Mind and Memory Development is more than just flashcards! It is about embracing continuous learning and improving your overall brain health and well-being.
Whether you are a student looking to improve your study habits or an adult interested in keeping your memory sharp and optimal, this post shares some mind development tips that will help you unlock the full potential of your brain. First thing first, let’s dig a little bit into science!
Mind and Memory Development Tip #1. What Is Neurogenesis And Why It's Important?
Since this article is about mind and memory development, it’s important to understand how the mind works. Recently, the term ‘neurogenesis’ has become more and more popular among scientists and regular people like you and me. So what is it?
In short, neurogenesis is a process when the neurons in your mind grow. While in the past it was thought to be impossible, we now know that there are numerous ways to increase neurogenesis, even in adulthood. It’s not yet an exact science and we are far away from curing illnesses such as Alzheimer’s, but the mind and memory development tips below have shown significant changes in the human brain over long periods of time.
Mind and Memory Development Tip #2. Sleep Well
It’s always great to start with the basics. A good night’s sleep ensures your body can function at its best and, on the contrary, sleep deprivation can lead to chronic diseases and illnesses affecting your life quality in the long-term. If you are willing to work on your mind and memory development, you have to make sure you get enough rest, even if you have to literally schedule it in your calendar. A few things that can help you along:
- Put all your technological devices away for at least an hour before you go to sleep.
- Do something relaxing the hour before bed; it may be listening to music, meditating or talking to your family members, however, watching movies, browsing on the computer or your phone does not count. Even reading books isn’t recommended, because it can activate your imagination and energize your mind.
- Spending some time to reflect in your diary or planning the following day can help with memory development. Your bedtime can be a good time to repeat your affirmations or spend time taking a few deep breaths to allow your body to relax. We also love evening stretches in bed, even some yoga if you are feeling adventurous!
- Close your blinds and cover any other light sources. They may not bother you in the daytime but disturb your peaceful sleep during the night.
Mind and Memory Development Tip #3. Eat Well
We all know we have to eat well, right?! And then… How many times have you eaten junk food this week? How many sweets? In the 21st century, everyone is encouraged to study well, build a career, earn a lot of money, buy a house, and so on and so forth, but only a few know that focusing on how to ‘build’ themselves matters the most. Children are rarely taught about the importance of a balanced diet for their mind and memory development, and as adults, many of us suffer from ailments that could have been prevented with proper eating habits. We can’t teach you all about healthy foods, but we can emphasize that you should spend some time analyzing your habits.
Mind and Memory Development Tip #4. Take Supplements
Did you know that the human body needs 13 vitamins and even more minerals daily? Unless you are a health expert or have a well-balanced and varied diet, you probably need to help your body get all of those using supplements. A good way to start is, of course, talking to your doctor and getting your blood test done! Knowing what your body lacks is one of the first few steps to a speedier mind and memory development. And don’t forget to buy organic products! It’s hard enough to know where our regular food comes from, so we definitely need to make sure our supplements are made of natural ingredients.
Mind and Memory Development Tip #5. Exercise
It may seem unrelated, but exercising and mind and memory development actually have a codependent relationship. If you spend time doing exercise, your body produces more oxygen that’s sent to the brain. It’s like clean organic ‘food’ for it! Some aerobic exercises are also thought to increase the size of our hippocampus, which is responsible for learning and memory. Isn’t that more than enough reason to start going to a fitness class?
Mind and Memory Development Tip #6. Reduce Stress Level
Now let’s talk about one of the major sources of illnesses – stress. Some people believe that stress helps them stay on top of their game and produce better quality work; however, health-wise stress can be the cause of headaches, anxiety, sleeping problems and many more. If you are focused on effective mind and memory development, stress is definitely not your friend! Read on below to learn how meditation, laughter therapy, and others can reduce your stress level!
Mind and Memory Development Tip #7. Interact with Others
The more humans interact and associate with others, the longer lifeline they seem to have. You may be similar to us and be a teeny bit envious of a few cultures that tend to live longer and happier lives than others. While all of this is quite subjective, studies have shown that spending time with loved ones and your community has a huge impact on your health. Talking about examples, China has always been considered and praised for longevity; Italy and other Mediterranean countries for their happy and long lives and never-ending smiles. Why is that?
Well, apparently, positive social interaction with others reduces your stress levels and increases the release of the ‘happiness’ hormone oxytocin. All these contribute to mind development. If you ever visited any of those countries, you would have noticed how they spend a lot of their time socializing. It’s common to see the older generation playing Dominoes at 7 a.m. in China or people biking to work and saying ‘hi’ to everyone around in Portugal. In short, instead of spending your lunch alone today, grab a colleague or a friend and have that long-overdue chat!
Mind and Memory Development Tip #8. Laughter Therapy
Some would say that laughter therapy is a new science that’s not yet given definite results but many studies have already shown how laughing releases endorphins and reduces stress. In order to achieve the desired results in mind and memory development, we should totally lower our stress levels and increase our happiness levels. So don’t miss out on those jokes your colleague or classmates are telling or the funny cat videos on YouTube!
Mind and Memory Development Tip #9. Read Books
Obviously, in an educational blog, we would like to talk about books. Not only do they help you engage your imagination, but they also increase neurogenesis. Gaining knowledge is a powerful tool in mind and memory development and it should not be considered as a choice but rather as a must. How to find time for reading? You can use your commute time or your lunch break to have 10 to 15 minutes with a book in your hands. That’s hours and hours of quality reading time in a year’s time!
Mind and Memory Development Tip #10. Train Your Focus
It’s time to tell you – move away from your phone or computer if you are eating. Many of us cannot resist the temptation of watching something and snacking, but in reality, we should be focusing on doing one thing at a time. It may take a while to get used to, but when you are writing, – write; when you are reading, -read; and when you are learning, – learn and do not get distracted. Start with focusing on one thing for 1 minute, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 25 minutes (read about the Pomodoro technique here) until you can happily say that you no longer jump up when your phone rings or you get a new update.
Mind and Memory Development Tip #11. Single-Tasking
Just like the above, one task at a time is a recipe for success. Mono-focus is what makes smart people exceptional. Do you think Steve Jobs would have created his first business if he had 100 hobbies? Most likely, he would still be in his garage, multitasking and refusing to focus on one thing at a time. Single-tasking is indeed a requisite for mind development.
Mind and Memory Development Tip #12. Meditate
We have recently talked a lot about meditation and how important it is for our lives. If you haven’t started practicing yet, then this is another gentle push for you to start. In short, meditation means you are consciously focusing on the state of your body and mind. In today’s world, we are constantly surrounded by noise and distraction and to eliminate that, it’s crucial to spend time with yourself.
A simple meditation practice for mind and memory development: find a quiet space, sit down or lie down comfortably and close your eyes. Take three deep breaths, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. Focus on how your body feels; what feels comfortable and what bothers you. Then focus on your mind; what thoughts come to you. Observe them briefly and imagine them floating away from you. The first few times, this meditation might take a minute, and you’ll feel your mind wander, but keep practicing every day and you’ll see how the time goes quicker and quicker.
Mind and Memory Development Tip #13. Start A New Hobby
One of our favorites, for sure! Do something new. Go explore your city! Go get a coffee in a random café! Go meet a stranger on the street! Some of these may feel totally random and not at all fun, but who knows which hobbies you encounter when trying out these new different activities. Discovering a new hobby can lead to long-lasting life passion as well as a way to make money!
Mind and Memory Development Tip #14. Learn New Skills
After doing something new, you have to practice. You may have discovered that indoor rock climbing fascinates you! Well, sign up for a class and learn how to do it properly. Have you always wanted to be a painter? Why not sign up for a local art class to boost your mind development? Learning another language would also be a plus! You should consider joining us for our English Camps.
Mind and Memory Development Tip #15. Create Something
What’s more, once you learn, create something tangible. Have you learned a new language? Create a blog where you talk about your wins and challenges. Have you always wanted to talk about life? Create a podcast and share it with other like-minded people. No matter what you like to do, this will undoubtedly help with mind and memory development. Also, it will make you feel accomplished, which is empowering and increases self-confidence.
Mind and Memory Development Tip #16. Surround Yourself with Positive Emotions
Most of us are so lost in our everyday routine that we forget to be happy. There’s always a thing or a person that annoys you at work or a disagreement you had with your family, but at the end of the day, it’s important to surround yourself with positive emotions. Mind and memory development can only be successful and consistent if you are in an uplifting mood. Think about how you could add positivity to your life: maybe you could visit an art gallery, a concert, a library, or spend some time in nature. Whatever you choose, observe people around you and notice their smiles, laughter and other emotions that make people happy.
Mind and Memory Development Tip #17. Change Your Routine
Along with boosting your positive outlook in life, you should consider changing your daily routines. If you are used to spending your weekends on the couch reading a newspaper, try spending some time in the park with your family and friends. If you are coming back from school or work and cooking dinner, change it up, order a healthy takeaway and have a game night or an evening out in the city. Doing something that’s different activates your neurogenesis and infuses your life with unexpected experiences. Ultimately, it leads to mind and memory development in the short term and the long run. You may find your new best friend while roaming around the city or meet an investor who will change your life forever.
Mind and Memory Development Tip #18. Do Something Uncomfortable
Face your fears and challenges. Does speaking in public frighten you? Is talking to strangers hard? Choose one of the things that make you feel uncomfortable and do something about it every day. On the first day, you could easily just talk to a stranger and say ‘hi’. On the second day, you could ask someone the time. On the third day, you can start a conversation with someone on the train to work or school. Bit by bit, your fear would fade and in turn, you’d be more likely to adapt to a new environment and work on your mind and memory development.
Mind and Memory Development Tip #19. Use Mind Maps
We’ve talked about these a lot. As a mind and memory development method, mind maps are extremely powerful yet easy to do. Draw numerous possibilities, add visual aids and you can remember whatever you need, even if it is extremely complex. For example, prepare for your exam by putting all the information into a mind map that would help you see the bigger picture. Planning a trip abroad? Write down all the locations and famous sights that you want to see, put it all into a mind map and see how all the planning comes together!
Mind and Memory Development Tip #20. Memory techniques
All the points above would have already changed your life for the better and ensured the mind and memory development process. However, there are some actual techniques that you can start using in your daily life. Some of these are as old as Ancient Greek, which proves how valuable and effective they can be. Remember all those famous people who didn’t know how to write but could remember thousands of stories, poems, and numbers to tell from generation to generation.
Memory Development Tip #21. Mnemonic Devices: Visuals
First of all, using visual aids is an important technique for mind and memory development. In simple terms, you can remember letters, words or numbers if you associate them with visual form. For example, a ‘0’ looks like an egg and a ‘2’ like a swan.
Memory Development Tip #22. Mnemonic Devices: Acronym
Secondly, a very famous mind and memory development technique is using the first letters of the words/sentences you are trying to remember to make up a code word. For example, SMART goals stand for specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bound goals. Have you ever used something like that?
Memory Development Tip #23. Mnemonic Devices: Acrostic
A little bit more advanced mind and memory development method is acrostic. The first letter of each line of text or numbers would make up the word or the combination that you are trying to memorize.
900
100
100
… These would help you remember the 9/11 date. While this mnemonic may not be used for such a simple date, it would help tremendously if you had to remember more complicated data.
Memory Development Tip #24. Mnemonic Devices: Rhymes
This mnemonic device is great for creative people. If you have a talent for writing, creating rhymes may just be the method of mind and memory development for you. It’s pretty self-explanatory, you create lines that rhyme! A famous rhyme helps you remember 1492: ‘In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue.’
Memory Development Tip #25. Mnemonic Devices: Chunking
Funny enough, you may already be using this mind and memory development technique. We absolutely love using it to remember long numbers such as 47891235646. It may seem impossible as one sequence, but a lot easier as chunks 4789 123 5646, isn’t it?
Memory Development Tip #26. Mnemonic Devices: Method of loci or Journey
One of the oldest memory and mind development methods is ‘loci’, which is Latin for ‘places’. It is also known as a memory journey because it’s used to memorize layouts of places, buildings, locations and so on. Many memory champions, like O’Brien, use the ‘loci’ method to remember thousands of random objects just by placing them in a familiar location. For example, your shopping list could have items such as hand soap, cookies, milk, and bread. You’d imagine yourself walking around the house and finding milk in the sink, bread on your bed, hand soap in the corridor and cookies on the balcony. All you have to do is to create visuals of those items somewhere in your house that you could remember when you are in the shop. The funnier and unlike the scenarios, the better you will remember!
Mind and Memory Development Tip #27. Use Memory Apps
Last but not least, you can always start your journey for mind and memory development using apps on your phone. There are plenty of those that help you engage your mind and train your memory. We would recommend the ones like ‘Lumosity’, ‘FitBrains Trainer’ or ‘Happify’. Each of them is created to improve your memory, activate your brain and improve cognitive abilities. You’ll probably have to try a few of the apps to find the ones that you like, but like any game, they are fun, so it doesn’t feel like learning!
We hope the above mind and memory development tips were helpful and would like to hear from you about the results you achieved or the challenges you are facing! What’s more, our SMART Camp teaches not only fun English but also some of these techniques. Your teenager is bound to love them!
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