How do you keep everything in mind when solving tough problems? When you read a book, listen to a podcast or have a conversation–how does your brain hold onto all the information?<\/p>\n
The answer is something psychologists call working memory<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Unlike long-term memory, which I’ve covered in-depth here<\/a>, working memory isn’t about remembering the past. Instead, it’s about holding together the present in your mind so you can learn, make decisions and solve problems.<\/p>\n Working memory is essentially your mental bandwidth.<\/strong> If you have a good working memory, or can use yours more effectively, you can think and learn better. Thus, understanding this important facet of your mind is essential for anyone who wants to perform better in work, school and life.<\/p>\n To give you that understanding, I’ve collaborated again with Jakub Jilek<\/a>, who has his masters in cognitive science and is currently studying for his PhD. We’ve put together a full guide to explaining what your working memory is, how it works, and most of all–how you can apply simple methods to think and learn better.<\/p>\n Side note: Like our last guide, this one is substantial. If you’d like to go over it as a PDF instead of just reading along here (either to print or to save for later) you can join my newsletter and I’ll send you a free copy of the PDF:<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n\n