Try a crossword once or day, either in the morning or in the evening. If you don’t already know a musical instrument, consider taking lessons. If you already play (or sing) set aside a half hour or so a day to practice.

Something as simple as a regular phone call, or meeting for lunch for can help with short-term memory loss.

The less distracted you are as you work, the more likely you are to improve your short-term memory.

Make sure that you chew the same flavor of gum each time you study. When taking the exam, ask your teacher if you can chew gum. Use the same flavor.

For example, you can say something like “I find that doodling while I speak to someone helps me remember what we said later. Do you mind if I doodle while we chat?” You can doodle in meetings, too, just make sure you’re being polite.

Make sure you avoid any sort of stimulants - like caffeine - 30 minutes before bedtime. These can keep you awake. Don’t eat fatty, spicy, or heavy food before you sleep. They can cause heartburn, which can either keep you awake or wake you up. Avoid those types of food 2 to 3 hours before bed. Avoid using electronics in bed. The light that comes from the screens of phones, tablets, and laptops can make your brain think it’s daytime, which can keep you awake.

If you can’t get up and exercise for whatever reason, consider stationary exercises.

For breakfast, try a bowl of mixed fruit and a hard-boiled egg or two. You can also have coffee or tea, but don’t put too much creamer in either. A sandwich with lots of veggies and lean protein like sliced chicken or turkey, on whole wheat bread, is a great lunch idea. So is a salad. For dinner, try grilled or baked chicken or fish, and a heaping side of vegetables.

If you are taking your medicine regularly and you start to notice changes in your short-term memory, talk to your doctor. Some medications can interfere with your memory, and how you react to them might change over time.

You can learn to meditate in a lot of different ways. There are smartphone apps that lead you through meditations. There are also lots of YouTube videos that do the same.

If this is a digital notebook or app, having a backup copy somewhere would be a very good idea.

Install a hook by the door for your keys. Always leave your cell phone and wallet on your desk. Keep your checkbook in a drawer in the kitchen.

While you’re getting used to your routine, schedule it in a planner or notebook every day. Note what time you’ll get up, make coffee, brush your teeth, make dinner, clean dishes, and get ready for bed.

You can say something like, “please forgive me if I’ve already asked you this. But would you mind reminding me where the room is for the conference?”

Perhaps you’ve never heard of mnemonics, but ask yourself: “Self, how many days are in September?” Chances are, the first thing that popped into your mind was “30 days hath September. " If you meet a woman named Zoe, rhyme a feature on her face with her name. It doesn’t even have to make sense. “Zoe, eyes aglow-y,” for example. Make yourself laugh with your mnemonic. Make your memory aid a rude limerick, as in “The new boss’s name is Vig Ronson, who’s rumored to have a. . . ,” etc. (Fill in the blanks—–it’s good for your memory!)

The most common example of chunking is phone numbers––instead of trying to remember one 10-digit number, most people find it easier to remember two 3-digit numbers and one 4-digit number, like 123-456-7890.