1. Give it time

It’s normal for the ability to recall information to slow down as we get older. Your recall time won’t necessarily improve, but if you cut yourself some slack and give your memory the time it needs to retrieve information, you’ll often be able to access a memory that might seem lost at first.

2. Don’t get anxious about it

This is related to giving it time. If you get worked up about not being able to remember, the resulting anxiety may get in the way. Martha Weinman Lear makes this point nicely in her entertaining and informative book about normal memory loss, Where Did I Leave My Glasses?

3. Get organized

Organization doesn’t improve memory but makes you less dependent on it. The logic of your system will guide you, so your overtaxed memory doesn’t need to stumble through on its own.

4. Keep lists

Lists can be an aspect of getting organized. The to-do list can organize a day. Lists can also save you from having to remember: the handy checklist of how to operate a complicated gadget means you don’t need to struggle to retrieve that information from your memory. As with many memory tips, the notion here is not so much to improve memory but to make changes so you’ll function well, even if your memory isn’t as powerful as it once was.

5. Practice spaced rehearsal

If you want to remember something, it’s more effective to think about it periodically — say, once an hour for several hours — rather than trying to cram. This is called spaced rehearsal because you are spacing out your “rehearsals” of the information instead of trying to simply absorb the information in one session. This approach should resonate with anyone who has taken music lessons — or with parents with children who have! A person is much more likely to learn to play an instrument well if he or she practices every day for hour or so, instead of putting all the practice time in at once.

6. Build associations

Stray facts are hard to remember, but if they’re associated with other facts, or with sensations, they are sometimes easier to recall. For example, if you consciously associate a name with a visual image, that name may be easier to recall in the future. Recruiting other senses may also help. Associations sometimes seem to happen naturally during intense experiences or when we’re particularly relaxed (say, during a vacation). But with age, and during day-to-day life, it may take more conscious effort.