What is the date today? Don’t know, like many of us? Need to look at your phone? Ok, so let us analyse why don’t you know? Because you don’t need to. But if you do not know the date, what do you know? The day? Who you are, what motivates you? You or the phone?
Questions questions. We are all over-dependent on our phones, and are in danger of developing ‘digital dementia’. But there are things you can do to prevent that. Here are 7 things to do.
1. Stop saying “I’ve got a terrible memory”
Your brain is an incredible supercomputer. If you say “now I am older I cannot remember anything, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy”. So it is better to say “I still learn things quickly, easily and remember them”.
2. Make your first hour of the day phone-free
It is very easy to wake up, and go straight on your phone, worried you have missed a crucial text, or piece of news. You do not need that information. Have breakfast, listen to the radio; better still, talk to your loved ones.
3. Listen carefully to the first 10 seconds when someone is talking to you
There is a modern tendency to half listen to other people, as you multi-task, half in a Teams meeting, half on your phone. But if someone talks to you, show respect and listen, especially the first 10 seconds. What are they saying, and why you? Maybe they need help, or information. And if you need to, count ‘one thousand, two thousand etc’ as they talk to you, gain eye contact, smile, and do that old human thing .. yes, a conversation. All questions are good questions.
4. Do not let your phone or computer be the only way of remembering things
When you miss a key meeting, or are late, it is too easy to blame the phone, computer and cyber-confusion. But its your fault, not the machine. There are other ways of remembering things. Have a pen and paper on or near you. Write things down on paper or on your hand.
5. When you wake up, decide what you want from the day
Try to keep your eyes closed for a few minutes. Think ‘what do I need to do today?’ How am I going to do that and judge whether I have been successful? After breakfast, check all your diaries (home, work, other). Then .. YES .. do it!
6. Improve your concentration
This is the big one. How do we improve our focus on events of the day? We all have individual tricks. But here are a few tips ..
Eliminate distractions, reduce multitasking, focus on what you are doing now. And if you lose focus, take a short break. The human brain can only concentrate for 10 minutes, primarily in the first two.”
7. Spend five minutes in bed reviewing your day
If you do this, you can improve your episodic memory and store all your achievements of the day.
MyHSN has more information on what does the brain do? (10 functions)
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