I have tested the top free brain training apps see this blog post Top Free Memory Training Apps How to Improve Memory: A Comprehensive Guide for All Ages Part 6 (Autumn 2024) – Doctor Melissa Palmer. This blog post will be looking at how technology can support an enhance memory. I will introduce you to my best tips and tricks to manage your busy life. I started many years ago adding the suffix -min to the different areas of my life that involved admin. I am a Mum, I am a wife, I have fulltime job, I run a home. I have school-min, work-min, house-min, car-min …. The list goes on and on! Just getting through & responding to the information sent out by my children’s school is a part time job taking up hours every week!
I have seen in my lifetime a shift from less information sent using paperbased methods (during the day into a physcial pigeon hole or through a letterbox) to astronomically huge amounts of information sent all the time – predominantly electronically. I recently during a holiday – decided to organise and manage my work emails (I ironically never have time at work) in a different way. I thought I would be really brave – I deleted all the emails in my inbox and my deleted folder.
I know some of you are gasping and feeling physically anxious at the thought of doing the same thing…imagine my surprise when my computer told me it was going to take several minutes. I then looked carefully at the information from MS Outlook, it was deleting over 40 000 emails. I had to process in some way all of these emails. No wonder I was tired after a day at work.
Even more shocking I had only been in my job 2 years when I deleted those! 20 000 a year … over 1500 a month etc etc.
I won’t lie to you – it was totally liberating and read on if you want to find the elixir of modern life – the empty email inbox. I now have one nearly every day!
Digital tools for organisation and information management
There are a multitude of different digital tools for getting yourself organised and managing the information that you are undoubtedly bombarded with on a regular basis. However, I am going to focus on MS Outlook. I am sure that there are similar tools on iOS and other platforms. The principles remain the same.
You need to centralise the information you receive, capture it in one place, and take action to put that on a todo list or other forward action straightaway. These are not my ideas but those of Dermot Crowley – author of the book Smart Work Smart Work: Centralise, Organise, Realise: Crowley, Dermot: 9780730324362: Amazon.com: Books this awesome book was brought to my attention by a YouTuber https://www.youtube.com/@TheDigitalLearningConsultant called Mark Dickson.
The information from Demot Crowley and Mark Dickson literally changed my work life radically. These actions have made me really efficient, by saving me time. I can now use this time to complete work projects thoughtfully without rushing and to be able to support my work colleagues. My work environment is fast-paced, and reactive.
I know that you may be thinking – what does this have to do with helping my memory. The answer is cognitive load. Your brain has to keep tabs on all the different lists, pinned emails an so on. Not to mention the processing your brain has to do revisiting these different lists, scrolling up and down your inbox. This is cognitive load. Cognitive load impairs the function of processing information, and recalling information (your memory). If you reduce your cognitive load your memory will improve.
If your work feels like you are a slave to reading emails, then be prepared to have some time on your hands at work for the first time ever!
To reduce cognitive load (how much your brain is holding onto at any one time) and hence, make it easier to priorities and complete the most important tasks efficiently.
This is what you do. First, set up two folders in your emails one for filing, one for reading. Set up categories linked to your work. Choose no more that three or four categories (e.g. marketing, IT, catering). You can do this quick and easily – there are plenty of videos on YouTube – I personally liked Mark Dickson’s as it was easy to follow along. Set up rules for that will put emails into the filing and reading folders. You can also set up rules to put into filing and set up a meeting and other actions again check out the YouTube videos.
Second, centralise your to do lists electronicall. I had to do lists on scraps of paper, in two coloured notebooks, in my diary and I was pinning emails as another to do lists. At any one time I was flicking between five different lists. This wastes so much time. I cannot tell you the regret I feel now realising I have literally losts days of my life, rummaging around with separate lists.
I moved all my tasks onto the MS Outlook tasks list – you can set dates to do the task (do not set deadlines – dates and time to do the tasks must be scheduled). If you have a big project – put the hours needed in your MS Outlook calendar on the day(s) you want to work on them.
Thirdly, only check your email inbox once or twice a day. I told the team I manage remotely to ring me/text me on my work phone if it was urgent and email if they could wait for a response. The team I work with in person I told them to come and talk to me if it was urgent (I work in a small office – otherwise get them to call/text).
When you open your emails process them as follows. First, categorise (this makes searching easier in the filing folder). Add a task or create a calendar event if needed in response to the email– or if it is a quick reply do it there and then, or send a quick holding email if you need to saying when you will action what has been requested – then put it on your to do list. Then move the email to the filing or reading folder. Repeat with all emails until your inbox is empty. You will have replied quickly to some. You will have created to do tasks for others. This should take no more that 30-40 minutes. You can then get back to the tasks on your to do list that you have scheduled to do for that day.
You can do the same with your homelife admin too.
I have been given the gift of time – thank you Dermot Crowley & Mark Dickson for introducing me to these ideas.
The pros and cons of relying on technology for memory support
The advantages of harnassing the different technologies to support your memory – setting reminders on your smart phone, electronic to do lists and electronic calendars that have automatic reminders for meetings, birthdays and so on means that you are less likely to forget something important. However, using these technologies can mean that you do not use your memory as much. Neuroplasticity works in both directions. The more you use technology to support your memory, the less you are actively using your memory to remember key facts and events. Your brain will respond and your memory is not going to work as efficiently.
The key with using technology to support your memory is to do this in balance with using your brain. This way your brain will get a work out and continue to have regularly used neural pathways for remembering. But technology can be used for specific areas of your life. Our lives are much busier that they were even 10 years ago. So using technology to alleviate our cognitive overload in terms of organising life, the children’s activities, meeting friends for lunch, and birthdays is a good way to support your memory. I would recommend using a combination of technology and traditional memory techniques to help support your memory.
Balancing tech use with traditional memory techniques
Using my knowledge of learning and cognitive psychology from my years of teaching and my PhD research I think that variety is the key to healthier cognition. Use brain training apps, use technology to help you manage the cognitive overload of our busy lives, use traditional memory techniques to develop your memory. Traditional memory techniques could be visualisation to link object on a shopping list. I enjoy doing this. If I needed to get milk, orange juice and rubber gloves – I would imagine a cow, whose udder was a yellow rubber glove, the fingers dispensed milk or orange juice. Writing a key word on your hand is also another traditional memory technique. Leaving key objects in specific places. I often put a post-it note at eye-height on the front door if there is a really important item I need to get from the shops/ job I need to do. Using a range of techniques that support cognitive overload of your memory, but also enable you to challenge and develop your cognition is a great balance.
Conclusion of How to Improve Memory: A Comprehensive Guide for All Ages (Autumn 2024)
My goodness, what a journey through the extraordinary world of neuroplasticity and memory improvement! We have covered a lot of information, from understanding the basics of how our brains store information to exploring various techniques and technologies. Remember (pun intended!), enhancing your memory is a lifelong process, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. The key is to experiment with different methods and find what works best for you.
So, are you ready to take your memory to the next level? Start by incorporating one or two of the techniques mentioned into your daily routine. Maybe try a brain-training app or challenge yourself to memorise a new poem each week or memorise a pack of cards in order – 3 cards at a time . Whatever you choose, stick with it! With consistent practice and a positive attitude, you’ll be amazed at how much your memory can improve.
Don’t forget – a better memory isn’t just about recalling facts; it’s about enriching your life, staying sharp at any age, and making the most of every moment. Here’s to a future filled with crystal-clear memories and a brain that’s always up for your next challenge. Now go and have fun of gaining mastery of your own memory!