Short Term Memory : Short Term Memory

Article by Ben Hant

Short term memory or active memory is the ability of the mind to hold small amounts of information for a short period of time. One can imagine it as a scratch pad for momentary recall of the information under process.There are people who are suffering from active memory problems. The following are ways that can be done to be able to cope up with active memory problems.First and foremost, paying attention is important because many short term memory problems can be attributed to the ability of a person to focus on a particular task. Because of this, it is advisable for one to focus hard on something that he or she needs to remember. If one is likely to forget something, he or she should pay close attention to it.Second, if one has to remember something, he or she should write it down. He or she should use any format that would help such as writing things down in a notebook, a white board or the palm of his or her hand.Third, visualization helps. This is done by “drawing” things in one’s mind by visualizing himself or herself performing the task that is likely to be forgotten.Fourth, keeping a calendar is a good thing. One is advised to write down all his or her schedules and appointments in one calendar. One should also make it a habit to check it regularly.Fifth, placing things in visible locations can also help because it will help one remember what to do with the things in question.Sixth, it is important for one to get enough sleep because research suggests that the brain consolidates memories during sleep.Finally, it is advisable for one to relax because overtaxing one’s mind reduces its ability to focus and concentrate.Dealing with short term memory problems is easy as long as one knows what to do. Active memory decays quickly, and it also has a limited capacity. Interference is the most common cause of disturbance in active memory retention, the reason why tasks held in active memory should not be deferred and should be completed as soon as possible.

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