1. Stick to one task at a time
Our memory starts to decline from the age of 20, according to the University of Michigan, so you need to get smart. The best thing you can do for your brain is to stop multitasking and prioritise one task at a time. Research from the journal NeuroImage found that subjects suffered a 29% drop in mental processing power when doing two tasks simultaneously, and that brain activation for listening fell 53% when subjects were trying to process visual input at the same time.
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2. Allow your mind to wander
It might sound counter-intuitive, but if your mind starts to drift during an important task then don’t try to fight it – let it wander for a while. Research in the journal Consciousness And Cognition found that allowing a little downtime during busy or stressful periods allowed subjects to return to work with increased creativity and greater problem-solving ability. Even better, go for an actual wander rather than just a mental one to get some fresh air and clear your head.
3. Learn after lunch
If you have to get to grips with something new, then do so in the afternoon: subjects who received training after lunch performed far better on subsequent memory tests than those who had been training in the morning, according to the Brazilian Journal Of Medical And Biological Research. And taking time to go over what you’ve learned before bed can help cement the newfound knowledge in your memory, according to research in the online journal PLOS One.
