This is really really random but I have really bad memory, and its gotten me in trouble on EC and in school...does anyone have any tips on helping me improve my memory?
My memory leaks like a sieve. I've never found a way to make it better. I've just found ways to cope with it. I keep a notepad that I can just jot quick notes on. Document everything. Make todo lists. Use patterns to your advantage. I always try to establish a pattern in everything I do so it stands out if I am forgetting something. Patterns can also make it easier to recall information. You can use them to fill in the gaps or to help jog your memory. Use note taking software. I use a program called Evernote and it is very handy. Stop and take a minute to think. I find 10 minutes thinking about what I need to do increases my productivity by an order of magnitude. Complete one task before starting another.
The only proven way to boost memory is to increase the intensity of the memory. For example, when you you read, hear, see etc something you want to remember - stop and in your head make a sentence of it - avoid summarising facts and statements in your head. e.g "Friday, money owed" should be replaced with "This coming Friday, bring $4 for xxx for xxx reason" Writing things down is also really helpful. I have a docoment on my computer desktop which I just write down anything I have to do - may seem silly but I never actually read the list, it's there for the purpose of writing it, not reading it later. Just stopping to write them down helps me remember things a lot more.