2) Use Techniques to Aid the Memory…
revision memory techniquesIf you have to remember significant details (maybe for a pitch or an exam) ensure you’re using the right techniques that suit your way of learning. If you’re a visual leaner like me, try using flashcards or colour-co-ordianted images to aid your brain whilst it works.
But if you’re not one to learn this way, try making spider diagrams or simply reading aloud the texts that you’re trying to memorize or the concept you’re trying to figure out or evaluate. Aiding your memory is all about understanding you memory and what works best for you.
3) Be Conscious of Your Setting…
Our minds work best when they are clean and organized, therefore the stimuli your brain is receiving should also be clean and organized. The most simple of ways to achieve this, is by cleaning out your desk between projects. Not only will this give you a clean foundation to work on, but it will also ensure that your area of work has everything you need before you start.
It is psychologically proven that we can revise information better in the room in which we learnt it. So if your trying to generate new ideas or remember facts to the best of your ability, always practice in a place that you know well and that you know will be free from distractions. Even the most focused of people, will find the click of a fridge or the gossip next door distracting when they most need control over their minds.
So be conscious of your surroundings and help your brain focus as best you can.
4) Keep Your Mind Active…
The brain needs to be stimulated in order to continue developing and growing, the same way muscles need to be flexed in order to strengthen.
There is no way that you can make your brain physically move around in your skull, but simple tasks like reading or brain games can really help keep the memory active.But remember, it’s just as important to ensure that the level of brain activity you are commencing does not exceed itself. Stress brings about many medical issues, and such medical issues can damages brain cells that are vital in remembering and organising information so make sure that you take regular breaks if you’re working hard, and that these breaks provide complete and utter relief from the task at hand.
This is most important for tasks of a creative nature, because to create is to build on a foundation. And to build on a foundation, means that foundation must be clear in your mind. A good way to get started in the process of idea generation is to get all ideas and issues on paper first. And then build on the strongest point.
The memory is made up of two parts. The information we get during an event and the information we get after an event. If you want that information to stick, ensure it’s consistent. So although it’s great to be consistently reminding your brain of what it needs to know back to front, clarity is key to keeping your mind active but not over-active. Just like any muscle, the brain can’t build on a thousand ideas at once.