2014年7月25日 星期五

Good Book

催眠治療:

1. Methods and Uses of Hypnosis and Self-Hypnosis, by Bernard Hollander. 1953年出版的『古書』,但比近年的大量新書,好上了不知多少倍,我不停的看完又看,買不買到,看你有沒有運氣了。(剛在Amazon訂了一本,打算送人)

2. The Patterns of Hypnotic Techniques of Milton Erickson Book 1 & 2, by Richard Bandler & John Grinder. 我們的 Master Hypnotherapist 同學必讀的課本,要深入學催眠,不可不讀!(台譯中文版稱作『催眠天書』)

3. Hypnotsim Today, by LeCron & Bordeaux. 另一本更古的『古書』,1949年出版,由艾克森Milton Erickson 賜序;越看舊書,越覺新出版的書藉根本沒有味道。 


NLP:  

1. Magic of NLP Demystified, by Byron Lewis & Frank Pucelik. 不是一本一味只談一大堆NLP技術的書藉,她真的很清晰地解釋NLP的基本概念,包括了我相信很多 NLP Practitioner 甚至是 NLP Trainer 也攪不清楚的基本原則。

2. NLP創立人Richhard Bandler及John Grinder 早期合著的那幾本書籍,全是好書,其中包括 The Structure of Magic, The Structure of Magic II, Frogs into Princes, Reframing:
Neuro-Linguistic Programming and the Transformation of Meaning 等等,其餘大部份的NLP書藉,總是抄來抄去,毫無新意。


Coaching:  

1. The Inner Game of Tennis, by Timothy Gallwey. 這不是一本教練學的專書,但她是教練學鼻祖 Timothy Gallwey 的第一本著作,有了這本有關網球教練的書,才有今天的教練學,不論你想瞭解的是個人教練,還是企業教練,必看!

2. The Inner Game of Work, by Timothy Gallwey. 另一本 Gallwey 有關 Inner Game 的書藉,他把 Inner Game 概念直接應用在工作上,很不錯的教練學的間接參考書。 


Facilitation: How to make Collaboration Work, by David Straus. 這也不是一本直接教授輔引學的書藉,她談的是協作,但輔引學的目的不就是促成協作嗎?書中論及的五大協作原理,基本上就是五大輔引原理。


Systemic Thinking: The Fifth Disciplines, by Peter Senge. 她不是一本合整式思維的書藉,而是一本系統思維 Systems Thinking 的無敵應用參考書,但她卻是一本極為合適的合整思維入門書藉;她曾是暢銷書,雖然現在有點好像過氣,但她的內容絕不會落伍,不看是你的損失。 - See more at: http://www.keithto.ws/2008/07/blog-post_24.html#sthash.E6rrMURA.dpuf


by 
http://www.keithto.ws/2008/07/blog-post_24.html

衝突處理的5種方式

衝突處理的5種方式



何為衝突?在牛津大辭典的解釋是人們之間對不同觀點或信仰的不同意見。在人們的共同生活中,衝突是一種司空見慣的正常現象,長期沒有衝突的關係根本不存在。凡是人們共同活動的領域,總會產生不同意見、不同需求和不同利益的碰撞。如何處理衝突,我們有五種選擇,迴避、退讓、競爭、妥協和合作。

我先用一個橘子故事來簡單解釋一下這5種解決衝突的區別。比如現在有一個橘子,你想要,我也想要。如果我不管不顧,搶先把橘子搶到,這是“競爭”方式;如果我考慮到你更需要這個橘子,故而把橘子讓給你,這是“退讓”;我們都不想爭,大家都不要這個橘子,這是“迴避”;如果我們把橘子掰開,一人一半,這是“妥協”;如果我們能坐下來共同探討為什麼想要這個橘子,原來我要吃橘子肉,你要的是橘子皮做糕點,這樣我們兩個人的需求都得到滿足。這種方式就是“合作”。

這5種處理衝突的方式就是著名的衝突管理的“托馬斯—基爾曼”模型。我們先來看看這5種競爭方式各有什麼特點:

用“競爭”方式處理衝突時,雙方各站在自己的利益上思考問題,各部想讓,一定要分出個勝負、是非曲直來。這種競爭方式的特徵是:正面衝突,直接發生爭論、爭吵,或其他形式的對抗;衝突雙方在衝突中都尋找自我利益而不考慮對他人的影響;競爭的雙方都試圖以犧牲他人的利益為代價來達到自己的目的,為了爭贏而不顧衝突帶來的後果。

和競爭方式相反的是“退讓”,是指在衝突發生時只考慮對方的要求和利益,不考慮或犧牲自己的要求和利益,把對方利益放在自己的利益之上,其行為特點為高度合作,不進攻,願意犧牲自己的目標使對方達到目標,儘管自己有不同意見,但還是支持他人的意見,為了維護相互的關係,一方願意做出自我犧牲。

“迴避”是衝突的雙方既不採取合作也不採取進攻行為,“你不找我,我不找你”,雙方迴避這件事情。迴避方式的特徵是雙方意識到衝突的存在,卻試圖忽略衝突,都不採取任何行動,不發生正面對抗。

第四種處理方式是“妥協”,衝突雙方都有做出讓步,俗話說“你讓三分,我讓三分”雙方都讓出一部分要求和利益,但同時有保存一部分要求和利益。其特點是沒有明顯的贏家和輸家,他們願意共同承擔衝突問題,並接受一種雙方都達不到徹底滿足的解決方案,所以妥協有一個明顯的特點就是雙方都傾向於放棄一些東西。衝突雙方的基本目標能達成,相互之間的關係也能維持良好,衝突能得到暫時解決,也有可能留下了下一次沖突的隱患。

“合作”方式是衝突雙方即考慮和維護自己的要求和利益,又要充分考慮和維護對方的利益,並能最終達成共識。合作方式的特點是衝突雙方相互尊重與信任,對於自己和他人的利益都給予高度關注,衝突雙方坦率溝通,澄清差異,並致力於尋找雙贏的解決辦法。合作的方式能使衝突得到完全消除。

從上面的介紹我們也許會得出一個結論,這5種衝突方法中使用“合作”的方法處理衝突是最好的,那麼我們所有衝突都有合作方法解決不就行了嗎。不,實際工作中的情況要復雜很多。採用合作的方法處理衝突,相對其他解決衝突的方法而言,需要花費的成本要高一些,他需要花很多的時間和精力進行溝通,討論,最好達成共識後才能採取行動,或許,在合作過程中還需要大量的財力物力,在這些條件不允許的情況下,使用合作是不現實的,在實際工作中,我們如何運用著5種解決衝突的技巧呢?

我們知道在工作中有些工作是重要的,有些事不重要的,工作的重要性有大有小,有緊迫的由不緊迫的。我們可以根據工作的性質來決定採取何種衝突的處理方法。


“競爭”,對於那些既有重要性又有緊迫性的問題,我們通常可以採取“競爭”的方式。每當一提起競爭,就會想到兩敗俱傷的結局,就認為是不好的,不可取的。其實並非如此,並不是在任何情況下採取競爭的方式都是不可取的。在有些情況下,競爭策略是十分必要的並且是行之有效的,甚至有些情況選還必須使用競爭方式:比如當處於緊急情況下,需要迅速果斷的做出決策並要及時採取行動;或在公司至關重要的事情或利益上,你明確知道自己是正確的情況下。例如公司為了提高公司業績需要在銷售部門推行銷售業績考核,不達標淘汰制度,這個制度能否貫徹執行下去直接影響到公司的能否在市場上生存下去,在推廣的過程中不管在銷售部有多大的阻力都要嚴格執行下去。

“迴避”是對那些既不重要又不緊迫的問題我們通常可以採取的方法。不要以為迴避就是不負責任,其實在工作中,有時候採取迴避會有意想​​不到的結果。在以下情況我們會採取迴避策略:衝突的事件微不足道,不重要也不緊急;你發現還不到解決問題的時機,收集信息比立刻決策更重要;衝突雙方都在非理性的情緒中;或者處理這個衝突會可能引發一個更大的衝突時。

“退讓”也是那些既不重要又不緊迫的問題我們通常可以採取的方法,選擇退讓並不是說明自己軟弱,或者是害怕對方,我們常說的“退一步海闊天空”就是指這種處理衝突的方法。採用這種方法有時更需要智慧和寬容心。在下面這些情況我們可以嘗試著選擇退讓:當別人給你帶來麻煩,但這種麻煩事你可以承受的,你明知道得到衝突的利益對別人來說比你更重要,維護關係的融洽比理性上的對錯更為重要時, 我們回想一下在我們的家庭生活中夫妻之間的衝突,很多時候為了保持家庭穩定,我們大多會採取退讓的方式來處理,因為這個時候對錯並不重要,良好的關係才是最重要的。

“妥協”是具有緊迫性但不具有重要性的問題通常可以採用妥協方式。當目標十分重要但過於堅持己見可能會造成更壞的後果;當對方做出承諾不在出現類似的問題時,當時間十分緊迫需要採取一個妥協方案時;當為了一個複雜問題達成暫時的和解時我們都可以採取妥協的方式

“合作”是處理重要但不緊急事件時應該採用的方式,合作需要事先的溝通達成共識,既滿足了自己的願望,同時也站在對方的立場上為對方的利益考慮。對以那些重要性很強,但不是特別緊迫的,有時間進行溝通的問題,必須採取這種策略。要達成合作的關鍵點在於雙方不再是衝突的對立面,他們能攜起手來,站在同一戰線上共同來面對他們遇到的問題。有了相互認同這個前提方能進行下一步的溝通,通過積極傾聽,提問,反饋這些溝通技巧找出衝突的根本原因和對方真實深層需求並努力尋找共同的利益點,創新性的尋找大家都認可的解決方案。

衝突是我們生活的一部分,我們大多數人都會形成自己應對沖突的習慣性處理方法。今天我們共同學習了5種處理衝突的方式,當我們再次面對沖突時,我們可以先停下來想一想,我現在處理的衝突是什麼樣的衝突,我的處理方式還有別的更好的選擇嗎?

發表於 2011年03月4日 由 週 靜守(Sophia)

2014年7月15日 星期二

老師沒有教你如何「學會學習」?研讀TED創辦人Wurman的學習秘笈

關於教育,大家可能會立刻想到Ken Robinson超過二千萬點擊的‘How schools kill creativity’TED talk。如果學校殺死創意,老師又不喜歡讀書,學生如何能夠無師自通?學會學習?翻開金庸的武俠小說或許有所啓發,《射雕英雄傳》提到一位大內文官黃裳,遍讀道藏經書,無師自通,寫出震動武林的《九陰真經》。當時得令的郭靖,亦是透過修習《九陰真經》才成為一代高手。
來個「古中今外」的cross-over比喻,若然Ken Robinson就是當時得令的郭靖,造就Ken Robinson的TED創辦人或許就是黃裳。Richard Saul Wurman早於1984年創辦TED大會——雲集技術(Technology)、娛樂(Entertainment)、設計(Design)於一身的交流平台,影響力無遠弗屆。Wurman更是「資訊工程師」之父,精於從海量資訊提取真正有用的知識,凝煉成智慧。筆者在公共圖書館找到Wurman寫的《資訊焦慮》,驚覺這是「學會學習」的《九陰真經》。《資訊焦慮》成於1990年,卻完全無損其價值。資訊會過時,駕馭資訊的智慧卻歷久彌新。筆者反覆研讀這本奇書,嘗試運用此書組織資訊的原則,以「五篇十七式」重新排列,整理出「學會學習」的內功心法。
一、無知篇:你不知道的東西為何重要?
第1式:探險
一九五八年,Wurman初出茅廬、一無所知。他說動賓州大學人類學博物館館長,送他去最大最古老的馬雅城市古蹟。等到考古隊發現他什麼都不懂時,已經來不及把他送回去了。他在那裡學了五天,更待了長達半年的時間,學到人生寶貴一課。他相信親身面對困難、克服恐懼,能讓自己未來活得更自在。
第2式:成長心態
二十六歲那年Wurman開始在北卡羅萊納大學建築系任助理教授。他自知有二個選擇:傳授早已懂得的,或傳授樂於學習的。後者對他較具吸引力,再者他並不介意承認自己的無知,因此他選擇了後者。他的教學方法是根據求知欲望來定主題,抱持與學生共同成長的心態,而不是滿足於交通指揮式的單向灌輸。
第3式:探索知識邊界
古典的知識觀包括兩個部份:一是知其所知,一是知其所不知,二者合起來才是完整的知識。但在我們的學校和節奏急促的社會,我們只教導學生知道他們所知道的最小範圍,而不曾教他們知道知識的極限。結果嚴重抹煞了好奇心和求知慾。
第4式:問路
在Wurman的工作中,「通路」是最重要的觀念,他甚至把一家公司命名為通路出版公司。他所設計的指南為人們開啓了解城市、工作、運動、醫藥的大門。這些主題他都不専精,也因此他是最適宜寫這些主題的人。何以故?因為無知就是他的特長。別人認為太過淺白而羞於提出的問題,他都敢於提出。
第5式:擁抱失敗
今天的一個問題是我們沒有教育學生在逆境和挫敗中如何自處,總以為大家只須從成功中學習。結果人人只要求即刻的成果、速食的知識。Wurman常告訴學生,教育的功能就是要讓更多人經歷自我評斷之苦。
二、好玩篇:哪些資訊令人快樂?哪些資訊令人焦慮?
第1式:最緊要好玩
什麼是你真正感興趣的,什麼又是你認為你應該感興趣的。前者能帶給你快樂,後者則會讓你焦慮。尼釆《看﹗這個人》提到「防衞性消耗雖然微細,但漸成習慣後,積少成多,便成為完全不必要的嚴重耗損。」學以致用所得到的資訊源自興趣而非焦慮,因此常能培養長期的知識,而且會產生「知識為我所有」的重要感受。
第2式:條條大路通羅馬
你可以從一項興趣擴充成多項興趣,因此選擇一項興趣時大可不必那麼戒慎恐懼。不管你在哪個階段投入,到頭來你可以往更高深處鑽研,也可以觸類旁通,連結到其他興趣。
三、連結篇:如何活化沒有生命的資訊?
第1式:方便眾人使用
通路(access)的根本意義就是「使事物易於了解或應用」。假設你是坐輪椅的人,通路便代表斜坡、電梯和特殊的洗手間。別人能做的,你也能做;別人能用的,你也能用,這個能力就是通路;也可以說是運用資源的自由。
第2式:類比、串連與重新排列
新力總裁盛田昭夫:「在這個資訊爆炸的時代,我們每年所使用的資訊卻愈來愈少,同時我們取用資訊的能力也逐漸降低。」Wurman很少花心思去發掘新觀念,寧可多思索現有資訊是否有新的串連方式。所謂發掘觀念,就是將已知的資料重新排列組合,加以運用、類比,便可能發現新的資訊。
第3式:裝上不同的接收器
Carlos Fuentes:「現代文明最大的危機是如何將資訊轉化為有組織的知識。」唯一的方法是克服廣度的不足,讓資訊與資訊之間產生更好的連繫。人心好比收音機,裝上接收器後便產生新資訊。
第4式:對比熟悉事物
你能了解一項資訊,必然因為它與你原已了解的事物相關。一棟建築物必須前面有人或車子相對照你才能知道它有多大。數字只是資訊的一種象徵,除非拿來和你能理解的東西相比較,否則毫無用處。
四、組織篇:如何駕馭無窮的資訊?
第1式:切成小塊
Nigel Holmes認為要讓事實和數據有意義,關鍵是「把它切成一小塊一小塊,讓讀者能隨意挑一塊來吃。」
第2式:編輯原則
所謂的通路都是發掘出該主題特有的結構——最簡單的組織形式,讓讀者能找出他們感興趣的部份。Wurman編輯的指南通常採取用以下三項原則:
A) 學習接受自己的無知;
B) 關注問題甚於答案;
C) 永遠不要畏懼嘗試走相反方向的路去找答案。
第3式:常用組合
Wurman認為資訊雖無窮,架構資訊的方式卻有限。如何組織取決於你所希望呈現的內容,不同的組織方式自然導致對該資訊不同的理解。組織資訊的方法不出以下五類:
A) 種類——這種分類法適用於組織重要性相等的事物。通常顏色比數字適合用來區分不同的種類,因為數字本身即蘊涵有價值判斷的意味。
B) 時間——時間最適用於組織一定時段內發生的事件。時間是最容易了解的架構,不但可以觀察出其中的變遷,也有利於做比較。
C) 地點——當你要檢驗或比較來源不同的資訊時,選擇地點為架構是最自然不過了。
D) 字母——此一形式最有助於整理超大量的資訊。
E) 層次——此組織法是根據大小、昂貴程度、重要性等依順序排列。當你想要對某一資訊賦與價值判斷,譬如研究一產業或公司時,此法最為適用。
五、通識篇:在理想的學校,學生如何學習?
第1式:自行選擇
理想的學校應該像自助餐廳,你可選擇不同的盤子,拿菜的順序可以前後顛倒,吃的速度可以隨心所欲,甚至可以從頭來過。你盡可以先吃甜點,鄰座的人還可能和你聊天。你可以挑選一奇幻餐車,有人會建議你沙拉該配什麼菜合口。
第2式:從不同角度探討同一課題
我們對於整體的概念很褊狹。我們的教育體制是要把完整的知識區隔成各種學科。Wurman建議有些課由五個教授一起來講解一個題目。譬如說由物理學者、生物學者、地理學者、哲學家、數學家一起講解關於宇宙的知識。
第3式:以改變世界觀為目的
Wurman認為研習以下課題有助學生改變對世界的看法:
「學習如何學習」、「如何問問題」、「你要什麼」、「生命的一天」、「我們和螞蟻有什麼關係」、「時間的快慢」、「五分鐘界線」、「五哩界線」、「這是屬於你的新世界人物課」、「美麗的錯誤」、「在等待中觀察」、「讓媽媽聽得懂」、「事實與真理有別」、「擁抱淺顯之理」
「學習秘笈」總綱
《九陰真經》總綱首句是「天之道,損有餘而補不足,是故虛勝實,不足勝有餘。」起點在「虛」、在「不足」,「學習秘笈」異曲同工,起點在「無知」。
學會學習,由「無知」開始,透過發問、犯錯,學習「好玩」有趣的事物,透過比喻、使用及重新排列來「連結」資訊,選取最有效的方式「組織」知識,運用「通識」的不同角度跨越學科界線,提煉為理解世事萬物的人生智慧。

作者:唐文寶,小學老師,相信美德比知識重要,幫助學生尋找幸福之路。

2014年7月10日 星期四

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator - about learning

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a personality inventory that can also be used to describe learning styles. The inventory identifies and measures psychological type based on the developments in personality theory by Carl Jung.  All types described by the MBTI are normal and healthy.  Each person can use the types to help understand how he or she takes in information and how he or she makes decisions or comes to conclusions about that information.  Each preference has a one-letter abbreviation.  The four letters  then make up a person's type (see the charts below)
There are sixteen different MBTI types:

VARK Learning Styles Inventory

ARK Learning Styles Inventory

Technically , VARK inventory is not a  learning style because a learning style has 18+ dimensions (such as preferences for temperature, light, food intake, biorhythms, working with others, working alone). VARK is about one preference - your preference for taking in, and putting out information when learning is the objective. Although it is just one aspect of a learning style it is considered one of the most  important parts because people can do something about it. Some other dimensions are fixed and not open to change.  The four modalities that comprise the VARK and the VARK questionnaire were formulated by Neil Fleming.  The four VARK modalities are:
  • Visual -  prefer to learn information through charts, graphs, symbols, and other visual means
  • Aural - prefer to learn information through hearing - auditory learners
  • Read/Write - prefer to learn information that is displayed as words
  • Kinesthetic - prefer to learn through experience, practice, and hands-on activities

Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences

Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences

In his work, Frames of Mind, Howard Gardner describes seven intelligences: linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal.  The distinctions among these intelligences are supported by studies in child development, cognitive skills under conditions of brain damage, psycho-metrics, changes in cognition across history and within different cultures, and psychological transfer and generalization. Thus, Gardner's model is backed by a rich research base that combines physiology, anthropology, and personal and cultural history. Check out the graphic below which explains each of the seven intelligences. 

2014年7月7日 星期一

6 Extremely Effective Ways to Improve Your Memory

6 Extremely Effective Ways to Improve Your Memory
 

Who would like to remember more of what they see, hear, and read? Everyone!
5.5k SHARES
 
I could overwhelm you with statistics showing how improving your memory will positively impact your professional and personal life... but what's the point? Who doesn't want to remember more?
So let's jump right in.
Here are six ways you can improve your memory from Belle Beth Cooper, content crafter at Buffer, the social media management tool that lets you schedule, automate, and analyze social-media updates. (Belle Beth was also the source for two extremely popular articles, 5 Scientifically Proven Ways to Work Smarter, Not Harderand 5 Incredibly Effective Ways to Work Smarter, Not Harder. And yes, my headline creativity levels were clearly on a downswing.)
Here's Belle Beth:
Science continually finds new connections between simple things we can do every day that will improve our general memory capacity.
Memory is a complicated process that's made up of a few different brain activities. Before we look at ways to improve retention, here is a simplified version to show how memory takes place:
Step 1. Create a memory. Our brain sends signals in a particular pattern associated with the event we're experiencing and creates connections between our neurons, called synapses.
Step 2. Consolidate that memory. Do nothing else and that memory could soon fade away. Consolidation is the process of committing something to long-term memory so we can recall it later. Much of this process happens while we're sleeping as our brains recreate that same pattern of brain activity and strengthen the synapses created earlier.
3. Recall that memory. Recall is what most of us think of when we talk about memory or memory loss. Recalling a memory is easier if it has been strengthened over time, and each time we do we cycle through that same pattern of brain activity and make the connection a little stronger.
While memory loss is a normal part of aging that doesn't mean we can't take action to slow it down. Now let's look at some of the ways research has shown we can keep memories around as long as possible:
1. Meditate to improve working memory.
Working memory, which is a little like your brain's notepad, is where new information is temporarily held. When you learn someone's name or hear an address of a place you're going to, you hang on to those details in working memory until you're done with them. If they're no longer useful you let them go entirely. If they are useful, you commit them to long-term memory where they can be strengthened and recalled later.
Working memory is something we use every day, so it makes our lives a lot easier when it's stronger. While for most adults the maximum we can hold in our working memory is about seven items, if you're not quite using your working memory to its maximum capacity meditation can strengthen it.
Research has shown that participants with no experience in mindfulness meditation can improve their memory recall in just eight weeks. Meditation, with its power to help us concentrate, has also been shown to improve improve standardized test scores and working memory after just two weeks.
Why does meditation benefit memory? It's somewhat counterintuitive: during meditation your brain stops processing information as actively as it normally would.
So occasionally take a break to empty your mind. Not only will you feel a little less stressed, you may also remember a little more.
2. Drink coffee to improve memory consolidation.
Whether caffeine can improve memory if taken before learning something new is debatable. Most research has found little to no effect from ingesting caffeine prior to creating new memories.
One recent study, though, found that taking a caffeine pill after a learning task actually improved memory recall up to 24 hours later. Participants memorized a set of images and were later tested by viewing the same images (targets), similar images (lures), and completely different images (foils).
The task was to pick out which were the exact pictures they had memorized without being tricked by the lures (which were very similar.) This is a process called pattern separation, which according to the researchers reflects a "deeper level of memory retention."
The researchers in this study focused on the effects of caffeine on memory consolidation: the process of strengthening the memories we've created. That is why they believe the effects occurred when caffeine was ingested after the learning task rather than before.
So don't just drink a little coffee to get started in the morning--drink a little coffee to hold on to more of what you learn throughout the day.
3. Eat berries for better long-term memory.
Research shows that eating berries can help stave off memory decline. A study from the University of Reading and the Peninsula Medical School found that supplementing a normal diet with blueberries for twelve weeks improved performance on spatial working memory tasks. The effects began after just three weeks and continued for the length of the study.
long-term berry study that tested the memory of female nurses who were over 70 years old found those who regularly ate at least two servings of strawberries or blueberries each week had a moderate reduction in memory decline. (The effects of strawberries might be debatable, though, since that study was partly funded by the California Strawberry Commission... and another study focusing on strawberries suggested that you'd need to eat roughly 10 pounds of strawberries per day to see any effect).
More research is needed in this area, but scientists are getting closer to understanding how berries might affect our brains. In particular, blueberries are known for being high in flavanoids, which appear to strengthen existing connections in the brain. That could explain their benefit on long-term memory.
And even if it turns out they don't help your memory much, berries are still really good for you.
4. Exercise to improve memory recall.
Studies in both rat and human brains have shown that regular exercise can improve memory recall. Fitness in older adults has even been proven to slow the decline of memory without the aid of continued regular exercise. In particular, studies shown that regular exercise can improve spatial memory, so exercise may not necessarily be a way to improve all types of memory recall.
Of course the benefits of exercise are numerous, but for the brain in particular regular exercise is shown to improve cognitive abilities besides memory. So if you're looking for a way to stay mentally sharp, taking a walk could be the answer.
5. Chew gum to make stronger memories.
Another easy method that could improve your memory is to chew gum while you learn something new. Contradictory research exists so it's not a solid bet, but one study published last year showed that participants who completed a memory recall task were more accurate and had higher reaction times if they chewed gum during the study.
A reason that chewing gum might affect our memory recall is that it increases activity in the hippocampus, an important area of the brain for memory. (It's still unclear why this happens, though.)
Another theory focuses on the increase of oxygen from chewing gum and how that can improve focus and attention, helping us create stronger connections in the brain as we learn new things. One study found that participants who chewed gum during learning and memory tests had higher heart rate levels, a factor that can cause more oxygen to flow to the brain.
6. Sleep more to consolidate memories.
Sleep is proven to be one of the most important elements in having a good memory. Since sleep is when most of our memory consolidation process occurs it makes sense that without enough sleep we will struggle to remember things we've learned.
Even a short nap can improve your memory recall. In one study participants memorized illustrated cards to test their memory strength. After memorizing a set of cards they took a 40-minute break and one group napped while the other group stayed awake. After the break both groups were tested on their memory of the cards.
To the surprise of the researchers the sleep group performed significantly better, retaining on average 85% of the patterns compared to 60% for those who had remained awake.
Research indicates that when memory is first recorded in the brain (specifically in the hippocampus) it's still "fragile" and easily forgotten, especially if the brain is asked to memorize more things. Napping seems to push memories to the neocortex, the brain's "more permanent storage," which prevents them from being "overwritten."
Not only is sleep after learning a critical part of the memory creation process, but sleep before learning something new is important as well. Research has found that sleep deprivation can affect our ability to commit new things to memory and consolidate any new memories we create.
Now you don't need an excuse to nap--or to get a little more sleep.
LAST UPDATED: JUL 1, 2014
JEFF HADEN | Columnist
Jeff Haden learned much of what he knows about business and technology as he worked his way up in the manufacturing industry. Everything else he picks up from ghostwriting books for some of the smartest leaders he knows in business.


Read more: http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/6-extremely-effective-ways-to-improve-your-memory.html#ixzz36qNmbjXN