My short-term memory capacity was labeled as "relatively poor" in my elementary school days. I came to accept this label, however, I viewed it as a disadvantage.
Only recently, with my interest in self-improvement, did I try to look online for information on how I could improve my memory capacity. I stumbled on something called the dual n-back task. It was claimed that training with this task improved working memory and fluid intelligence. Working memory is a type of short-term memory. Fluid intelligence is intelligence used to solve novel problems.
What is the dual n-back task? It may be easier to first explain what "n-back" means. In an n-back task, where n represents any number, a series of stimuli is presented and one is given the task of deciding whether the current stimulus matches a previous stimulus n times back in the series. For example, In a 1-back task, suppose the following numbers are presented:
4, 6, 3, 4, 4, 2, 6
A correct match would be occur when the fifth number in the series is presented, the fifth number being a 4, since the number 1 time back in the series was also a 4.
A dual n-back task requires us to follow two types of stimuli. Adding to the numbers example above, suppose the numbers are coloured, the colour being the second type of stimulus. If we presented the following series:
red 4, red 6, green 3, blue 4, blue 4, green 2, orange 6,
in a dual 1-back task, a colour match would occur when the red 6 is presented (since the colour 1 time back was also a red), and a colour and a number match would occur when the second blue 4 is presented (since the colour 1 time back was also a blue, and the number 1 time back was also a 4).
I searched for dual n-back software that I could train with and found a great one called Brain Workshop on Source-Forge.net, a website I have mentioned in a previous post.
Here's to improving our intelligence by using our computers!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Picture Viewer Delay
For the longest time, I had an unusually long delay in opening pictures in Windows XP with the built-in Picture and Fax Viewer. My computer had adequate memory, so that wasn't slowing things down. I tried defragmenting the hard disk, and doing a disk cleanup, but the problem persisted.
For awhile, I gave up on fixing it until recently when I found a solution in this discussion thread.
According to h41cyon, what is happening is that there are dead shortcuts in the same folder as the picture. (When I say "dead" I mean the shortcut is pointing to something that has been moved or deleted) Picture and Fax Viewer was delaying bringing up the picture because of these dead shortcuts. Delete the shortcuts, and the problem is solved. Guess what? He was right! Thanks h41cyon!
For awhile, I gave up on fixing it until recently when I found a solution in this discussion thread.
According to h41cyon, what is happening is that there are dead shortcuts in the same folder as the picture. (When I say "dead" I mean the shortcut is pointing to something that has been moved or deleted) Picture and Fax Viewer was delaying bringing up the picture because of these dead shortcuts. Delete the shortcuts, and the problem is solved. Guess what? He was right! Thanks h41cyon!
Affirmations
If you have any experience with affirmations, you probably have found that they don't always work, or worse, produce the opposite of the intended effect! That has been my experience with affirmations. It's not that affirmations don't work -- they do. The problem is not with affirmations, but with ourselves.
To give an example, have you ever noticed yourself promise to someone you will do something, but then not do it?
Or we make a New Year's resolution, "I'm going to lose 10 pounds this year". Once the year is through, we might have even actually gained weight. Guess what? Yet another instance where what we said would happen doesn't come true.
Over time, instances like these accumulate in our unconscious mind -- where what we say is going to happen, doesn't actually happen. The result is that our unconscious mind eventually stops believing in what we say.
How can affirmations work if this is the case? They certainly can, if we retrain ourselves to once again believe in what we tell ourselves. There is a very simple way to do it detailed in this awesome report.
To give an example, have you ever noticed yourself promise to someone you will do something, but then not do it?
Or we make a New Year's resolution, "I'm going to lose 10 pounds this year". Once the year is through, we might have even actually gained weight. Guess what? Yet another instance where what we said would happen doesn't come true.
Over time, instances like these accumulate in our unconscious mind -- where what we say is going to happen, doesn't actually happen. The result is that our unconscious mind eventually stops believing in what we say.
How can affirmations work if this is the case? They certainly can, if we retrain ourselves to once again believe in what we tell ourselves. There is a very simple way to do it detailed in this awesome report.
Yahoo! Notepad
If you have a Yahoo! email address, you may not have noticed a nice feature called Notepad. It is the last tab, following the Calendar tab.
With Notepad, there is no more need to email yourself notes as a way to upload them. Wherever you are (with internet access, of course) you will have them.
This feature is useful if you divide your time between two places, such as work and home. If you have a list of things to do when you get home, you can just jot it down at work into Notepad, and it will be there when you get on the internet at home.
Yahoo! Notepad is a free, quick and simple way to upload text-only notes to yourself, especially lists. Have fun with this feature!
With Notepad, there is no more need to email yourself notes as a way to upload them. Wherever you are (with internet access, of course) you will have them.
This feature is useful if you divide your time between two places, such as work and home. If you have a list of things to do when you get home, you can just jot it down at work into Notepad, and it will be there when you get on the internet at home.
Yahoo! Notepad is a free, quick and simple way to upload text-only notes to yourself, especially lists. Have fun with this feature!
The Sedona Method
Lester Levenson has given the world a unique gift in The Sedona Method. Lester passed away in 1994, but his work is being continued by Hale Dwoskin.
What is The Sedona Method, you ask? It is simply a way of releasing any emotional burden you feel, on the spot.
You begin by first getting in touch with what you are feeling, in the moment. Then ask yourself one of the following questions:
Could I let this feeling go? or Could I welcome this feeling?
Answer with a simple "yes" or "no". To make yourself even more open to the release, follow with these simpler questions:
Would I?, then, When?
By answering these questions, you allow your feeling to be "let go" or released. You may even find yourself experiencing a physical sensation upon release of the emotion. Ironically, answering "no" will still allow you to release.
You can also release on a certain emotion, such as anger, anxiety, depression, and so on, for example:
Could I let go of this feeling of apathy?
So-called positive emotions can be released, as well.
Hale has written an excellent book on this subject, called The Sedona Method. You can also visit the official Sedona Method website to find out more.
Here's to more inner peace for all!
What is The Sedona Method, you ask? It is simply a way of releasing any emotional burden you feel, on the spot.
You begin by first getting in touch with what you are feeling, in the moment. Then ask yourself one of the following questions:
Could I let this feeling go? or Could I welcome this feeling?
Answer with a simple "yes" or "no". To make yourself even more open to the release, follow with these simpler questions:
Would I?, then, When?
By answering these questions, you allow your feeling to be "let go" or released. You may even find yourself experiencing a physical sensation upon release of the emotion. Ironically, answering "no" will still allow you to release.
You can also release on a certain emotion, such as anger, anxiety, depression, and so on, for example:
Could I let go of this feeling of apathy?
So-called positive emotions can be released, as well.
Hale has written an excellent book on this subject, called The Sedona Method. You can also visit the official Sedona Method website to find out more.
Here's to more inner peace for all!
Monday, February 22, 2010
Superbrain Yoga
In my south Indian Hindu culture, there is an ancient prayer that we do before Lord Ganesh where we hold our earlobes and repeatedly crouch down and get up.
As well, my dad used to tell me that it was also given as a punishment in school in Sri Lanka!
It has now been shown that this exercise actually improves brain function, and has been re-packaged as Superbrain Yoga.
Some of its many benefits are improved memory, and increased ability to handle stress. It has even been shown to help learning-disabled children increase their mental abilities.
To learn how to do it, click here.
Ideally, this exercise should be done daily, for at least a couple of weeks, before any tangible results are seen.
Personally, I haven't been doing this consistently enough to see any improvement yet. I guess I must be more disciplined in my practice!
Click here for a video about Superbrain Yoga.
As well, my dad used to tell me that it was also given as a punishment in school in Sri Lanka!
It has now been shown that this exercise actually improves brain function, and has been re-packaged as Superbrain Yoga.
Some of its many benefits are improved memory, and increased ability to handle stress. It has even been shown to help learning-disabled children increase their mental abilities.
To learn how to do it, click here.
Ideally, this exercise should be done daily, for at least a couple of weeks, before any tangible results are seen.
Personally, I haven't been doing this consistently enough to see any improvement yet. I guess I must be more disciplined in my practice!
Click here for a video about Superbrain Yoga.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
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