Tranquility by Tuesday [book by Laura Vanderkam]

Greetings all!

I recently reread “Tranquility by Tuesday” by Laura Vanderkam and loved it even more the second time around.

 

Here are her 9 rules (or you can call them experiences or guidelines) to become “master craftsmen of our schedules”: 

1. Give yourself a bedtime. Go to sleep at about the same time every night unless you have a good reason not to. 

My takeaway: LOVE this! Sleep is so important. I would just add - try to get enough sleep.

2. Plan on Fridays. Think through your weeks, holistically, before you’re in them. 

My takeaway: Laura chooses Friday to allow to plan for Saturday-Sunday the following week. You can choose whatever day works for you. For me, this rule works well as part of my weekly Brain Dump [read my post HERE]. 

3. Move by 3 pm. Do some form of physical activity for 10 minutes in the first half of every day. 

My takeaway: Yes! 10 minutes is realistic and you can even break it down further into smaller increments. More is better but 10 minutes is a start! After 3 pm, I really do not want to think about exercise. If I am being honest, I do not want to think about exercise before 3 pm either. Regardless, my body definitely has more energy in the first half of the day! 

4. Three times a week is a habit. Things don’t have to happen daily to become part of your identity, and “often” can be more doable than “always.” 

My takeaway: LOVE this! If you aim for daily and only do 1-2 times a week, you might feel that you are failing and just give up. But, as Laura says, “Getting to three requires tweaks, not a total lifestyle overhaul.” 

How about this for inspiration - Picture yourself on the other side! 

5. Create a back-up slot. Make a resilient schedule where your priorities still happen, even when life doesn’t go as planned. 

My takeaway: This one makes sense but might be challenging depending on your circumstances. Examples include keeping your Friday open and booking your last morning appointment at 11 am and your first afternoon appointment at 1:30 pm. That way, anything that comes up last minute does not derail your schedule. 

6. One big adventure, one little adventure. Each week, do at least two things that will be worth remembering. 

My takeaway: This rule was fascinating to me! Laura talks about time perception and building anticipating, changing “the entire experience of time, creating memories and an on-going sense of hope.” 

Adventure = an activity out of the ordinary but also a state of mind. It could be anything from visiting a new gelato place to taking an online class. 

Big = a few hours/half a weekend day 

Small = an hour 

7. Take one night for you. Commit to an activity you love that is separate from work and household responsibilities. 

My takeaway: LOVE this! Taking time “just for me” is not selfish! But you have to spend time intentionally on something that you find meaningful. And no, scrolling Instagram is NOT it! 

Laura points out, “Your email will still be there afterwards.” 

8. Batch the little things. Keep most of your schedule clear from unimportant tasks. 

My takeaway: You probably heard the 2-minute rule - if the task takes less than 2 minutes, do it now. But realistically, how many tasks take only 2 minutes? That is why batching the little things is such an underappreciated but fantastic idea: tackle non-urgent but important little tasks during a specific scheduled time slot. Once that is on your calendar, you can focus on truly important things. 

9. Effortful before effortless. Do active leisure activities before passive ones whenever time opens up. 

My takeaway: YES! YES! YES! If you want to read more or move more but find yourself going down the rabbit hole of social media or mindlessly flipping through TV channels, this rule is for you! 

You have to plan and prepare for your effortful activities though. For example, if you want to read more, have books ready. A great side note from Laura for readers is to “fully embrace who you are as a reader” – it is OK to skip the books you do not enjoy! 

Here is my rule: I set a 10-minute YouTube timer in my phone settings. And let me tell you, at that point I am only too happy to be cut off from the viral “Dame Un Grr” videos!

Some additional thoughts from me: 

These 9 rules create a shift from “what’s happening” to “what’s important” – in fact, many of these rules might result in a mindset shift, as well as schedule changes. Small changes (remember my TINY HABITS post?) can have a big impact! 

“Many wonderful things absolutely won’t happen without planning” – you have to be intentional about how you spend your time. 

Some ideas were really thought-provoking and applicable not to just time management. For example, exploring your strong reaction or resistance to something might be interesting in its own right. There might be avoidance (due to perfectionism or imposter syndrome) or guilt from ”I do not deserve to have fun” narrative. 

Time passes no matter what. If you do not plan, you will end up doing what is in front of you (e.g., laundry, bills, Instagram, TV, etc.) instead of what you want to do (e.g., visit a new museum or take a hike with a friend). 

Focus on progress, not perfection. All-or-nothing mentality is your enemy.

What will happen if you didn’t do it (a chore) or maybe did it later? Hah! This idea might be revolutionary for some of us! 

Each experience has 3 parts: anticipation, the actual event, and reflection/recollection. “Plans have benefits even when plans don’t happen”: did you know that anticipation accounts for the majority of any happiness associated with an event?

I leave you with this: Ask yourself - what could go right?! This is one of my favorite ideas in general. We often focus on negative ‘what could go wrongs’ but why not think about all the wonderful ‘what could go rights?’ 

What did you think? Drop me a line! 

Source / image: https://lauravanderkam.com/2022/08/tranquility-by-tuesday-the-9-rules/

April 23 – World Book Day

Greetings all! 

Did you know that April 23 is World Book Day?

Here are some of the books I recently read and enjoyed! What are yours?

Sources:

• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Book_Day
• Images from Amazon.com

A Tiny Morning Habit with a Huge Impact - “This Is Going to Be a Great Day!”

Greetings all!

How do you start your day? Do you ever wake up and say “This is going to be a great day!”? Or do you start with checking news, social media, and emails?

Image: https://www.pickpik.com/reach-out-out-to-the-world-man-sky-silhouette-rock-36933

I am currently re-reading a great book by BJ Fogg “Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything” - and my main takeaway is that for any habit, you start tiny. 

So if you want to get into a habit of starting your day on a positive note, your tiny new habit is to wake up, put your feet on the ground (if that is available to you), and say “This is going to be a great day!”

You can also use a variation that resonates better for you – “Today is going to be awesome!” works just as well!

Give it a try! It takes less than a minute and might work miracles. I also like adding a smile and a stretch to the skies.

What did you think? Drop me a line and have a great day!

P.S. The author calls it “The Maui Habit” and if you google it, you will find a lot of inspirational stories how this habit improved someone’s life!

Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals [book by Oliver Burkeman]

Greetings all!

I am curious what you think about this statement: “We do not get or have time. We are time.”

When I read this sentence in a book, I had to read it again. And again! I just found this statement so thought-provoking and radical!

And this was not the only wise, inspirational, sometimes bleak but mostly life-affirming idea I encountered in “Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals” by Oliver Burkeman. 

Image from https://www.oliverburkeman.com/books

How do you measure the passage of time, especially when it comes to your life? Do you think in hours or days or years?

I have NEVER thought about my lifespan in weeks. In terms of my to-dos and appointments, I do look at an upcoming day, week, and month, but I have never measured my overall life in weeks – so that was an unusual perspective.

As Oliver reasonably calculates (and of course I recalculated!), “If you live to be 80, you’ll have had about 4,000 weeks.” How about that? Do the math for your own age and see how it makes you feel! Gave you pause, didn’t it?

What I really appreciated about the book was not just the rather disheartening reality check about how little time and control we all have over time but the questions we can ask and the deliberate, practical, and not entirely unfamiliar tools of “confronting our radical finitude” we can implement.

Here are some of my favorite quotes:

“If you deeply grasp that the impossible demands on your time are impossible, you can resist them and focus on building the most meaningful life you can, in whatever situation you are in.

Embrace, do not deny, your temporal limitations.

Let go of the limit-denying fantasy of getting it all done and focus on doing a few things that count.

You cannot avoid hard choices about time, but you can make better ones.

Everything is borrowed time.

Forego certain pleasures, neglect certain obligations.

Decide what not to do and feel at peace about not doing it.

Claim time for what matters to you.

Limit your work in progress.

Our devices distract from more important matters but they also change how we define “important” matters.

Real problem might be not the activity itself but our internal resistance to experiencing it.

Plan is a present moment statement of intent. But the future is under no obligation to comply.

It’s OK to be mediocre in your hobbies.

Endure the discomfort of not knowing.

Face the truth about your irrelevance in the grand scheme of things. Embrace it.

It is a relief to be reminded of your insignificance.

In what way have you yet to accept the fact that you are who you are, not the person you think you ought to be?

Seek out novelty in the mundane.

Practice doing nothing.”

I really enjoyed this book and will definitely reread at some point. Alas, “The average human lifespan is absurdly, insultingly brief” but once we embrace our finitude and learn to choose and say “no” more, however many weeks remain can be enjoyable and fulfilling.

What did you think? Drop me a line!

"The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse" [book by Charlie Mackesy]

Greetings all!

Do you read children’s books? I just finished “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse” by Charlie Mackesy and absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this book. It is definitely going on my re-read list, and I hope you read it too. 

This is a gorgeously illustrated story for all ages about four unlikely friends and an extraordinary friendship. Profound and lovely, touching and funny – every single message resonated with me on some level. Books like this, with words of hope, love, kindness, and acceptance, make our world a better and brighter place.

 https://www.instagram.com/charliemackesy/?hl=en

Image from https://www.charliemackesy.com/

Here are some of my favorite Charlie Mackesy’s illustrations from his Instagram account, some of which are featured in the book.

I just learned there is an animated short film based on the book, and it looks good!

Watch the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fbdem4g_LEc

What did you think? Drop me a line! Be kind to yourself and to others, and eat some cake!

Sources: 

• https://www.charliemackesy.com/
• https://www.instagram.com/charliemackesy/?hl=en
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fbdem4g_LEc

“Everything Is Figureoutable” [a book by Marie Forleo]

Greetings all! 

I recently finished a great book by Marie Forleo “Everything Is Figureoutable” – loved it and highly recommend! 

Image: Amazon

Marie outlines 3 rules:

1. You have what it takes to figure anything out – how inspiring and empowering is that! Everything is figureoutable - whether a problem or a dream.
2. If a problem is NOT figureoutable, it is not really a problem. For example, death is a fact of life, and gravity is a law of nature.
3. Some problems you will not care about – and that is ok. WOW – not everything needs to be solved or figured out!

Here are some ideas that were really thought-provoking for me:   

• It is all about tangible actions. You can spend a lot of time on planning and research but a real action, however small, is what creates momentum and progress. Extensive planning is another way to procrastinate. Been there, done that!
• Embrace progress, not perfection! I am a big believer that sometimes good – not perfect - is enough. If we strive for perfection, things probably will not even get done. That being said, you can still hold yourself to high standards - they are not the same as perfectionism.
• Failure is just an event. A person cannot be a failure.
• Be honest about your own choices and own them. “I can’t” (victim mentality) might actually mean “I won’t” (you are in charge).  
• Be clear and specific about what you want. Write it down. And I love this one - “Someday is not a day of the week!”
• What if our emotions are just energy vibrating at different frequencies?
• Nothing has meaning besides the meaning we give it.
• And I would like to leave you with this thought, “Beliefs are the hidden scripts that run our lives… Who would you be without this limiting belief?”

What did you think? Drop me a line!

Lonely Planet's Ultimate Travel Destinations

Greetings all!

Do you love travel books? A while ago, a friend gave me a wonderful book “Lonely Planet: Ultimate Travel – Our List of the 500 Best Places to See… Ranked.” I love looking at the pictures, reading about must-see destinations and must-do experiences, and hoping that one day I will get a chance to visit all the amazing and wondrous places!

Recently, Lonely Planet released the book’s second edition, and Petra in Jordan (which is on my bucket list!) grabbed the top spot. As travel hopefully will become a reality soon, here are Lonely Planet's Top 10 Ultimate Travel Destinations to inspire our travel dreams!

10. Annapurna Circuit, Nepal (image Shutterstock)

9. Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia (pabliscua/iStockphoto/Getty Images)

8. Temples of Angkor, Cambodia (image Shutterstock) – 

this was #1 in the previous edition!

7. Iguazú Falls, Argentina/Brazil (image Shutterstock)

6. Lake Bled, Slovenia (image Justin Foulkes/Lonely Planet)

5. Yellowstone National Park, USA (image Shawn Walters/EyeEm/Getty Images)

4. Okavango Delta, Botswana (image Shutterstock)

3. Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Australia (image Shutterstock)

2. The Galápagos, Ecuador (image Shutterstock)

1. Petra, Jordan (image kyolshin/iStockphoto/Getty Images)

Source: https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/lonely-planet-ultimate-travel-list-2020

What did you think? Drop me a line!

FOBO – What It Is and How to Fight It

Greetings all!

I love this quote by Voltaire “The best is the enemy of the good.” I think it applies to so many things in life, including decisions we make and how we make them.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay 
https://pixabay.com/photos/choice-select-decide-decision-vote-2692575/

Do you ever experience decision paralysis when faced with choices? You are not alone! We live in a digital age when it is easy to access information. Infinite choices, information overload, and the ability to compare ourselves to others are at our fingertips 24/7. Is it any wonder that we experience FOMO (the fear of missing out) and FOBO (the fear of better options)!?

Both terms were coined by Patrick McGinnis, a US venture capitalist, who thinks FOBO is worse for you. He said that a little bit of FOMO might be good as it might prompt us to try something different and open up our perspective but FOBO is more destructive. 

In his opinion, “Fear of a Better Option is the compulsion to keep your options open for as long as possible so that you can exhaust every possibility before choosing the “best” alternative” (LinkedIn). 

In an interview with Inverse, he also said “We are all fearful of living suboptimal lives… Unlike FOMO, where you run after everything, with FOBO, you actually never commit to anything, because you are hoping that the perfect option will come along to make your decision easy.”

We wonder - what if something better comes along? – and avoid committing to a decision, any decision. It could be deciding which phone to get or which job candidate to give an offer to.  

I was not even familiar with the term FOBO until recently when I came across it in an old magazine article. But I definitely experienced it - most recently last week when I could not immediately decide on a small purchase. There were so many choices and so many reviews. I was, of course, grateful to have choices but they were making me confused and indecisive as I kept searching for the “best” option.

In a wonderful book “The Paradox of Choice – Why More Is Less,” Barry Schwartz reflects that too many consumer choices actually increase anxiety. A lot of studies show that increased choices might result in choice paralysis and even decrease satisfaction. I (usually) have an easier time making a decision when presented with 2 choices vs 20 choices! In Schwartz’ book, he describes an experiment of presenting shoppers with 6 jars of jam (30% of people bought) vs 24 (only 3% did). By the way, if you have not read this book, I highly recommend it! 

Psychologically, decision-making is also interesting. If you decide based on maximum benefit later on, you are a maximiser and the research shows maximisers are more likely to be unhappy with their choices.

If, however, you choose based on the “good enough” criteria, you are a satisficer. The term "satisficer" was proposed by the U.S. Nobel Prize-winning economist Herbert A. Simon and is a combo of “satisfying” and “sufficing.”

How you can you combat FOBO and just decide already?

• Be grateful that you have options.
• Focus on one or two things that are important to you and let them dictate your choice.
• Read reviews.
• Set a deadline, especially for big purchases/decisions.
• Do not go back and price-compare.
• Limit your time on social media (this might warrant a separate post!).
• Follow the Golden Rule.
• Ask someone you trust who is more decisive than you.
• Take a nap and decide when your mind is fresh!

For my little purchase, I took the satisficer route and chose based on the price and the reviews: I narrowed my choices down to 2 and as they were really very similar, I just picked one.

SOURCES:

• https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/meet-fobo-evil-twin-fomo-can-ruin-your-life-patrick-mcginnis/

• https://amp.theguardian.com/global/2019/nov/24/fear-of-missing-out-fomo-making-decision-biology-fobo-christmas-turkey

• https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/oct/21/choice-stressing-us-out-dating-partners-monopolies

• https://www.inverse.com/innovation/how-to-overcome-fomo-fobo-decision-making/amp

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Paradox_of_Choice

• “Just Decide Already” by Ashley Mateo, Cosmopolitan, December 2018

 What did you think? Drop me a line!

Lost in Translation

Greetings all!

Do you ever find yourself feeling or experiencing something but unable to describe it? Well, you might be able to find the perfect word in another language but there is a catch - that word is not easily translatable! 

I have just finished a lovely book by Ella Frances Sanders “Lost in Translation: An Illustrated Compendium of Untranslatable Words from Around the World” – and here are my favorite words!

Image by ArtTower from 

https://pixabay.com/photos/forest-sunbeams-trees-sunlight-56930/

SAUDADE (Portuguese, noun) – A vague, constant desire for something that does not and probably cannot exist, a nostalgic longing for someone or something loved and then lost.
MY NOTE: This was the word that piqued my interest in this book after I read an article that mentioned it. I think many of us have experienced this but did not know how to describe it. And now we know the word for it – Saudade!! And in Brazil, January 30^th is the official Saudade day!

COMMUOVERE (Italian; verb) – To be moved in a heartwarming way, usually relating to a story that moved you to tears.
MY NOTE: For me, it is a good book or a news story about people’s kindness.

MANGATA (Swedish; noun) – The road-like reflection of the moon in the water.
MY NOTE: You might recall this word from my post “Take a fika!” and the word FIKA also popped up in this book! Read my Fika post here:[https://findingbalanceandjoy.blogspot.com/2018/06/take-fika-lagom-not-too-little-not-too.html]

MERAKI (Greek, adjective) – Pouring yourself wholeheartedly into something, such as cooking, and doing it with soul, creativity, and love.
MY NOTE: We could use more of meraki in so many areas of our lives!

 

PISAN ZAPRA (Malay, noun) – The time needed to eat a banana.
MY NOTE: What a fun and funny word!

 

KOMOREBI (Japanese; noun) – The sunlight that filters though the leaves of the trees.
MY NOTE: What a lovely image! Read my Shinrin-Yoku [Forest Bathing] post here: https://findingbalanceandjoy.blogspot.com/2020/07/shinrin-yoku-forest-bathing.html 

BOKETTO (Japanese, noun) – Gazing vacantly into the distance without really thinking about anything specific.
MY NOTE: This is one of my favorite activities – I find doing nothing and just being is very restorative and meditative.

What did you think? Drop me a line! And in the meantime, let’s all pause and enjoy a moment of boketto!

Shinrin-Yoku [Forest Bathing]

Greetings all!

Yesterday, I sat outside for 20 minutes and I just was. No phone, no book, just cars passing by, my mind blanking out. It was very enjoyable and relaxing even though it was very hot. There is something about being in nature that just calms and comforts.

Maybe that is why the practice of shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, is popular in Japan. By the way, did you know that Japan has one of the highest life expectancies in the world? Can shinrin-yoku be one of the secrets to a long life?

According to the Time article, shinrin-yoku is not exercise but simply being in nature. You actually do not need a forest, just a place with trees! Find a spot, unplug from technology, and see where your senses take you. You don’t need a guide – although in Japan, there are forest-therapy professionals that will design the best walking path for you. You can walk, look at plants, have a picnic, practice Tai Chi, mediate, or paint! I think many of us already practice shinrin-yoku, without realizing it!

I am now interested in reading the book by Dr. Qing Li “Forest bathing: how trees can help you find health and happiness.” According to my library, the book teaches you to “lose yourself in the beauty of your surroundings, leave everyday stress behind, and reach a place of greater calm and wellness.”

“…Leave everyday stress behind and reach a place of greater calm and wellness” - Doesn’t it sound lovely? In the meantime, I am going to find a tree and zone out for a bit!

Source: https://time.com/5259602/japanese-forest-bathing/

Be well and stay healthy!

Have You Found Your Ikigai?

Greetings all!

Have you found fulfillment in your life? Do you know where to search for it? Have you heard about ikigai?

Read on! I loved this article by Paula Rizzo!

Image and article from 

https://listproducer.com/2019/06/ikigai-live-a-more-fulfilling-life-the-japanese-way/

“What do you do in a typical week? 

• Go to work
• Spend time with your family
• Read
• Meditate
• Have drinks with friends… 

It’s important to have a good balance of work and play, social time and alone time. But at the end of the day, what’s it all for?

There are hundreds of self-help books on how to find your passion or change career path to something more inspiring.

But as my friend Terri would say, window cleaners don’t have that job because they have a passion for clean glass. There’s a certain level of practicality to what we do as well as a need to be financially stable.

So how do we find fulfillment?

The answer can be found on a small Japanese island which is said to be home to the largest population of people who have lived to be 100 years old.

This is largely attributed to the concept of ikigai.

Okinawans use it as their way of life and I was introduced to the concept as I’m doing research for my new book, “Listful Living: A List-Making Journey to a Less Stressed You”

Ikigai is the joining together of four primary elements: 

1. What you love
2. What the world needs
3. What you are good at
4. What you can get paid for 

When you bring together these four elements it leads to a feeling of fulfillment, which increases happiness and longevity. To follow ikigai you don’t have to immediately quit your job or make any other drastic life changes. Ikigai is more about following the path towards your ultimate fulfillment.

So how can you get closer to your Ikigai? Try to incorporate more of the following into your day to day:

New opportunities – A large part of ikigai is the idea of following what brings you that sense of fulfillment, by taking opportunities that match with the four tenants above. You might take up dance classes. This brings out a talent you didn’t realize you had or could introduce you to someone who helps you with a new opportunity. It’s not about taking on as many opportunities as possible but simply seeking out the things that you enjoy.

Go with your gut – Do you ever have one of those days where you’ve planned everything out, but your gut is telling you to go a different route? Sometimes that gut instinct can save your life. Your instincts are there to lead you to where you need to go. Much like seeking out opportunities, finding ikigai often come from following an instinctive path, rather than doing what you feel like you should be doing. Change should come from within not an external source.

Take it easy – So you haven’t reached your true harmony – or your ikigai just yet! And you might not get their next week either. In the rush to find your fulfillment you could let life pass you by. Trust that within time you will find what’s right for you. I worked for nearly 20  years as a news producer before I changed direction and starting teaching people how to build their media presence. For a few years before I left Fox News Channel I had people telling me I should go freelance, but I waited for what felt like the right time. I’m glad I did! If you’re always looking to the future you can miss out on the now!

Have you found your Ikigai?”

  

What did you think? Drop me a line!

The Invitation [Poem of the Week]

It doesn’t interest me

what you do for a living.
I want to know
what you ache for
and if you dare to dream
of meeting your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me
how old you are.
I want to know
if you will risk
looking like a fool
for love
for your dream

for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn’t interest me
what planets are
squaring your moon...
I want to know
if you have touched
the centre of your own sorrow
if you have been opened
by life’s betrayals
or have become shrivelled and closed
from fear of further pain.

I want to know
if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.

I want to know
if you can be with joy
mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you
to the tips of your fingers and toes
without cautioning us
to be careful
to be realistic
to remember the limitations
of being human.

It doesn’t interest me
if the story you are telling me
is true.
I want to know if you can
disappoint another
to be true to yourself.
If you can bear
the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul.
If you can be faithless
and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty
even when it is not pretty
every day.
And if you can source your own life
from its presence.

I want to know
if you can live with failure
yours and mine
and still stand at the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,
“Yes.”

It doesn’t interest me
to know where you live
or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up
after the night of grief and despair
weary and bruised to the bone
and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.

It doesn’t interest me
who you know
or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
in the centre of the fire
with me
and not shrink back.

It doesn’t interest me
where or what or with whom
you have studied.
I want to know
what sustains you
from the inside
when all else falls away.

I want to know
if you can be alone
with yourself
and if you truly like
the company you keep
in the empty moments.

By Oriah Mountain Dreamer

(Source: http://www.oriahmountaindreamer.com/)

The Mind Palace [How to Sharpen Your Memory]

Greetings all!

Every day we are bombarded with information - seemingly endless stream of news, data, facts, gossip... How can we keep our memory sharp to remember the things we do need to remember? Here are some tips from Caroline McKenzie as read in the March-2019 issue of Real Simple magazine!

1) Get Moving

Medical research suggests that short, brisk walks might be good for short-term memory, whereas regular moderate exercise helps with forming long-term memories.

Doing an uncommon gesture before certain tasks might also jog your memory. For example, hopping on one foot before placing your keys on the desk might help you remember their location.

2) Visit the “Palace”

Image from https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b018ttws

The memory palace is a visualization technique where you mentally place objects in an imaginary path. If you are going to run multiple errands, imagine the dry cleaning by the door, checks to be cashed on the desk, etc. Then you mentally go through this path and pick up images you laid there earlier. 

MY NOTE: I think the memory palace is a great technique to learn another language and in general to keep our brain active. This method is also known as the mind palace, memory journey or the method of loci. Sherlock in the Sherlock BBC series favors this technique and there was a great episode in which a blackmailer stored juicy tidbits in his mind palace, without putting anything on paper! 

3) Make It Weird

Turn your day-to-day essentials that you need to remember into bizarre pictures in your brain. If you need to pick up milk, imagine “your car stuffed to the gills with cartons and milk gushing out the windows.” Your brain might remember unusual images better. 

MY NOTE: OK, I think I will continue with making lists for errands but I can see how this might help with remembering the name of a person you just met or enhancing your vocabulary! 

4) Put It on Repeat

Repetition is great for learning a language or, in the author’s article, remembering a recipe.

5) Catch Some Z’s

A good night’s sleep is essential for our health, including brain health and memory retention. Research shows that napping might also bolster memories.

Many of these ideas come from “Remember It!” book by Nelson Dellis, which is going on my library list - I think my mind palace is busy enough without adding another book to it!

Which one is your favorite? Drop me a line!