When you feel stressed, blocked or with a “brain drain” it is important to do a little reset. That is, you need to organize the thoughts sedimented in the working memory , eliminating those that are no longer needed, so as to have a fresher and more efficient brain . To return to having good performance in terms of concentration, attention, clarity and memory, it is useful to follow these strategies.
Memory: How to Improve It
The brain, in a certain sense, can be compared to a computer. When you store many files on your PC in a random order, without ever cataloging them, you end up not finding anything and becoming confused . If you then never eliminate what is no longer needed, at a certain point the memory runs out. The same thing happens in the brain: by continuing to deposit information after information in the mind, you reach a saturation point . It is therefore necessary to clean up and restart the machine. It is a bit like what happens on the work desk: if it is full of fragments of projects, reminders and important documents, finding a specific piece of information becomes difficult. The best solution is to start tidying up. Even when useless or worrying thoughts accumulate in the brain, you fall into chaos, unable to find the truly important information, hidden among unwanted mental data. To avoid feeling foggy and overwhelmed and to strengthen your memory, you can resort to ad hoc strategies.
Memory also worsens with age but there are ways to preserve it.
Sometimes temporary memory lapses also occur .
Practicing mindfulness
Training yourself to become more aware through mindfulness practices can have many benefits. First of all, it can help you stay present and focused on what is happening around you. Being present means being able to pay full attention to the things that are truly important and not risk being distracted by insignificant details. Learning to consciously direct your attention to one activity at a time, as mindfulness teaches, in fact, allows you to put less urgent thoughts into the background. This helps optimize memory and make experiences more enjoyable and less rushed. Meditation , in particular, can help strengthen awareness and relieve stress by teaching you to sit with distracting thoughts, recognize them and then let them go. But there are also other simple exercises that are useful, such as:
- focus on sensations. Use your five senses to fully tune into the experiences of everyday life, no matter how mundane they may seem, such as feeling the warm water of the shower on your body or the warm sun on your skin ;
- focus on your breathing. If you start to feel overwhelmed, intentionally slowing your breathing can help you ground yourself and come back to the present. Inhale slowly, hold your breath for a few seconds, then exhale again. Repeat 10 times;
- be curious: opening your mind completely to what you can learn from a given situation can help you stay focused;
- learn to bring your thoughts back to what you want to focus on. It may take time to acquire this skill, but eventually your mind will become accustomed to staying present.
Write
When your mind is filled with stressful thoughts, it can be difficult to sort through them and determine what’s causing you the most distress . Keeping a journal can help you organize and “clear” your memory : Studies have shown that writing down your thoughts helps reduce intrusive thoughts and improves mental “clutter.” As a result, your working memory and other cognitive functions can run more smoothly and potentially relieve stress. After a free-writing session, you may even realize that you weren’t fully aware of some of the worries you wrote down. For effective writing, it’s important to dedicate at least 15 minutes each day to it . Tip: Try writing in the evening as part of your bedtime ritual. Write freely and reread every now and then.
Listen to music
Many people enjoy listening to music, but music offers more than a pleasant auditory experience. It can help relieve stress and improve mood , concentration, and memory, motivate learning, and promote neuroplasticity, or the brain’s ability to adapt. Those who listen to music regularly may have already noticed that it helps them stay focused and productive at work.
Taking care of sleep
A good night’s sleep can rejuvenate you when you’re feeling physically tired. But what many people don’t know is that getting enough sleep can also help protect you from mental fatigue and emotional distress . Too little or no sleep can interfere with your ability to solve problems and make decisions, your memory, and your ability to regulate emotions. Feeling overly tired can also lead to mental overwhelm, making it harder to break away from your racing thoughts and focus on what you need to do. To help, try to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night , or enough to feel rested.
Walk
Changing your environment and going for a walk is a great opportunity to clear your head and refocus your thoughts. A 2014 study suggests that improved creativity is just one of the benefits of a good walk. Walking also helps promote more free-flowing ideas and strengthens your memory . Exercising for 20 to 30 minutes can help improve your decision-making and reaction time right before a cognitive task, but walking has long-term benefits, too. For better overall brain health and to reduce stress, try adding a brisk walk or any other exercise to your regular routine.
Putting things in order
A vigorous cleaning session offers the perfect escape from a difficult or unpleasant task. However, this activity may have other benefits. Your surroundings can have a big impact on your mental environment. When your brain feels as messy as your desk, you may have trouble concentrating or grasping the ideas you’re looking for. As a result, you may end up finding ways to distract yourself from your lack of productivity. Decluttering your work area can help refresh your thinking process , but it may also be time-consuming. Try to make a regular effort to consistently maintain a tidy workspace, which can boost your cognitive functions , including memory, and improve your workflow.
Don’t stay focused
Sometimes, the best way to give your brain a break is to simply stop focusing. Your mind needs downtime , too . Unfocusing can help boost creativity, sharpen your thinking processes, and improve your memory and learning. Some ways to “unfocus” include: taking a nap, going for a walk, or daydreaming .
Speak
Expressing uncomfortable feelings out loud often helps to relieve the tension they have created. When thoughts are less heavy on your mind, they may naturally fade from your immediate consciousness. Discussing your problems can allow you to state them in a more logical way . This often allows you to gain a new perspective on the situation and come up with potential solutions that you may not have considered before. Talking to family and friends , then, is a helpful way to begin to overcome frustrations and clear your mind. If you can’t get out of your mental fog even this way, remember that a professional can offer a little extra support .
