An Absurdly Easy Solution To Your Poor Working Memory
Since I was a child, I couldn’t remember anything, and had no idea why! When I realized my ADHD caused a working memory problem, I invented this process to deal.
I remember when I was a kid, I would sit in math class and take these detailed notes about how to do whatever type of math we were learning. Frankly, no matter what it was it was lost on me. Algebra, trig or geometry, it didn’t matter.
You know why? Because no matter how detailed my notes were by the time I got home and started my homework, those same notes were like trying to read Chinese. At the time I literally thought I must be stupid.
Why the h-ll can’t I remember anything no matter how hard I try?! I would berate myself, feel frustrated and give up. I gave up on a lot of my dreams because of a problem that I didn’t recognize clearly at the time.
I have ADHD, and I also have a pretty poor working memory. Even now.
Ask yourself this: If I gave you a 3-step set of instructions right now, would you remember my instructions in 10 minutes?
[Self-Test: Do You Have a Working Memory Deficit?]
If you are anything like me, you won’t even remember to TRY to remember the instructions. It will go in one ear and out the other. If this rings true for you, then join me in the Society of Poor Working Memory.
Working Memory Defined
After a quick Google search I found this article on the website Understood.org. I think it does a nice job of explaining what working memory is and how it works.
By definition, working memory is “the ability to store and manage information in one’s mind for a short period of time.”
If my memory is any indication, the period of time a person with ADHD can store information in his or her brain is relatively short.
In the same article I learned that we possess both auditory memory and visual-spatial memory capabilities. Auditory memory records what you are hearing, while visual-spatial captures everything you see.
[Say Goodbye to “Oh I Forgot”]
As a side note, humans instinctively respond to what they can see, which explains why so many of us with ADHD are better at visual learning. As opposed to a lecture that is all listening and no interaction with an instructor behind a podium or desk.
Ever had a 3 hour weekly course? Yeah, it is painful at times.
In some of us, a poor working memory makes it harder to grasp and then hold on to new information. So accessing the information about say, how to do a math problem 4 hours after it is shown to me is virtually impossible.
Working Memory and Distractibility
The other really interesting piece of information I took from the Understood article was this:
The same part of the brain responsible for working memory is also responsible for attention and concentration. True story!
All of a sudden it is startlingly clear to me that not only do I have ADHD, but my terrible, no good, very bad working memory has been affecting me for my entire life. How’s that for clarity?
My next question, and hopefully yours is, what can we do about it?
Let me tell you, there is an absurdly easy solution to your poor working memory: Monotasking!
Yep, I said monotask. Not multitask. The opposite of multitasking, actually.
I first heard about monotasking from Carla Birnburg. How had this idea never entered my consciousness? Everyone with ADHD should be monotasking.
Check out this short video from Sanjay Gupta.
Let me give you an example of what happens when I try to multitask:
- First I pull out the ingredients to make a meal for my family.
- While doing so I hear my phone ding that I have a social media message.
- I check my phone while turning on the oven.
- I get sucked into Facebook writing a long response to a community member.
- As I finish my response I realize I forgot to respond to an email from my mother so I start that.
- Now it’s 85 degrees in my kitchen because I was trying to cook, email and Facebook at the same time.
The above is a true story, it happens like twice a week in my house.
Here are my suggestions for how to improve your working memory by monotasking.
Focus on 1 Task at a Time (MONO=1)
If you are a list person, and many of us with ADHD are list people, only focus on one task at a time. In fact, limit your list as much as you can. I prefer to keep my list to 3-4 items per day.
Choose the task you want to start with and focus on that. Do not even look at your list again until you are finished with the first thing on your list. Trust me on this one.
Cut Back on Your Obligations
For most of my life I have been a “yes” person. I tell people I will do something, or appear somewhere, even when I know I do not have the time or mental energy to follow through. Then I end up irritable and overwhelmed with my schedule.
I suggest you/me/we start to limit our obligations. Commit only to the causes, meetings and activities that really matter to you. Focus on giving your full attention to your family and your career. (Or whatever moves you.)
Be the Man with a Plan-ner
In other words, if you know you have an important meeting at work, and a conference with your child’s teacher in the afternoon and you are not sure how you are going to pull dinner together – plan ahead!
Decide ahead of time when you need to leave your office in order to get to the school on time. Schedule it in.
Keep a planner with you at all times. Use your paper-based planner to help you form a muscle memory each time you write down a task/obligation. The physical act of writing will help to improve your working memory, as will the visual representation of your schedule on your calendar.
Then use a calendar app or Google Calendar to create a calendar for yourself. The key is to use something, anything, that will give you a visual and auditory reminder. We all know we need reminders.
Listen to Music
If you are a student or someone who needs to study specific materials, I will always recommend using music to help with your memory.
Try playing a specific type of music while you study a specific subject. For instance, I used to listen to classical music when I was studying for my literature degree.
Believe it or not, I sometimes listen to rap when I am driving. (And if you are my friend you won’t repeat that.) I often listen to jazz when I am faced with a big project at work. Jazz music is calming for me.
Also, don’t be afraid to experiment with memory games, card games and that sort of thing either.
I feel like working memory is just the tip of the iceberg. Now that I figured it out, I am kind of obsessed with improving my own.
This post originally appeared on A Dose of Healthy Distraction.
