Enhance Your Working Memory and Become More Efficient

Enhance Your Working Memory and Become More Efficient

It happens to all of us. We forget the phone number we just looked up, the name of the girl we just met, where we set the keys just a minute ago. While all of these can be frustrating moments, they’re signs of a much bigger underlying problem – a poor working memory.

We use our working memory every day as we read, write, plan, organize, follow a conversation, or follow directions. Furthermore,  through various tricks and strategies, it’s possible to train your working memory over time to become more effective, especially in terms of professional efficacy.

Break information into manageable chunks

Your working memory has trouble handling large amounts of information at once, so it’s best to break thoughts up into manageable categories. If you have a lot of things to remember at once, try grouping everything into chunks that you can consider individually. For example, if you’re trying to remember a long shopping list, you may want to divide it into dairy, meat, and vegetable sections to make everything easier to call to mind later.

Make multi-step checklists

If you have a lot to do and are worried about forgetting or overlooking something important, it might help to write up a list. You can prioritize what you need to get done so that you are able to focus on just one thing at a time. This can make a hectic schedule much easier to handle, whether at home or in the office.

Practice consistent routines

Consistency makes it easier to remember things on a day to day basis. If you place your keys in a particular bowl each time you come home, then you’re likely to remember exactly where they are the next time you need to leave the house. Setting up and following a daily routine can help to take some of the stress out of busy days, as you’ll take care of the important things automatically.

Your working memory is what allows you to bring up relevant pieces of information or process ideas in the short-term. Not everyone has the same capabilities when it comes to working memory, however every does have the ability to improve it if they choose to. And needless to say, a better working memory equals a better working performance and overall success, so why not spend some time working on this skill.