We’ve all been there walking into a room and blanking on why we came in, misplacing our keys (again), or struggling to recall a name just moments after an introduction.
In today’s fast-paced world, we’re bombarded with over 34 gigabytes of information daily — the digital equivalent of 11.8 hours of content. No wonder we forget where we left our keys or blank on names.
According to Dr. Charan Ranganath, professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of California, Davis, and author of Why We Remember: Unlocking Memory’s Power to Hold on to What Matters, memory is more about filtering and focusing than absorbing it all. “Don’t try to remember more — remember better,” he advises.
So how can we train our brains to hold onto what really matters? Instead, Ranganath offers five simple tools to do that using the acronym MEDIC:
M is for meaning
Attach what you want to remember to something of importance.
“You can remember information like names if you can tie them into information that has meaning to you,” he said.
For instance, if you are a fan of Greek mythology, you can link Ranganath’s first name, Charan, to Charon, the ferryman of the underworld who, for a price, transports the souls of the dead across the River Styx.
“And (you can) imagine me ferrying people across the river of the dead,” he said.
Such vivid imagery can help you remember a name.
E is for error
Test yourself. Even if you make a mistake, Ranganath said trial and error is one of the best ways to remember something.
“If you’re learning a new name or foreign language word, take a guess about what the name could be or guess about the meaning of the word,” he said.
When you learn the answer, he said, the brain can “tweak that memory to make sure it is more closely associated with the right answer and less likely to be associated with competing answers.”
D is for distinctiveness
Make it pop.
“Just as it’s easier to find a hot pink Post-it note on a desk full of yellow notes, it’s easier to find memories that have features (that) stand out from other memories,” Ranganath said.
For example, “When you put down your keys, take a moment to attend to a detail like a sound or a unique visual cue,” he said.
It will go a long way toward helping you remember where you put them, he said, as you’re frantically scrambling to get out the door.
I is for importance
Take advantage of the fact that the brain has adapted to flag moments that are significant.
“We retain memories for events that are important — in a biological sense,” Ranganath said. “When we have experiences that are rewarding, scary or embarrassing, chemicals like dopamine, noradrenaline or serotonin are released, promoting plasticity.” These neurotransmitters help cement the experience in your memory a bit more.
Curiosity can also play a role.
“We have found that being curious has a similar effect on memory,” he said, noting that curiosity activates “dopamine-carrying areas of the brain” and promotes learning.
“So, before you learn, get curious about the subject!” he said.
C is for context
Use your senses to do a little time traveling.
“Our memories for events, or episodic memories, are tied to where and when the event took place,” Ranganath said. “That’s why hearing a song that played during your summer abroad in college or smelling food that your grandmother used to make can immediately transport you back in time.”
“If you are trying to recall a past event, imagine yourself in that place and time — how you felt, what you were thinking about, the sights and sounds of the place — and you’ll find yourself pulling up a lot,” he said.
Source: CNN
Bd-pratidin English/ ANI
