How to Help Your Memory When Stress Takes Its Toll
If you’ve been very forgetful lately, you are not alone. Chronic stress, as well as anxiety and depression, can cause forgetfulness, confusion, and difficulty concentrating . But before you come to terms with the fate of forever lost keys and forgotten names, here are some strategies to help your memory and ease the worst moments of your forgetfulness caused by the pandemic.
Define your own learning style
We all have our own ways of learning and remembering. Some of us need to say something out loud to remember; others may need to write it down, while others may be more descriptive. Whatever your learning style is, embrace it and define a system that works with it, be it written or audio notes, flashcards and diagrams, or whatever strategy works for you.
If you are still trying to define your learning style, this questionnaire will help you better understand what might work for you. Once you have a better understanding of what you need to do to better remember the details, find a system that works for you.
Repetition is the key to success
The more often you do something, the more likely you will remember it. Repetition is what will help you transfer those details from short-term memory, which is only about 30 seconds long, into long-term memories that will help you remember important details, whether it’s next week’s deadline, your new employee’s name at work, or even five. millions of tasks to complete around the house to keep things from falling apart.
In these times, when it’s so easy to forget details in the stress-filled blurry light that life is, repetition can be a lifeline. Don’t be afraid to rely on repetition to get you through. Whatever helps you remember, be it saying something out loud, writing it down, or creating some kind of diagram, the more you repeat the details, the more likely you will be able to remember them.
Sure, it might seem a little silly to write everything down or say something to yourself 10 times to get through your day, but hey, if that’s the thing, then go ahead and do it. We’re all just trying to get through our day, and repetition is one strategy that can help you get there.
Avoid unnecessary distractions
Each day brings with it another flood of bad news, and we have more distractions than ever before, making it even more difficult to focus. However, there are ways to reduce the number of distractions in your daily life.
One of the key strategies is to set boundaries for smartphone use. Several studies show that Internet use shortens our attention span and impairs our memory . While it’s nearly impossible to live without the Internet, some usage restrictions can help. This can include putting your phone aside for specific periods of time, such as when you are working on a project and need to focus, or setting aside a specific time when you restrict Internet use.
Another strategy is to limit multitasking as much as possible, which also affects memory retention . (We know it’s easier said than done, especially for those in the care of children and work.) The fewer distractions you have, the better off you will be, and it’s always important to remember that while you may not be able to Eliminating all distractions by reducing them as much as possible will help in the long run.
Be patient with yourself
The good news is that stress-related memory loss is reversible , which means lowering your stress levels will help you get back to normal. However, given that the pandemic is more than three months old and there is no clear end in sight, it will take some time before either of us can return to this “normal” state before the pandemic. Until then, it’s important to be patient with yourself and know that while you can’t always control your stressors, there are strategies that can help you remember all the important details.