How bad can bad memory be?
Bad memory is an evil that most of us curse ourselves for. Be it the forgotten wallet at the office, the misplaced eye-glasses that send you on a wild goose chase, or the item left out from the grocery list, we have all been through the quagmire of forgetting something important and regretting it later. There might have been times when you wished if you could undo something even if it went on to cost you both an arm and a leg.
Bad memory plays its wicked laugh even at the workplace, where important meetings are forgotten, significant contracts are left unacknowledged and the important calendar days are gone unnoticed under a cloud of forgetfulness.
Keeping a good memory is no rocket science, neither is it a piece of cake! Although, as humans, we are helpless to an extent with regard to keeping a good track of things with a strong memory, there are a few things we could practice to get back on track.
Psychologists often advise various activities and practices to curb the adverse indulgence of bad memory in our daily life.
Physical Activity
Including physical activity in our daily routine could possibly increase the blood flow to the whole body, including the brain. This can keep the memory sharp. As for physical activities, you could just take a stroll through your neighbourhood or pick up jogging in a nearby park or maybe do some daily exercises that encompass moderate aerobic activity.
Mental Activity
Staying active mentally is also very important in maintaining a good memory. Mentally stimulating activities such as solving crossword puzzles, or learning to play a new musical instrument, finding new and different routes to the same destination, are subtle practices we could include in our daily routine that help boost memory in the long run.
Socialization in the real world
With social media platforms flooding the virtual world, most humans would claim themselves to be active social media users. But how well do we socialize in the real world? Try ‘saying’ hi just as often as you ‘text’ hi to your friend or colleague. It helps ward off depression and stress that could otherwise harm your memory.
Organize yourself
Leading an organized life helps thwart memory loss to a great extent. Most of us are aware of this fact, however, a large percentage of us are those who snooze the alarm until it the time gets critical. Hence, we need to start from the basics: such as waking up at the first ring of the alarm (sounds impossible at first, but nothing short of attaining with constant effort). Maintain a to-do list, jot down the tasks, appointments and events in a notebook. But don’t forget to take the notebook as leave home for work!
You could also control yourself from doing so many things at once. Prioritize things so that you can concentrate well on each task.
Sound sleep and a healthy diet
A piece of advice we have all been subject to since childhood. Sleep plays a vital role in helping you consolidate memories, enabling you to recall them. Most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep a day.
Equally important is what goes into your body as food. Include fruits, vegetables and whole grains in your diet. Make sure you follow a balanced diet with plenty of water every day.
Before you forget the 5 points mentioned above, jot them down somewhere or run an eye through the same once more. Or maybe you could bookmark the same or keep a screenshot and adhere to it daily. Not that you will wake up to a sharp memory the very next day (this is no black magic of course), but you could feel the difference in the long run.
By the way, the misplaced eye-glasses are right above your forehead!
