Thoughts & Memory

Thoughts & Memory - Quick Bits and Fascinating Facts

Recollection and sharp thinking are serious topics -- but that doesn't mean you can't have fun with them! In fact, the stress relief from humor or relaxation may actually help improve these functions. We hope you find these bits of information helpful and entertaining.

People who have achieved excellent fitness or maintained significant weight loss put in closer to an average of 60 minutes per day. In any case, to avoid injury or over training, it’s important to increase the duration and intensity of your workout gradually. And make sure to choose an activity you enjoy and can stay with. After all, it’s your time for yourself! It’s also a good idea to let your physician know if you're starting something new.

Aristotle Said It First ¹

"...indeed as a rule slow people have a good memory, whereas those who are quick-witted and clever are better at recollecting."

Guess My Name

The reason most people can't remember new names is because of inattention. These simple tips can help you improve in this important social and business skill:

• Pay attention when you meet someone new.
• Repeat their name.
• Address them by name a few times.
• Select a distinctive feature that you can relate to their name -- this is called "association." (Use this carefully... read on)

You Had to Be There

A woman was at a military retirement dinner. When she met the guest of honor, she decided to use "association" to remember his name. Throughout the evening she mentioned "Commander Bullet" to the other guests and used the name in conversation with the man himself. She wasn't corrected until the end of the evening, when she was reminded that his name, in fact, was Commander Shell.

When Forgetting is a Good Thing

Forgetting can be convenient. When we park our car each day, we don't want to remember where we parked it yesterday -- just today! (This of course, doesn't explain why so many people lose their cars in mall parking lots.)

Recall vs. Thinking

Are you concerned about remembering -- being able to store information and retrieve it when needed? Or about your ability to think -- to figure things out, follow conversations, read a book? You can improve or retain:

• Your memory by rehearsing and practicing.
• Your ability to think by doing puzzles and games and interacting with people

Sifting Sands of Memory

There are three kinds of memory: Sensory, Short-term (also called "working memory"), and Long-term. Long-term memory has three classifications of its own: Episodic (something that happened in the past), Semantic (facts about the world, such as how many legs a dog has), and Procedural (how to ride a bike or find the library). ²

1. ON MEMORY AND REMINISCENCE by Aristotle, translated by J. I. Beare
2. Encarta.msn.com, Microsoft Corporation

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