Stress is good for you. If you think that way. Here’s the science why?

We were led to believe that stress is bad for us and can affect our performance. And it is, when you think that way. The new science reveals that stress is a natural response to challenge. The way we think and act about stress can build our stress resilience.
Watch this enlightening TED talk about how to deal with stress that can help you understand and appreciate stress more and live longer (if not save your life).

How to improve memory

How to improve memory

In ancient Greek and Roman times, memory was greatly valued – the word itself comes from the name of the Greek goddess of memory, Mnemosyne. Roman senators had to address the senate without written notes, so they perfected ways of improving their memories and identified the two main principles underlying conscious memory: imagination and association. You associate the thing you want to remember with something fixed, and then you use your imagination to make the picture as vivid as possible. The Romans associated their ideas with fixed points around the room they were talking in, and then referred to them (which gives the English expressions: In the first place …, in the second place …, etc.) The peg-word and link-word systems involve learning a series of items linked to numbers (1=sun, 2=shoe, etc, or a phonetic system which can run into the thousands). This is the list to which you then ‘peg’ the items you wish to remember by creating vivid images involving the peg word and the item to be remembered. Alternatively, create a story in which a series of items are linked sequentially.

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One-day Memory workshop – the perfect introduction to speed reading

Would you like to improve your memory? Remember more of what’s important to you? Then join us for this one-day special course on memory skills.
The workshop will be taught and facilitated by Susan and Jan, and will also include a 75-minute syntopic processing session  which is the perfect opportunity to experience spd rdng. The course is for people who have either completed, are enrolled on a Spd Rdng course or just interested in speed reading, learning and memory.  If we all bring one or two books on memory for sharing we’ll have the benefit of all the received wisdom on the subject.
TO BOOK: email Jan on jan@spdrdng.com DATE: Sunday 26 June 2011; 10am-5pm FEE: £99 VENUE: East Finchley N2 8LL (North London)
LIMITED NUMBERS. PLEASE BOOK EARLY.
Testimonials from the course:
“Memory techniques work!” Student, London
“It was a very enjoyable and inspiring memory workshop.” Student, London
“Very clear and simple format for memory improvement.” Raina Malik, London

Good stress boosts exam success

Researchers have found that students with good stress get better results. The researchers from AQA exam board (Suzanne Chamberlain and Anthony Daly who’s study will be published in the Educational Research) suggest that the more pupils’ heart rates increases during an exam, the higher the marks they score, suggesting that increased heart rate is probably a sign of heightened alertness rather than nervous anxiety. It’s important to distinguish between ‘good’ pre-exam stress as nerves just before the event and the ‘bad’ variety involving lack of sleep, fatigue and guilt at not doing enough revision. Preparation, preparation, preparation. More on exam nerves