Who else has experienced the frustration of not being able to remember important daily tasks, or perhaps where you left some belongings? If you are student, you can relate to the inability to concentrate on your studies, possibly due to some type of external distractions. Fortunately, a large percentage of common memory frustrations can be overcome merely by paying more attention, and learning how to improve memory and concentration at the same time.

One interesting fact about memory is that you only need to concentrate on something for eight or so seconds to place it into your long-term memory. If you neglect to concentrate while trying to remember that important bit of information, you probably won't remember it later. Unfortunately, our lack of concentration blocks the information from being sent to the memory part of the mind. I know that one of the most frustrating things that I do is forget where I put my sunglasses and mobile phone, and am always searching for them when I'm trying to leave the house. Then you have to spend a bunch of time looking around for whatever it is that you misplaced. Most people forget where they left things because they are not paying attention to where they set it down. A good strategy is to ignore the things that are going on around you and just concentrate on the chore at hand. Make a verbal note to yourself where you are leaving a certain object, simply say it out loud, and you will more likely recall where it is later.

When learning how to improve memory and concentration, one of the most important skills to master is being able to identify the specific distractions that are keeping you from concentrating on what you are working on. It may be noise, other people talking to you, or something internal like worrying about some other problems. If you are distracted by other worries in your life, make a deal with yourself to take time for those specific items later. You can even write down what's bothering you, then assure yourself that you will worry about it later when you are finished with whatever it is you are doing now.

Concentration to improve the memory of what is being read is another common goal among many folks out there who have a hard time comprehending what they are reading. You can improve your odds of retaining written information by reading aloud the parts that are most important, and you'll have a better chance of memorizing them. If others around you might be annoyed by you reading out loud, just try to increase your level of concentration, and you'll find that you will remember a lot more of what you are studying.

There are tons of methods and tips you'll come across when learning how to improve memory and concentration, and some are better than others. To really be able to plant important information in your long-term memory though, you must realize that better concentration really is the number one secret to improving memory. Start striving to improve this one skill, and you will soon see that your memory is improving right along with your new found ability to concentrate.