Revision

TAKE NOTE

It's been a while since I sat exams. I've had tests since college but mostly these have all been in my 20's. Trying to learn new things this year, I've succeeded in many ways to invest time on learning these new skills but I haven't really looked at the best ways to study or revise these new concepts. 

Consequently, the information is being read and understood but the information just isn't going in to the long term memory where they can be recalled easily. 

Learning is a process. There are techniques we can use to improve the learning process like setting up a revision schedule, getting quality sleep and eating certain foods, but the simplest, most effective method that gets overlooked, is just to make lots of notes. 

Memory Retention

SHORT INTO LONG TERM 

When trying to learn a new skill, remember a name or just retain something important, we need to go through a process whereby the brain switches from short term temporary input of the new information into retained memory for recall, where it can effectively be stored as knowledge in the right parts of the brain. 

In order to improve memory storage and enhance our capacity for memory recall, we need to better understand how the brain works. Learning techniques for storing/retrieving memory will also give us a greater chance for learning.

Apparently, certain foods and supplements can also enhance brain function. Therefore, making beneficial lifestyle changes as well as creating life/mind-enhancing habits such as posting a personal mindful blog or writing a daily diary, will further improve our memory function. Having a daily recap on the day's events at the end f the day, will help to cement our memories. This daily practice of giving a 'work out' to our minds, will help us to improve the storage capacity for learning too.

Make The Last Moments Special

FINISHING ON AN UP

No matter how good an experience is, the lasting memory will always be based on the latter moments from that experience - be that a night out on the town or a week's summer holiday.

If it's just a night out, the final moments can be marred by simply having a poor experience getting home at the end of the evening. But provided the night's been a success in every other way, having a blip at the end merely diminishes a tiny fraction off of an otherwise brilliant time spent in enjoyment and experienced within just very recent memory. But on longer periods like a week, earlier good points will be already diminished in memory over the days that follow and the period of lasting memory will be built up from the later section of the trip.

So if you're planning on doing something on a final night of a trip - make sure it's something really special to better cement the recollection of the entire trip as something you'd want to remember.

Accessorise For Happiness

POSITIVE INDICATORS

Happiness is a state of mind. It comes and goes so easily if we allow it to. It can appear after a good night's sleep, manifest after a run or walk in the park, be brought on by a song or even when you put your socks on in the morning. 

I was reminded of something important this morning while slipping on some socks (pictured above) that my girlfriend bought me at a shop in Camden, London called Cyberdog. I hadn't really thought about it before now, but suddenly, as I looked closely, a vivid memory played out clearly in my mind. I was reminded of the day when we got these funky 'equaliser' socks and a very happy smile spread across my face.

It's a bit of a story but bare with me... 

I remember being in one of those 'flat' moods. Usually Camden is a fun and vibrant place for me to hang out. Cyberdog is a crazy place in the famous Stables market, alive with banging trance music and UV lights making everything in the store glow - like in a nightclub. It's fun. I wasn't feeling it. So my girlfriend encouraged me to get these socks. I was so 'flat' that I couldn't appreciate their value at the time. Looking at how tired these socks appear this morning, it's clear they've had a very good run. I've come to love these socks. The other pairs don't really get much of a look in. I really hope I can buy more to replace these older ones because they make me feel happy. So, I'm already planning on going back to Camden this weekend - a bank holiday - and a weekend of fun!

The Point Of This Story

Wearing items of clothing or jewellery that have meaning will remind us of happy times/occasions and places. It will unconsciously trigger happy feelings and boost confidence. And if you make a point of wearing your favourite clothing and accessories in the morning, chances are you'll take a happy vibe with you throughout the rest of the day too. 

The most important realisation that I took from this lesson today....It came to me in the instant when I realised why these socks even existed for me in the first place. An appreciation for the glorious person who brightened my day when we got the socks and has continued to bring happiness in my life every day. Wearing these socks is a reminder of my good fortune. 

I am so lucky to have such a wonderful life partner, girlfriend, co-pilot - my soul mate - someone who can lift me up on a dull day. 

And who could have thought that a pair of socks could bring about such feelings of joy today...!😊

Technology

ALL IN THE PALM OF OUR HANDS

In this modern day - we're all becoming ever more reliant on technology - especially the kit in our pockets. There seems to be an app for everything these days. How did we get things done before computers? As it turns out, we got things done just as well thank you very much. This is my new thinking. Tech is great, but we already have a decent device built in - our brains - and I'm going to start using mine more.

The age of imagination

I'm in the age group that grew up BC (before computers) where we used our brains to make the best of our environments. Fun was improvised from combining imagination with a stick, a cardboard box & role play - not an iPad. We were fortunate to live in an era when kids went out to play all day long, doing things like building ramps for our bikes or making tree houses. At 13, I also had a computer for Christmas and I enjoyed playing games on it for limited periods of the day - because I enjoyed hanging out with my friends going for adventures on my BMX more. Whenever I wanted to meet with friends, we'd call, arrange a time and stick to a specific meeting place - and there'd be only really good excuses for a no-show and we'd be rarely more than just a few minutes late. TV would be allowed, but there were only a few channels and films would mean a special trip to the cinema. So Lego and Mechano were good alternatives for creating some fun - a book or drawing were also options readily available on-hand too. 

Memory Man

It seems we've lost the ability to retain info as our smart phones replace our brains. I'd become so reliant on my iPhone lately that I'd struggle to remember the events from the day until I checked my notes. I am in danger of becoming like the character from the film Momento - taking pictures just to remember what I'd been doing on a daily basis. 

Power of the pen

I used to carry a small notebook and pen around with me and jot down everything that I needed to remember. The process of writing - the physical actions of scribing and underlining, used to help cement the thoughts in my mind. With the advent of smart phones and the many reminder-note apps available, the process of making todo lists has become so easy that my phone has loads of them. They remain there still unchecked, likely because there are so many and the value of them has diminished. This is likely in part, because they have become so easy to make that they immediately get taken over by the next reminder. I have to jot down things before sleeping just to remember them in the morning or else they'd be gone from memory and this never used to be the case. 

Time wasting

So I need my phone to write my blog. I've ditched my computer for a few days and only checking emails intermittently and yet I spent ages farting around with my phone yesterday. No signal, wifi not connecting, blog not updating (losing recent changes), low battery, plug socket dodgy so not charging...sound familiar? This consumed valuable minutes yesterday as I tried to do some some tasks that took away from being in the present moment - and wasting time that I could have been enjoying. 

Time and a place

My time is going to be managed much better from now on to restrict using the computer or any smart tech unless it's really needed. I'll use memory visualisation and association techniques where possible or carry a pen and paper so not reliant on battery life. Phones will not be used when I'm in company unless it's a benefit for all...

Sleep On It

CREATIVE DREAMS

Sometimes the best ideas come to us while we are sleeping. It's true. Try it the next time you've got something tricky that you need a creative solution for. Works every time for me. In my line of work (graphic design), I have to constantly work out solutions to creative challenges. Sometimes, the answers just aren't coming to me easily, so rather than keep staring at the screen/notes/doodles, I'll stick it up on the walk and walk away. The answer may come while I'm riding my bike home, picking up some shopping or going for a walk. It's usually when I'm doing something where my conscious creative brain is switched 'off'. This doesn't mean my mind is not working on finding the answers, it's just doing the work to find answers in the background.

More often than not, the best ideas will come to us in the morning. I'll wake up after a good night's sleep - return to the doodles/notes/screen and see straight away if the ideas were worth working on in the first place. I'll be able to clearly see if the best course is for starting again and usually, if a new angle is required, something good will 'pop' into my head and I'll be on my way to getting the job done. It's both strange and amazing how this works!

Sleep Is Key
Switching your brain off - finding silence and allowing inspiration to flow, is key to getting the most creative ideas. I always try and shut myself off in a quiet room during the day (difficult in an open plan office, but hey) and block out the noise with some headphones. The 5am mornings have been the most beneficial for having true silence and solitude. A lot of my best thinking has been done early in the morning. You can use sleep as a problem/solution finder for pretty much every situation. Just lay down and give a few moments before going to sleep - take some deep breaths and focus on the thing you want to solve for a few moments. Then tell yourself all will be resolved in the morning and push these thoughts out of your mind (I visualise closing a door) before falling to sleep.

A good example is what happened to me yesterday. I'd misplaced my car keys from a week ago. We live in a fairly small apartment and there aren't many places these keys could be. I have a routine for putting all keys and coins, wallet and phone in the same place every day and there's a pot for anything else. However, the keys were nowhere to be found. I checked all pockets and bags and racked my mind back to the previous weekend when I had the keys to remember what I was wearing and track my movements. For some reason, I had a though of 'black' being next to them - so I checked my black trainers, to see if they've fallen in, checked my black satchel and still no joy. I was starting to think I'd dropped them...so I decided to sleep on it. This morning I woke, opened the dresser on autopilot, lifted up my black leather gloves and there were the keys! I'd removed my gloves from my pocket to put away in the dresser and my keys had obviously been entwined in some way.

Next time you are stressing yourself about something, make a mental note of it and before going to sleep - have a few moments to think, write it down so it's clear from the conscious mind and see what happens in the morning.