You’re probably relying on your smart phone most of the time when it comes to contact numbers, email addresses, and what not to the point that without it, we feel at a loss as to how to reach someone using other people’s phone. Let’s face it, these smart gadgets are doing most of the memory work for us. So what, right? They were built for convenience but not using our brain for memorization can affect us in the long run. You will find that your attention span is not the way it was before and that you are having a hard time remembering things. If this is the case, it is time for you to step up and start honing your memory with these tips.

Repeat

It’s quite normal to forget someone’s name especially when they were introduced to you for the first time. You see, it’s not really enough for us to hear the name alone but we really need to put some effort into remembering their name too. The next time you meet someone new, try using their name in your conversation several times. You’ll find that your brain has already stored their name already.

Read

If you want to be able to remember your textbooks, notes, and such, you need to read. Constantly. Take down notes after which you can review after to retain the information in your head. This is helpful for those who are studying for exams.

Socialize

Didn’t thought that this will appear here, don’t you? Well, with the appearance of social media, socializing has moved from personal to digital which has also affected our ability to retain things. Yes, we use social media to document experiences but we often forget to live in the moment and even take the time to remember things too hence we often forget things. The next time you plan on getting in touch with your friend, skip Facebook but rather go out and have coffee with them.

Write it down

Writing down information helps improve your brain’s ability to memorize. If you are in school, using your notebook and pen rather than your tablet or laptop will help you retain more information. You’ll find that the more you write things down, the easier it is to remember things or important information.

Exercise

Most of us think that exercising is for losing weight, toning muscles, and improving one’s health. Well, another way that exercise can help you is in the memory department. The more you work out, the better your brain is in storing information. You will find that it is easier to access memories too in the long run.

Test it

What better way to improve your memory than by testing it from time to time? Do crossword problems, puzzles, and the like and see if you can remember how to do them. Come across a previous test paper? Try answering it as best as you could.

Get some sleep

Sleep is important for us as this is the time when our body recharges and repairs itself. Now, sleep can also enhance our memory so as much as possible, get up to 8 hours of good sleep. Naps can help too because you are consolidating memories that will be stored in your brain for a long time. 

These are just a few steps that you should try out if you want to enhance your memory. Do these steps as often as possible and you will find that it is easier to retain and access your memories whenever you want to. No need to worry about forgetting things in the long run, for sure.