In an era of data overload, forgetfulness may be inevitable. But scientists say there is no so-called "bad" memory here—just one untrained memory.
Most of us have more memory abilities than we actually remember. Ultimately, we need to adapt our technology usage to our brains, not the other way around. This could mean using meditation applications, such as headspace applications or Calm, to retrain our focus abilities. But it can also be easier than that. "You can significantly improve your attention by 10 to 15 times," said Dr. Murari Doraswami, director of the program for Neurocognitive Disorders at Duke University. "After 25 cognitive training, a 40-year-old may perform better than an untrained 20-year-old, but it takes effort." By hard work, he refers to turning off your device while listening to someone else, challenging your intelligence regularly, and spending hours immersing in a task, such as reading a (paper) book or practicing a skill." Yes, you've heard of it before.
Training your attention is an important factor to remember. He estimates that if you don’t consciously try to keep what you say in a meeting, about half of what you hear will disappear within a day or two. The same goes for books, movies, and dialogue. To remember something, you need to remind your brain frequently when it matters. Take notes after the meeting or when you finish reading a book. Explain to others the interesting things you find during the day. At least, think about it carefully after you hear this information. By giving it as rich and background as possible, parts of it are more likely to be distributed in your brain’s memory network—the nerves are equivalent to clicking the save button on your brain.
Treller says that deep memory encoding works best when you connect information to existing memory or knowledge in a meaningful way. This explains why my friend's divorce is still so vivid and why everyone remembers their situation in the 9/11 incident. So, next time you meet someone you want to remember, don't just repeat their names. Find a common interest. Establish a connection. You will encode the name more deeply into the existing memory network of your brain, which will become part of your personal vocabulary. “In the memory world, we call it “deep processing,” but it is actually just a curiosity and interest in new people, places, ideas or information.” Curiosity and investment are not just about enhancing your memory. It can make you live better.
