You are in a hurry to make a beeline for the office and you can’t find your wallet or keys or an important document. Or you just entered a room to get something and forgetting why you went there in the first place.
Relatable, enough?
Unable to recall things easily, forgetting to wish someone on their birthday, missing something on the shopping list, or forgetting to make an important call, the list is endless. Of course, it is likely for you to be worried as it can also be an early sign of dementia.
So, do we all have dementia then?
Well, no.
Researchers at De Montfort University have found that forgetting things these days has less to do with dementia and more to do with our habits. Spending too much time on smartphones is leading to us developing a “butterfly brain” that can be distracted easily. So, even when we are focussing on one thing, our minds may divert to others. This is the main reason why practicing mindfulness or meditation is given importance.
Must Read: How to Meditate at Home?
Amidst all of these lifestyle changes, people having strong memories can be called superheroes, right? Well, the good news is that you can be one too. Here are some tips that can help you not forget things.
Tips to Improve Your Memory
Focus- One Thing At A Time
As we mentioned earlier, butterfly brains. Most of us consider it as an achievement to multitask or do so many things at once. To be honest, it is a good thing to manage your time. However, it can also lead to not paying proper attention to any of the tasks. So, eventually, you end up underperforming whether it is feeding your children and flipping through the newspaper or having breakfast and scrolling through Instagram.
Few things can wait. You can scroll down social media once you are free or read a newspaper on your way to the office. Categorize your tasks based on urgency and importance. Pay close attention to the task that is in front of you and do it with dedication. It will help your mind to stay focused and organized.
Train Your Brain
Gone are the days when people used to passionately solve crossword puzzles or sudoku. Well, at least they were having a good memory.
Solving puzzles, sudoku, or playing chess are some of the ways you can challenge your brain to remain cognitive and mentally active. It can rewire it again to be attentive.
Now, we believe the next thing you will do is download these from the app store. However, wait!! You can rather take up a newspaper and pencil and start right away or buy yourself a chessboard and invite your friend to play over. Shy away from doing these activities on the phone. Writing is always better than tapping buttons.
Write It Down
Our brains have a weird way of remembering things and one of the best methods is to write. As soon as you put words down to paper, the brain acknowledges them as a phrase and makes a connection. This increases your likelihood of remembering. Another way to speak it out loud or try singing it.
Use Prompts
Writing is a good idea but where? Or what happens if you forget where you had written? For this, make a dedicated space. This can be anywhere in your house where your eyes can find it. For instance, you can stick notes on the refrigerator door about your important calls or events to be more attentive. Or you can write it on a blackboard in your room. This will make sure that you don’t miss anything.
Get Moving
Anything steady is stagnant and the same applies to your brain. Boost your brain by doing some exercise and increasing your blood flow. To some cardiovascular exercise whether it’s running on a treadmill or walking or gardening. Get yourself moving and do some activities that provide enough oxygen and nutrients to your brain.
Unfortunately, being forgetful is very common these days. However, you can always get back by trying the above-mentioned activities. Practice them and let us know which one worked for you. You can also share some funny incidents with us, we would love to hear from you.
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