How to Improve Working Memory in Various Aspects of Life

Working memory is like your brain’s “scratchpad,” enabling you to temporarily hold and work with information to complete everyday tasks. It helps you calculate a tip, rearrange your schedule, or follow a conversation without missing a beat.  

More than just storing information, working memory actively processes it, making it essential for problem-solving, decision-making, and learning. But if it malfunctions, you might find yourself forgetting where you left your keys, forgetting an important client's name, or leaving the house without a critical item, like your car keys.

TOC

What is Working Memory?

How Our Memory Works

Short Term Memory vs. Working Memory

What Causes Poor Working Memory?

How to Improve Working Memory: Techniques for Everyone

1. Working Memory Exercises
2. Mindfulness and Meditation Practices
3. Reduce Cognitive Overload
4. Improve Sleep Quality
5. Incorporate Physical Activity

How to Train Working Memory: The Fun Approach

What is Working Memory?

Working memory is a dynamic memory system that allows us to temporarily store and manipulate information. It doesn’t just hold information—it actively uses it to make sense of the world in real time, acting as a bridge between perception, immediate action, and lasting knowledge. 

Working memory is crucial for all aspects of life, including:

• Problem-Solving and Decision-Making: Working memory lets you weigh options, evaluate outcomes, and decide on the best course of action. For example, it helps you navigate unfamiliar routes while driving by combining visual input, past driving knowledge, and real-time decision-making.
• Academic Performance: It’s essential for reading comprehension, math skills, and learning new material. 
• Workplace Success: In the workplace, working memory allows you to juggle multiple tasks, prioritize actions, and maintain focus despite distractions.
• Social Interactions: Following conversations, remembering names, and responding appropriately all require the mental agility that working memory provides.
• Aging and Cognitive Health: Maintaining a high working memory capacity helps combat cognitive decline and supports independence later in life.

To understand working memory—and how to improve it—we first need to see how it differs from other types of memory and how these systems interact.

How Our Memory Works

Memory is a complex system that enables us to encode, store, and retrieve information. It’s the foundation of our ability to learn, make decisions, and recall past experiences. 

While memory is often thought of as a single process, it consists of distinct types, each serving a specific role. These types interact seamlessly, forming the cognitive framework that supports our daily lives.

Here are the key types of memory and their functions:

• Sensory Memory: The initial, fleeting stage of memory that briefly retains sensory impressions (e.g., sights, sounds, smells). It acts as a filter, capturing raw sensory input before passing relevant details to short-term memory. For example, hearing the sound of a bell moments before it fades from awareness.
• Short-Term Memory: A temporary storage system that holds information for immediate use, lasting seconds to minutes. It retains small amounts of information briefly for quick recall. For example, remembering a phone number long enough to dial it.
• Working Memory: An active system that holds and manipulates information to solve problems, make decisions, or complete tasks. It processes and integrates information from short-term and long-term memory to guide actions. For example, calculating the total cost of groceries while shopping.
• Long-Term Memory: A storage system for information retained over extended periods, from hours to a lifetime. It includes two subtypes—declarative memory (explicit) for storing facts and events (e.g., the capital of France) and procedural memory (implicit) for skills and habits (e.g., riding a bike). It preserves knowledge, skills, and personal experiences for future retrieval.

The interaction between memory types ensures a seamless cognitive process. Sensory memory captures incoming stimuli, short-term memory holds them temporarily, working memory manipulates them, and long-term memory stores them if deemed significant. Each type plays a distinct role, and together, they create a dynamic framework.

For example, when learning a new recipe:

1. Sensory memory captures the visual details of ingredients.
2. Short-term memory retains the steps momentarily so that you can replicate them.
3. Working memory organizes and manipulates the information as you follow the recipe.
4. Long-term memory stores it for future cooking sessions (if repeated often enough).

Short Term Memory vs. Working Memory

Short-term and working memory are often confused as the same mechanism, but they are vastly different. Here’s a table that can help clarify the main differences:

The key difference is in the purpose—working memory retains information just as long as you need to use it and then discards it. You don’t need to remember a shopping list after you’ve already bought the items. In this case, your working memory will discard the entire list, allowing you to move on with your day, unburdened by unnecessary information.

What Causes Poor Working Memory? 

Working memory is affected by many factors. You could have a low working memory capacity, but if you manage important aspects, such as stress and sleep, you can improve your working memory.

The following lifestyle factors can contribute to a decline in working memory:

• Stress and Anxiety: Under stress, the brain focuses on immediate survival rather than higher-order thinking, leading to forgetfulness, poor concentration, and reduced problem-solving capacity.
• Sleep Deprivation: During deep sleep, the brain consolidates memories, repairs neural connections, and clears metabolic waste. Insufficient or poor-quality sleep disrupts these processes, impairing working memory and your ability to keep up with daily tasks.
• Neurological Conditions: Conditions such as ADHD, depression, and Alzheimer’s disease can significantly affect working memory. For example, people with ADHD often have difficulty focusing, organizing, and holding information in mind.
• Cognitive Overload: Working memory has a limited capacity, typically holding 4–5 items at once. When we try to juggle too many tasks or absorb too much information simultaneously, our brains become overloaded. This is especially common in modern multitasking environments such as busy workplaces.
• Aging and Cognitive Decline: As people age, natural changes occur in brain structure and function. Connections between neurons may weaken, and processing speed slows, making it harder to hold and manipulate information in working memory.

At this point, you must be wondering if (and how) working memory can be improved. The short answer is—yes. While working memory has natural biological limitations, research has shown that its capacity can be enhanced through practice, lifestyle adjustments, and targeted cognitive training programs. 

How to Improve Working Memory: Techniques for Everyone

Now that we know how working memory works, let’s discuss how to improve it with some recommended cognitive training exercises and lifestyle changes you can try. 

P.S. This guide does not include advice on prescription medications or supplements, as these should only be used under the guidance of certified healthcare professionals.

1. Working Memory Exercises

Engaging in activities that specifically target working memory can strengthen your ability to hold and manipulate information.

• Dual-N-Back Training: A memory game where you recall visual and auditory stimuli sequences. Studies suggest it can improve working memory and fluid intelligence.
• Chunking Information: Grouping data into smaller, manageable units (e.g., organizing phone numbers as 123-456-7890 instead of 1234567890).
• Recall Tasks: Repeat shopping lists, phone numbers, or instructions without writing them down.
• Number Rearranging: Trying to mentally rearrange numbers in ascending or descending orders.

• Cognitive Training Program: If you truly want to improve your working memory, participating in an effective cognitive training program like Mastermind’s, which combines science-backed, gamified brain training exercises, can help you turn it into a habit for long-term success.

These tasks gradually train your brain to manage more complex information, pushing the limits of your working memory.

2. Mindfulness and Meditation Practices

Mindfulness practices help strengthen working memory by improving focus and reducing mental distractions.

How to Improve Working Memory in Adults:

• Yoga Nidra: Lying down and listening to guided relaxation scripts has been shown to increase dopamine levels, which enhances focus and memory.
• Mindfulness Meditation: Regular meditation improves attention control and working memory capacity.

Mindfulness works by training your brain to stay present, reducing cognitive overload, and improving your ability to manage information in real time.

3. Reduce Cognitive Overload

One of the simplest ways to improve working memory is by reducing the amount of information your brain has to process at once.

Strategies to Minimize Overload:

• Break tasks into smaller, manageable steps.
• Use tools like to-do lists or apps to track tasks instead of relying on memory.
• Focus on one task at a time instead of multitasking, which can overwhelm your mental resources.

4. Improve Sleep Quality

Sleep is critical for memory consolidation and overall cognitive health. Without enough restorative sleep, working memory suffers.

Tips for Better Sleep:

• Maintain a consistent bedtime routine.
• Avoid screens for at least an hour before bed.
• Create a relaxing environment with dim lights and minimal noise.
• Limit caffeine and alcohol intake, especially in the evening.

Research indicates that even one night of poor sleep can impair working memory, while consistent quality sleep enhances it significantly.

5. Incorporate Physical Activity

Physical exercise has profound benefits for brain health. Regular aerobic exercise increases blood flow to the brain, improving the health of neurons and enhancing cognitive performance, including working memory.

Best Exercises for Working Memory:

• Cardio Workouts: Activities like running, cycling, or swimming improve overall brain function.
• Yoga and Pilates: Combining physical movement with mindfulness helps improve focus and memory.
• Dance or Martial Arts: These activities require both physical coordination and cognitive engagement, boosting working memory.

Exercise not only supports memory but also reduces stress and enhances your mood, creating an ideal environment for cognitive improvement.

How to Train Working Memory: The Fun Approach

Structured cognitive training programs are designed to improve working memory systematically. Mastermind’s cognitive training program offers targeted exercises to enhance memory and cognitive flexibility. It’s a fun and exciting way to improve focus and overall cognitive agility. 

How it works? Sign up for a free demo, take a quick assessment test, and start playing using your tablet or virtual reality (VR) console. Yes, it’s a game. And yes, it helps you improve your working memory while having fun and immersing in an incredible experience.

Our program features adaptive tasks that match your skill level, keeping things challenging but totally doable. Like any training, you just need to show up regularly. You put in the effort, we bring the fun, and you'll notice daily improvements in your cognitive skills. Plus, it’s way easier to stick with it when training feels like a game!