I am not sure exactly where I got this little gem from but I think it applies to us all:
Memories. Have you noticed that whenever you hear or see that word, it immediately evokes a memory, often complete with the sound of the Lloyd Webber tune from the musical Cats.
Whether we are conscious of it or not, we use our memory every moment as we absorb our surroundings through perceptions and interpret it based on our experiences. It’s one of the integral parts of everyday life, like trying to recall where, exactly, was the last place we saw our car keys!
Given our hectic and busy lifestyles, and the constant barrage of information that our brains have to deal with, it’s no wonder that this taken-for-granted part of our body could fall prey to such inefficiency and failure.
Many of us spend hours, weeks, months and years dedicated to other areas of our lives, yet we completely ignore the memory. Can we really be self-satisfied when such an essential thing as memory doesn’t work properly?
By upping your standards, your memory could become a finely-tuned, working piece of equipment that you can depend on. So let’s begin!
This first step comes in clearing your mind. Imagine your body is a computer – both rely on memory to store files to be accessed at any time you need.
If you began saving all the contents of junk-mail, pop-ups and other useless information you stumbled across in with all your important work and personal files, pretty soon your memory would be filling up, and like a hard drive would begin to run slower because of everything it was trying to manage at the one time. It would be increasingly harder and harder to access the files that were of any real importance to you.
It may seem like a lot of hocus-pocus, but it has been scientifically-proven that meditation is a regular habit you can adopt to reap the health benefits that come with a clear mind and stress relief. It can be especially effective when you find your mind too cluttered to recall important—or even not-so-important—facts throughout the day. So find a quiet environment, focus on your breathing, quit thinking and forget about the world!
One of the best things you can do for your memory is to get plenty of exercise, as it fuels your brain by pumping oxygen to your head. Spend three hours a week walking, running, swimming or doing some form of aerobic exercises. If you already have an exercise regime that doesn’t involve aerobic exercise, you’ll need to add at least three hours per week to get the benefits of exercise on your memory.
Develop a system to get things done! Having a list to work to is a great way of clearing your head because you have all your highest priorities down in front of your eyes, so there’s less chance of getting caught up in other things that are less important.
Sit down in the morning and again in the evening and rattle out everything you need to do or consider onto a piece of paper, or any other system you prefer to use like a computer-based document or personal planner. The important thing is to remove it from your brain and free up attention for things of the most importance.
Eat, and eat well! We’ve thought of our body as a computer; now let’s imagine it’s a car. If you try to drive around all day without putting fuel in it, chances are you’re not going to get far. Also, you may have noticed the difference in performance between using normal fuel and premium – and the good news is providing your body with premium fuel doesn’t necessarily mean it has to cost more to get better performance for longer. Try to minimize snacking on junk food and avoid processed grains like bread and white rice - instead include a variety of healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, and “brain food” (such as anything containing omega 3 fatty acids).
Include vitamins in your diet! B vitamins are very important to healthy brain function. Not only will they give your memory a boost, but they’ll reduce stress too—our prime contributor to poor recall.
My Mum is 82 and still walks each day and is thank the good Lord, very healthy. For more years than she can remember she has completed crosswords and her mind is as sharp as a tack. I am about to start persevering with the crosswords....
