KNOW HOW: GET A BETTER MEMORY

want to make sure you never forget a name, a face, where you put your keys and even have a better sense of direction? our experts promise it’s possible…

OUR EXPERTS PROMISE IT’S POSSIBLE

“we’ve found that identifying and remembering has more to do with recognition and linking skills, not just pure recollection.”

Who is that woman smiling and waving as she bears down on you in the supermarket? can’t remember where you put your car keys, or how to get to that new cinema? we all worry about our memory (or lack of it!), but experts say new studies in recall and spatial awareness prove

you can give your brain a reboot. more than that, facial recognition, or lack of

it, losing items and difficulty navigating town and cities often go hand in hand, although experts still don’t fully understand why. but by practising a few simple techniques, we can all acquire instant – or pretty fast – recall. “it’s all about consciously training your mind,” says psychologist professor kenneth l. higbee, author of research paper your memory: how it works and how to improve it.

I CAN REMEMBER FACES BUT NOT NAMES, HELP!

use the clench technique

make a fist with your right hand when you’re being introduced to someone, repeat their name and make eye contact (“great to meet you, sarah”). this will activate the left frontal lobe of your

brain, which is used to create memories, and associates visual and verbal clues.

to recall their name when you meet them again, clench your left fist to activate the right frontal lobe. this side is associated with recalling memories. it will improve your memory rate by at least 15 per cent, according to

DR RUTH PROPPER, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY IN NEW JERSEY, WHO HAS STUDIED THE SUBJECT.

I CAN’T RECALL WHERE I PARKED IN A HUGE RETAIL CAR PARK

try the “trace and lock” method after parking, stand beside your car for a few seconds. trace an imaginary line from your position to the building entrance. walk to the entrance. just before you go inside, look back at your car to retrace the imaginary line. this will “lock in” the memory of the path back to your vehicle. most large car parks have locator signs (you are not alone with this problem!), but reinforce your memory of the location by creating a visual hint. for example, if your parking space is 2b and the sign is red, imagine two red balloons attached to your car.

I CAN’T REMEMBER WHETHER I SWITCHED OFF THE IRON…

try a verbal approach

this thought usually pings into your mind just as you’re boarding a flight. instead, as you leave home, try using the verbal instruction technique. say out loud to yourself as you switch things off: “i’ve switched off the iron now, i don’t need to do that again,” or “i’ve locked the door now, so i don’t need to do that again.” the fact is that hearing your own

voice confirming an action helps lock it into your memory. and avoids a meltdown miles from home!