Old age eventually gets the better of us, and one of its casualties is attempting to remember the small details we’re wanting to. It becomes difficult, to recall each and every instance we intend to keep in mind, as the frustration and anxiety can grow.
We’ve all done this on occasion, we go into a certain room, go to the grocery store, or we sit in front of our computer and then suddenly draw a blank.
We completely forget what we were planning to do. We keep it as our little secret.
So you laugh and just shrug it off once you eventually remember, and say “Oh right.”
You then place your hand over your forehead and give it a light tap for forgetting, and carry on with the day.
The reason you can’t remember, is perhaps because of a particularly hectic day, or the brain is tired.
And yes, it can be this thing called growing older, and perhaps it’s starting to creep up on you.
That the proper functioning of the brain, may be showing signs of slipping and becoming overused.
The Mind To Keep Up
What we’re constantly inundated with on a daily basis, are hundreds of facts and opinions from a variety of sources.
So it can become difficult for anyone to retain and recall the most important “stuff,” we need to remember.
Regardless, before others take notice of your forgetfulness and they start to blame or worry about you, take the precautionary steps.
Listed are some ways to keep the “To Do” list on the top of your mind, which keeps your memory muscles in tip top shape.
1. – Make Sure To Pay Attention To Detail
What you’re ultimately wanting to do, is shift all of the important facts from your short-term memory to your long-term memory.
Research has shown us this process normally takes around 7 to 9 seconds of concentrated attention, on a specific task or item.
So the next time you need to remember something long term, focus on it while mentally counting up to 9 seconds repeatedly, so it becomes locked in.
2. – Or Just Write It Down
You can easily store a “things to do” list on your tablet or smartphone, or use a voice recorder to remind yourself of what needs to be done.
But doing so at times can become too much work, if you’re wanting to remember something that’s minor.
All we need is to go back in time before this zany technological world, when people actually used a pen and paper for taking notes.
What taking the time to write something down you need to remember does, is it encodes the brain so you can remember.
The actual act of writing something down physically, helps to register the text in your mind, where you’re able to recover it easier later.
3. – Establish A Daily Routine
Set a pattern, a familiar routine, so all the basic things you need to do on a daily basis becomes regular.
This includes where you place your keys, smartphone, or sunglasses. They are always in the same exact spot in your home or office at all times.
The same also applies for all of your most important macro information, you need to keep track of.
Once you establish a specific folder for your most critical documents on your computer, such as your email or spreadsheet, you’ll know where to go first.
4. – Sleep More Eat Better
What your brain longs for the most, is the proper amount of sleep to stay sharp as we begin to grow older.
If you deprive yourself of adequate sleep, you begin taxing your memory first, and then start to forget things. So being rested, keeps your mind alert.
What eating the proper foods does, is they’ll improve your memory since they contain essential vitamins and antioxidants.
So consume more of the following, such as blueberries, fresh salmon, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, etc. as part of your daily diet.
Some experts claim, dark chocolate along with a glass of red wine every once in a while will help you to remember better.
But keep in mind to not go overboard with these minor vices, to the point you don’t remember the night before.
5. – Make Sure You Workout Mentally And Physically
Keep your mind mentally sharp by actually challenging it, which makes you sharper and a lot more effective at remembering things.
Challenge yourself mentally such as doing crossword puzzles or learning new complex concepts, which makes simple tasks such as remembering names easier.
What an active healthy body does, is it provides for a healthier mind.
What consistent exercising does is makes the brain work more efficiently, once you pump more blood into it by physical activity. Doing so forces the brain to work harder as well.
So if you’re wanting to come up with some new creative ideas, then go out for a brisk walk or a bike ride, which makes your heart, legs, and brain work harder.
By the end of the exercise, your mind should be full of ideas.
6. – At Times… Go Against Routine Habits
If you’re really wanting to remember something that’s extremely critical, then intentionally break a set routine or habit that’s surrounding it.
Say for instance, you keep on forgetting to back up all of your important data on your computer at the end of the workday. By habit, you also leave your keys in your left pocket.
Begin putting the keys in your right pocket instead, so once you’re ready to go home, the keys in the wrong pocket alerts your mind something’s not right.
That odd feeling you get will act like a string tied around your finger.
What that alert and discomfort does, is it makes you remember you need to do something… “Oh right, back up my computer.”
7. – Get More Creative To Remember
Begin making up mnemonics or number sequences, which will lock in all of the most important facts into your memory.
Doing so is an extremely powerful and effective method for memory retrieval.
Remembering rhymes or a poem, makes it a lot more easier to remember certain things or passages.
Names as well as numbers by themselves, can usually be forgotten easily if there’s little or no context that surrounds it.
So once you’re introduced to new information you need to remember, take a mental note and snapshot of the immediate surroundings, much like a detective would.
Associate the details you can match, with the specific information you need to remember.
Recognize the exact order of events, and then replay them back in your mind to retrieve the information.