MEMORY plays a big role in our life. It allows us to remember skills that we’ve learned, or retrieve information that is stored in the brain, or recall a precious moment that occurred in the past.
We all forget things. Sometimes the things are important, sometimes they aren’t. However, regardless of what it is we forget, we feel frustrated and maybe even hopeless.
Maybe you have even considered writing down all that you need to remember,  but often fail to do so for various reasons.
The good news is that you can try some simple activities and tips to exercise their minds and improve their memory.
Try intentionally focussing on what you want to remember. Taking a little time to think and process your thoughts will help you recall things in the future.
If you want to remember several ideas simultaneously, try connecting them in your mind.
For example, if you are going to go shopping, try to imagine yourself walking through the aisles in the shopping market and picking all that you need to buy.
This will help you remember the items better than if you just tried to remember them by themselves.
If you do make a mental list, try to add a personal touch to it and try to keep it short.
If you are trying to plan a dinner, for example, try to link all the foods you will need to the fact that you are planning a dinner. That way, whenever you think of dinner, you will be reminded of the foods and ingredients you need.
Try to have an image in your mind whenever you try to remember something. If you are trying to remember an address you have already been to, visualise the building at that address when you try to remember it.
Try creating an acronym. This not only works for children in school, it works for adults too. For example, take the first letters for what you want to remember and use the letters to make a word that will help you remember.
Try  to feel  what you are trying to remember. For example, if you want to remember ingredients when you go shopping, try to imagine the smell and taste of the food that you want to cook.
Even if you will lose your list or forget to use it, writing down the things you want to remember will still help you.
Rhymes and songs helped you learn the alphabet and the days of the week when you were a toddler. Luckily, rhymes and songs can still help you remember things, no matter how old you are.
For example, if you need to remember a phone number, try to sing the numbers to a tune or pattern and you will find that you will keep the number in your memory for longer.
Be optimistic. If you feel confident and don’t doubt yourself too much, you and your memory will perform much better than if you are pessimistic.
You can also exercise your brain by engaging in mentally challenging activities such as chess. Even dancing, where your brain works hard to control your movements and maintain your balance can help.
Moreover, completing crossword puzzles in newspapers and playing games such as Scrabble also exercises your mind.
Lastly, try to do everyday activities like brushing your teeth, picking up items and cooking with your opposite hand as that will also challenge your mind and exercise it.
Remember what is in your memory bank is far more important than what is in your bank. In short, memory is the mother of all wisdom.
Till we meet next week, stay healthy.