When you start to put together some of the findings from the recent brain research you can really jumpstart your productivity and achievements.

For example, do you think you have a terrible memory for names? Turns out we all do, and it’s not us, its our brain!

Scientists used to think that all memories were stored in an area of the brain called the hippocampus. This is now known to be incorrect. The Hippocampus is used for short-term memory storage only. So when you learn someone’s name that you just met, those neurons fire up into the hippocampus where they are stored for a short time. Usually from 7 seconds to about 12 minutes depending on several factors we don’t need to go into here.

The average time is about 45 seconds. At that point, your brain’s amygdala, in order to conserve energy, will order that set of neurons (with the new name attached) to stop firing (if you have not ordered the impulse sent to long-term memory)

When this happens, its what we call “forgetting”. And you will go “dern! I just met that guy a minute ago and already I’ve forgotten his name! I’m so stupid!” Well no you’re not. You just have to remember that memory is an active process. You must take action within 1 minute or your short-term memory will go poof! So immediately repeat the name several times or associate the name with something already in long-term memory.

This of course is even more important when your brain brings you a good idea to solve a problem that you’ve been facing, or an idea that could make you money. If you don’t get that idea into long-term memory within a minute-poof its gone forever! And in our hectic lifestyles you can’t always take the time to repeat or associate.

Good way to stop this problem forever? Get a Digital Voice Recorder (DVR)! I carry one with me at all times! Day and night! I never will miss another idea again! Imagine how much more productive you will be! The one I use has literally stored for later listening some million dollar ideas for me that my brain spontaneously generated that otherwise would have been lost!

That’s a pretty fair exchange. $60 for a DVR to save a $1,000,000 idea! And don’t you forget it-you only have 45 seconds!

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Filed under: Blog • Byte-Sized Brain APPLES • Long Term Memory

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