In Memoriam

When I went to Glorietta after work last Friday,  I found out that I just lost about 40Php from when I got out of the cab to the restaurant.  I hate losing stuff, it goes against my obsessive compulsive nature.  I even started worry about my memory then.

As soon as I sat down in my room that night, I opened my Web browser and found this article flashed on my screen (sony.aol.com, by browser’s default page).  Coincidence?  I think not! 

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How to keep good memory 

Excerpted from ‘The Memory Workbook’ by Douglas J. Mason & Michael L. Kohn

• Use it or Lose it.  Your brain is a muscle. Doing puzzles, reading and playing cards or games all exercise your brain strength and build self-confidence. Also, try teaching what you know to others. It’s a great way to enhance your recollections — and bond with younger people.
• Have a Laugh.  Humor goes a long way toward memory improvement. Think of a joke, humorous phrase or silly song and attach it to whatever you need to remember, such as picking up the dry cleaning or shopping for groceries. You’ll not only have a laugh, but you’ll relax more and stay positive.
• Grab a Crutch.  There are so many wireless devices these days that help you remember: cell phones, PalmPilots, MP3 players. These modern conveniences can guide you through your day, allow you to plan ahead and free up space in your mind.
• Get Organized.  Find a central location — or “memory spot” — to place all the things you use every day, such as keys, wallet, purse and cell phones. If you make lists, always keep them all in one place; they can’t help you if you can’t find them.
• Stay Positive.  If you think that you have a poor memory, you might convince yourself into that being the case. Instead, think positively about your memory. And don’t panic if you can’t immediately recall something. Take the time to let it come to you.
• Pay Attention.  Life can sometime be chaotic but try to be attentive to what’s going on around you. “I forgot” is often just another way of saying, “I wasn’t paying attention.”
• Link Memories.  When you have difficulty remembering something, try to reconstruct the time and place associated with that memory. If you want to recall what you got for your birthday last year, for example, picture where you were, what you were wearing and the people around you.
• Focus on your strength.  Challenge your brain by learning something new, but do it in a way that plays to your strengths. Mnemonics, or the art of memorization, is affected by our learning style: visual, auditory, kinesthetic. Understanding is essential to learning and remembering.