We all want to improve our memory at some time in our lives or just stay on top of all that’s happening in our busy lives. So as a mother of five adult children down the years I’ve learnt what works for me. Here are some of my recommendations that I’ve used.

Mindfulness

I took a mindfulness class back in 2010 at a very stressful period of my life and believe me when I say it works to reduce anxiety, stress and calms you down. So if you can, take an eight-week class locally. It also fits in with some other suggestions below.  Or check out my Mindfulness podcasts and other meditation podcasrs if you simply want to give it a try first.

Write it down and let it go

Let me say firstly that I’ve always kept a Filofax (planner/diary) since back in the late 80’s and I’ve always made lists and a calendar to help me when raising my five kids. So you could say in order to keep my thoughts and schedule in line I’ve always needed to use this as a memory tool. Anyway, keep a small diary in your inside jacket pocket or handbag or if you’re tech savvy then keep it on your phone. Either way, get it out of your brain and on to something else, it frees up your mind for other stuff. You can also download a lot of diaries or planners from www.pinterest.com – it’s free to join. Keep a journal: yes it gets all the stuff out of your head and as you’ll be the only one reading it, you can rant and rave all you want. It’ll help with anger, stress etc and bring a better night’s sleep too. It also helps you remember what’s happened in your life today and yesterday. And that leads me to my next point.

Reminisce with family and friends

Not only will this be a great social gathering but it also keeps memories alive. Invite family and friends over for tea, lunch, dinner; don’t just wait for the special occasion or holiday event. Take out the old albums. You’ll keep those cells fired and have a very enjoyable evening or a day doing so.

Decluttering and organising

Why? Well, you’ll have gotten rid of loads of stuff you no longer use and maybe made a few Euros on it and secondly you’ll have put all the essentials into one place. Like paperwork in a specific place like a small filing cabinet. Yes I know it’s a lot to do at the start but you can tackle one room or one small job a time. It will save you time in the long run and by decluttering you’re freeing not only up your space but your mind as well.

Take a class or join a social group or club

I don’t just mean in things you like or can do already but in new stuff. Learning new stuff helps our brain. It’s a great social activity as well and you could find something like a new hobby or friends.  Active retirement can be great or Sudoku, bridge clubs, scrabble or even word games and crosswords. Don’t forget that you can do stuff for free on websites like www.futurelearn.com or www.open.edu/openlearn/ or check out www.pinterest.com for ideas and tutorials.

Remember the most important thing to do is keep calm, remain mindful and keep your brain active with new things, friends and family.