Cue the drumroll, folks! It’s time to talk about the brain. Specifically, we’re getting into the incredible world of memory. Do you have trouble remembering what you had for dinner last night, let alone a phone number? Well, it’s time to get your mind out of the gutter and into the game. As a neuroscientist at MIT Sloan, I have some brain hacks that are guaranteed to make you a memory master!
First up, we have chunking! Now, this has nothing to do with throwing up. Sorry to disappoint. Chunking is a technique that involves breaking down long and complex pieces of information into smaller, more manageable chunks. For example, if you’re hit with a phone number like “3-3-2-1-6-7,” you can divide it into “33,” “21,” and “67.” It’s like taking a massive sandwich and breaking it down into bite-sized pieces, except without the crumbs. And just like that, your working memory will start to get stronger than The Rock’s biceps.
Don’t believe me? Well, let’s take it to the next level. Imagine you have a big presentation coming up. You’re nervous, sweating, and you haven’t slept in days. Do you really want to trust your memory to remember everything you need to say? No way, Jose. That’s why you need to make a list of key terms and phrases beforehand. Rehearse them out loud a few times and you’ll effortlessly remember everything you need to hit. Easy, peasy, lemon squeezy.
But wait, there’s more! Next up on our memory-boosting extravaganza, we have space repetition. No, it’s not a place where aliens land, sorry sci-fi fans. It’s the method of boosting your long-term memory at increasingly longer intervals of time. You say a fact out loud a few times right after learning it. Then do the same thing a few hours later, then the next day, then a week later. And if you feel like you’re starting to forget it, simply repeat the process. You’ll be remembering things that not even Sherlock Holmes could.
Time to put it to the test, folks! It’s time to dive into our brain exercise. Get out a pen and paper and write down your grocery list for the week. Got it? Now repeat it in your head and picture each item in your mind. And for the grand finale, cover the list and rehearse it out loud. When you hit the grocery store, see how many items you can recall. We guarantee you’ll never forget that extra carton of milk again.
To round things off, mindfulness and taking care of your body are equally important in achieving a brain that can recall information better than Mary Poppins can pull things out of her bag. So, take a deep breath, do some yoga, and eat your veggies. Here’s to a memory better than Dory’s!
Serious News: cnbc
