For many people, the start of a new calendar year is a chance to pause and reflect on the year just gone and the year ahead. And to attempt to clear a path through clutter: physically and mentally.
The cognitive neuroscientist Charan Ranganath, author of a forthcoming book Why We Remember, tells Nosheen Iqbal that how we use our memory can be key to our wellbeing.
How often do you find yourself mindlessly scrolling through a social media feed only to realise an hour or two has gone by and you have not really taken anything in? Or you wander into a room and realise you can’t remember what you were looking for? Or someone who literally just introduced themselves is now apparently nameless?
The important thing, says Ranganath, is not the quantity of memories you are trying to retain, but the quality. Taking the time to focus on one thing at a time, being in the moment and taking care to properly experience things. That way your mind is not competing with itself to create meaningful memories but working in harmony with the senses.
Happy new year to all of our listeners.
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