Another “senior moment”!  Why is it that the harder we work, the more difficult it becomes to remember the little details?  The more often we forget someone’s name or the location of our keys, the more the specter of Alzheimer’s creeps in.

Yet forgetting things is not all negative.  It is important to let go of extraneous details in order to control mental clutter.  Diane Sawyer recently conducted a television interview with a woman who could remember every detail.  Ask her where she was at a certain time on a specific day years ago, and she could tell you all about it.  While this trait may seem to be a good thing when you youself can’t remember if you turned off the iron an hour ago, her life was very difficult.  Her handicap is helping scientists learn more about brain function.

We have to face the fact that we do slow down in terms of memory as we get older, and sometimes it is scary.  We can’t remember a word, or we mispeak, and that causes concern.  A general slowing of cognitive functions begins in our 50s and 60s.  Neurotransmitters, chemicals that facilitate communication, diminish.  Our brain itself shrinks.  White matter, fibers connecting the front of the brain to storage locations, is changing and therefore it takes longer to process information.  (”It’s on the tip of my tongue.”)

If you are having difficulty pulling up a detail, like a name or date, chances are it was not well-archived from the start.  This is what happens when we are multitasking and not focused.  Our brains have a large storage capacity, but, like working on a computer with too many programs running, it is difficult to work on all of them, and the system slows down. 

How can you help your short-term memory?

• Pay attention.  That means focusing instead of diverting your mind in three or four different directions.
• Repeat the information.  If you do want to remember and store this in memory, you need to find a way to reinforce the data.
• Write everything down.  You cannot focus with multiple ideas fighting for attention.  When you record a detail, you can then direct your attention elsewhere.

Why will these step help?  We can only store an average of seven things in our short-term memories–and that is on a good day.  Freeing up slots by writing things down helps build your focus.

Another bonus to writing everything down is that it becomes easier to prioritize.  If your tasks are recorded and placed in ONE location, or system, you will never overlook a deadline or forget a task.  When it is easy to prioritize, you can work out an effective schedule and become an expert at managing your time.