Memory MustsHaving sustained a serious a brain injury, I’ve learned to incorporate memory tools into my life every day.  While my short-term memory has drastically improved from being nonexistent right after the injury, I still rely on memory tools to make life easier.

Memory challenges can be experienced by anyone due to anxiety and stress, age-related decline, brain injury or stroke or just an overwhelmed brain on a particularly busy day in which you are trying to cram too much into too few hours. Sound familiar?

For me, the most basic memory must is to put everything back in the same place every time.  ALWAYS! No exceptions. My iPhone is always on my desk or in my purse.  My debit card goes back in the same slot in my wallet every time.  The dog’s leash goes back on the hook in the kitchen without fail. If I lay something down randomly, I may not see it again for a long time.

So, I’ve trained myself not to arbitrarily set stuff down – most of the time.  However, I need corrective lenses to see at a distance.  As I have aged, I’ve developed the wonderful presbyopia, like so many, and find that  I can’t focus close up while wearing my glasses or contacts.  Without them, interestingly enough, my nearsighted vision is fine. I am forever taking my glasses off and setting them down or, if I have my contacts in, putting on and taking off reading glasses.  I don’t want to even begin to guess how much time I’ve wasted looking for glasses in utter frustration .  (I tried the bifocal contacts.  Hated ’em!) I try to, at least, always put my glasses down somewhere very obvious where I’m sure to see them — when I remember, that is.  When they inevitably do go missing, it’s helpful to retrace my steps doing a play-by-play backward.  This same tactic can work with any item.

Organization is absolutely key when you have memory problems.  I tend to be a  neat freak anyway; so, this is a relatively easy one for me.  Clutter is chaos for the memory challenged.  I live by myself which helps because I can stick to my system without interference.  However, when my sons visit, the dog leash may go missing for days until it is discovered in the pouch in the back of the seat in the car.

Establishing and sticking to rituals is also very helpful.  In the first year after my brain injury, I would just forget to pay bills.  Eventually, I established the habit of doing this task every Monday.  I take my supplements at the same times every day.  I drink a glass of water at regular times in the day.  With repetition, these actions become habits.

While I was never a big list person before the brain injury, boy, I am now.  A magnetized notepad hangs on my refrigerator to keep running list of what’s needed at the grocery store. When going out, I make a schedule of the stops I need to make, plan my route,  and note what is to be accomplished at each place.  This strategy maximizes my time and gas.  I have to admit that I’ve gotten to the grocery store plenty of times only to realize that I’ve  forgotten the dang list or have bolted out the door without my well-planned schedule. ( A lot of good these do then!) Putting the notes somewhere conspicuous so that I will see them when I’m leaving helps to reduce the chance of this happening — but it still does even then.

When preparing for an event, for example, my son’s birthday, I’ll make a list of what needs to be done on each day for the week leading up to it.

When trying to remember something specific without writing it down, it always helps to create mental links or associations.  These can be visual, mnemonic, or anything that works for you.  For instance, if I want to remember the address 1825 Deer Forest Drive.  I might make a mental note that it begins with my sons’ age followed by picture a deer in a forest with a quarter (for the 25) on its back.  Or, for example, if I need to get toilet paper, bananas and salad dressing at the grocery, all I have to remember is TPBS – the first letter of each word.  When trying to remember the name Kristy Farr, I might picture the  face of my cousin along with the saying “not near but…?”

In the article, Twenty Memory Tricks You’ll Never Forget by Patricia Curtis, she suggests the following:

Use your body – When you have no pen or paper and are making a mental grocery or to-do list, remember it according to major body parts, says Scott. Start at your feet and work your way up. So if you have to buy glue, cat food, broccoli, chicken, grapes, and toothpaste, you might picture your foot stuck in glue, a cat on your knee looking for food, a stalk of broccoli sticking out of your pants pocket, a chicken pecking at your belly button, a bunch of grapes hanging from your chest and a toothbrush in your mouth.

Go Roman – With the Roman room technique, you associate your grocery, to-do or party-invite list with the rooms of your house or the layout of your office, garden or route to work. Again, the zanier the association, the more likely you’ll remember it, says Scott. Imagine apples hanging from the chandelier in your foyer, spilled cereal all over the living room couch, shampoo bubbles overflowing in the kitchen sink and cheese on your bedspread.

I have read about these types of memory tricks elsewhere and understand that the Roman technique is used by memory champions.  Personally, I find them too complicated and elaborate to be of much help.  I can’t remember all the stuff involved that’s supposed to help me remember.  In my more simple techniques, I have remembered the memory link before, but had no idea what it linked to that I wanted to remember. Sometimes, I forget that I need to make it a point to remember to use my memory tricks.  I forget to remember if that makes any sense. I have not figured out a real solution to this one yet other than trying to be present and mindful as much as possible. I find that my memory is always better if I slow down, pay attention, and be fully present.

I can really tell a difference in my memory if I do not take my fish oil supplement.  I also take a turmeric supplement, which has been scientifically proven to aid memory and a good B complex vitamin which is crucial to memory function.  I find and many studies have shown that regular cardiovascular exercise and adequate sleep impact memory as well.

image source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/philipbitnar/

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10 Comments

  1. Tony Piparo Reply

    Debbie,

    I didn’t have a brain injury but always had a problem remebering where I laid things. I think I had too much going on mentally and was unconscious where I laid things down. I have had to incorporate many of the tricks you mentioned and am greatful for the others. Thanks again.

    Tony

  2. Debbie Hampton Reply

    Many who are memory challenged….no brain injury required. I often wonder how much of this is brain injury and just natural aging for me. It is nice to know tools to get around the challenges! The hardest part is remembering to use them! 🙂

  3. thanks for sharing Debbie – you’re right – this is not just for people with brain injuries – we can all benefit from the memory tricks. now, if you just have a trick to remember people’s names:) !!

    Interesting to hear about fish oil and tumeric. being Indian, I get more than enough tumeric in my food but do not take fish oil supplements yet even though I can keep hearing more and more about it’s benefits.

    • Debbie Hampton Reply

      Almost everyone can benefit from a few memory tricks and tips. I find that with people’s names, if I visualize the name associating it with something and really pay attention, that it usually works. This is one of those times that I often forget to remember.

      The fish oil makes a HUGE difference for me.

  4. Judy M. Hampton Reply

    Great information, Debbie. Now, how did we meet and how do I know you again? Just joking, darling daughter. You, as always, amaze me. Lots of love, Mom

  5. In agreement with the others, these are good tips for organizing in general, applicable for anyone. Being able to use less energy locating things and completing tasks reduces the bad kinds of stress.

    My addition would be to consciously choose to do less and own less on purpose. Not you specifically, Debbie, because I know you already pursue this principle, but most people have a lot of possessions they store and don’t use, and an overfull schedule. If you keep re-examining what you can let go of in stuff and appointments, you become able to do everything better, as well as remembering it all.

    • Debbie Hampton Reply

      Thank you for your contribution here, Mikey. I agree vehemently. Consciously choosing to lead a simpler life in terms of possessions and schedules really allows one to focus their time and energy and does reduce stress. It has for me. I know people who literally spend almost all of their free time and energy managing thier possessions. I think it is sad. I choose to use mine in other ways. However, they might think blogging and the stuff on which I choose to spend my time makes no sense. Perspective.

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