We have already looked at a few very simple things you can do to become smarter, as well as some equally simple, science-backed tips to be happier. This time we’re going to look at a few small tricks to improve your memory. Developmental psychologists and cognitive scientists agree on them, even if some of them may sound a little strange to many people.
Whether you want to get an edge over others, get promoted faster at work or simply increase your memory capacity, these guidelines will help.
1. Reading physical books will improve your memory
Memory is also tactile, even though most people think of it as a purely visual exercise. Research published in Scientific American makes it very clear that you will remember what you read on paper much better than what you read on an electronic device.
In other words, you will probably have forgotten the points in this article by tomorrow, unless you print it out. And not just because reading is tactile, but because when you read a book you also hold it, and as you turn the pages you make a movement from right to left. The research suggests that the brain uses this movement as a memory anchor.
Bad news for the new digital age, no doubt, but it may fit perfectly with my theory that the day I am forced to read on an electronic device, I will probably stop reading. Call me old-fashioned, but I still like physical books.
What’s more, when you buy a physical book, you read it, while you see lots of people walking around with a Kindle holding 100 books, and they haven’t read a single one yet.
2. A little expressive writing will free up mental resources and improve your ability to remember
Kitty Klein, a psychologist at the University of North Carolina, showed that expressive writing increases memory. She explained that when people put into words thoughts that would otherwise stay stored in their minds, that energy can be reallocated to memory.
The study gave such good results that even people who began writing about their feelings and worries noticed lower blood pressure, greater productivity and a stronger sense of well-being. And therefore a healthier mind, which means better concentration and improved learning and memory.
3. A walk in the woods will improve your memory
Never underestimate the power of nature to get our bodies going. Playing with mud and smelling the earth can make you feel happier. Simply walking in the woods and breathing in the smell of nature will help improve your memory.
That was the conclusion reached by a group of psychologists in Michigan, who carried out an experiment. They split participants, who had already been tested, into two groups. One group went for a walk in an urban setting (the city centre), while the other went for a walk in the woods.
When both groups were tested again on memory and recall, the group that had walked in the woods did 20% better on the memory test than the group that had walked in the city.
4. Connect what you learn with what you already know
We already covered this point in a previous article with tips for learning faster, where, among other things, we talked about the importance of connecting prior knowledge with the new subject you want to learn. If you haven’t read it, I recommend it, as it suggests several ways to learn any subject faster.
Contrary to popular belief, the more things you learn, the easier learning becomes, whatever you are learning. In fact, we gave the example of languages: far from the common misconception, people who already speak eight languages would learn a ninth more easily than someone setting out to learn their first.
See also: 5 strategies for learning faster, part 2
Featured image: Forest path, Benderloch by Jim Barton, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
