Working memory
 

Hello all!
I have just been wondering if anyone knows of any means of improving working memory.

Thanks in advance!
DD

Some claim brain training will improve working memory but the research supporting such claims are weak.

In my understanding, an important part of improving working memory is improving focus skills. The PCS brain is often very distractible. Learning to overcome distractions will go a long way to improving working memory functioning.

The simple concept is this. If we are trying to put information into working memory but that information is interrupted with multitudes of other information/stimuli that conflicts with the working memory task at hand, our functional working memory will be decreased. Learning to shut out or ignore that other information should enhance or working memory.

Multi-tasking weakens working memory because there are too many information sets being juggled. Research shows that multitasking is a brain stressor. Learning to switch tasks (make notes about a task that still needs to be completed so that task is not stored in memory) can free up our ability to focus.

For many of us, the term is "Stop to think." This means we stop the other tasks so we can think about the primary task at hand.

When PCS challenges our short term memory skills, this may become a problem because we often have developed habits of depending on those higher functioning short term memory skills. Add distractability and we have a mess on our hands.

For example. I used to be able to leave my work space to complete multiple tasks in another work area by simply carrying those tasks in memory. Now, I need to write down those tasks or when I get to the other work area, I will only remember the primary task.

Sort of a "Why did I come into this room ?" issue.

For some of us, simply repeating some of the issues out loud helps as we hear ourselves think.

Is this making sense ?