAKE A FIST
If you’re having trouble remembering things at work, get a stress ball. The act of clenching your fist, if done correctly, can significantly improve your ability to recall information. Studies show that if you are right-handed, you should make a fist with your right hand before you try to memorize a piece of information. Then when you need to remember it, clench your left hand (the process is reversed for lefties.) Be sure to hold that position for a little while though; the study that discovered this had the participants squeezing for a good 45 seconds before letting go.
4. EXERCISE
At this point we should just accept it that science considers exercise the cure for absolutely any problem, and memory is no different. The physical act increases
1. CONCENTRATE FOR EIGHT SECONDS
These days we’re all about things being faster. That’s why this advice is invaluable: When you really need to remember something, concentrate on it for at least eight seconds. That can seem like a long time when you're running around trying to get a million things done, but it is worth it. Studies have shown that eight seconds is the minimum amount of time it takes for a piece of information to go from your short-term memory to your long-term memory.
2. DON’T WALK THROUGH A DOORWAY
We’ve all walked into a room and suddenly realized we can’t remember why we needed to be there in the first place. Don’t worry, you’re not getting more forgetful—chances are it was the act of walking through a doorway that made you go completely blank. Researchers found that participants in both virtual and real-world studies were far more likely to forget what object they had just placed in a container if they were asked right after walking through a doorway than if they carried the object the same distance in a single room. Scientists have yet to figure out why, but something about entering a new place seems to restart our memory.
3. MAKE A FIST
If you’re having trouble remembering things at work, get a stress ball. The act of clenching your fist, if done correctly, can significantly improve your ability to recall information. Studies show that if you are right-handed, you should make a fist with your right hand before you try to memorize a piece of information. Then when you need to remember it, clench your left hand (the process is reversed for lefties.) Be sure to hold that position for a little while though; the study that discovered this had the participants squeezing for a good 45 seconds before letting go.
4. EXERCISE
At this point we should just accept it that science considers exercise the cure for absolutely any problem, and memory is no different. The physical act increases