Our minds are capable of remembering any kind of information. We are all able to memorize every language and all the subphylums in the animal and plant kingdom. However, some of us failed chemistry and others failed geography. Why are we all so different if we're able to do the same things mentally?
Memory works in sections. We have short term memory and long term memory which are generally known. Short term memory is essentially any information that is used in 30 seconds. When someone tells you their phone number you don’t remember the number after it’s saved in your phone. Long term memory is all the information stored away. It’s the details of your sweet sixteen or the name of your dog. However, there is active working memory. This is the memory being used by you currently. It’s what allows me to write this and stay focused. It’s allowing you to read these words understand them and connect it to the entire idea of this article. This memory is important for us as functioning members of society. We need this to hold a conversation with someone, buy food at the grocery store, and a million other tasks. In the academic world, active working memory is used while writing a paper, reading a book, and solving math problems.
The worst part about active working memory is that it can be influenced by other factors. Some days you can remember things better than others.
These influencing factors are:
Emotions – If you’re sad you can’t focus on anything. If you’re really excited for the weekend you won’t remember anything that’s happening in class that Friday.
Difficult Tasks – Some people can’t read a book with distractions around them. Other people can’t do math problems with distractions.
Learning a New Task – The best example is when you or someone you know is driving in a new area and they turn down the music in the car to see. Minimizing distractions help us use our energy on the task at hand.
Problems in active working memory are best identified through behaviors.
You have a weak active working memory if:
You constantly loose things. I lose my phone at least once a day, guaranteed.
People think you’re constantly confused and disorganized because you forget things. You forget to show up for a doctor’s appointment.
You can’t multitask. You start your homework and you put on music but then you get distracted by your music and try to go back to your homework and you completely forget what you were just studying.
If we all are affected by this from time to time, how do we fix it?
Be organized: If everything has a place and you keep those things in that place you won’t have to search for these things.
Verbalize: If you can’t be organized, then say out loud “I am putting my phone on the desk”
Mono-task don’t multitask: Focus on one thing at a time and take it slow.
Write down what needs to be done: this can be writing in a planner or writing down the steps to a problem
If you’re bad at remembering stuff from class, look at your notes immediately after class. It will help transfer that information into long term memory.
These are simple steps it takes to make our lives easier, especially if you struggle with poor active working memory daily like me.
