JUNE/JULY 2017 PREVENTION 121HEALTH & WELLBEING
When we engage with
others, multiple parts of
our brain are working. We
have to pay attention, plan
our responses perhaps
even add in humour
7 BE SOCIAL!
Say ‘Yes’ to invitations, as socialising gives
your brain a workout, explains Gates. “When
we engage with others, multiple parts of
our brain are working. We have to pay
attention, comprehend what people are
saying, remember information about them,
plan our own responses, change focus and
perhaps even add in humour,” she explains.5
MAKE A
MENTAL PICTURE
When you’re introduced to someone for the
fi rst time practise saying their name out
loud and creating a mental picture that can
help you remember their name. Saying the
name helps to reinforce it in your memory.
And a mental picture allows us to connect
this new information with what we already
know. For example, if you meet someone
named Robyn, you could try imagining
them as a bird with a bright red chest, or
alternately you may associate the name
with Batman’s sidekick. “Our memories
live in neighbourhoods, so a neighbouring
memory could trigger the word you’ve
been looking for,” Small explains.6
PRACTISE
TOTAL RECALL
In the morning, zero in on one article of
clothing that your partner, child or colleague
is wearing: it could be a shirt, tie, jacket,
jewellery or shoes. Pay attention to the colour,
the patterns, the texture and style and try to
fi x that visual image in your mind. Jot down
these details (or take a phone snap) to check
your memory later. Then, at night, try to recall
all four details, and only then check your
PHOTOGRAPHY AND ILLUSTRATION: ISTOCKnotes/photo to see how well you remembered.