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Memory Retention Issues (literature.cafe)
submitted 1 year ago by to c/adhd@lemmy.world
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Like a budget hard drive after 6 months use, my memory is shot. I feel like I can barely remember anything.

I've been learning to code for the past 6 months and I have to periodically relearn all the concepts I had already learnt to implement them. I must mention that I am also trying to learn another language as well as do my full-time day job at the same time.

It feels like I am barely making any progress and that has been a shot in the arm to my confidence.

I don't want to feel like I suck at everything, the only thing I think I have going for myself is that I think I can improve myself.

Any tips to help with memory retention?

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[–] [S] 3 points 1 year ago (5 children)

Thank you.

What do you suggest hand written notes or digital ones?

I have also found myself in this situation and try to keep obsidian notes. But sometimes it feels counterintuitive, because there is so much to write. I fixed a bug, should I write it down? But I also fixed three to two bugs, should I write them all down?

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago

    Personal choice. When I was first diagnosed, part of the 'adult diagnosis program' was looking at how to use a journal as ADHDer, rather than as a NT. As a result I spent a year or so with a handwritten journal, keeping notes on anything and everything I had the focus to write down. As I transitioned back into full time work, this quickly fell by the wayside as my free time reduced.

    Now I mostly take notes digitally - at work using a variety of tools at my disposal, privately with obsidion for quick notes on my phone, or more complex topics on my nextcloud.

    What to write down remains a struggle - as you say, the first bugfix gets a detailed description, then suddenly I realise I've fixed a half dozen points and written nothing...

    I try to imagine future me looking at this issue, and how frustrated I would be without decent notes to describe it. That helps me to focus on what is valuable and what is not. Subjective and not perfect, but so is life.

    I try to remember, to write anything is better than nothing, and only the act of trying allows any potential for improvement.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

    Keep a journal.

    I have a single journal for daily events, in excel of all things.

    I have a title column, date, related to (Linux, Tailscale, Health, etc) then a Notes column. This way I can filter on the related to column and search it.

    I have links to OneNote pages (or just titles), and could easily do the same with Obsidian or anything else. There are years of notes in it now. Anything I've fixed is in there, so easy to find again with my own wording (which is how it started, then I realized keeping a separate personal journal made it harder to see things in general, or connections specifically) .

    On my phone I use an app called... Memento. It's like excel, but designed for a simpler UI. Easy for me to create new databases on a whim, or simply add info to one.

    I believe many people witg ADHD have a working memory deficit too, so getting new info into long term memory is more crucial for them.

    I also agree that handwritten is generally best for journals/notes like this, I just needed it to be searchable.

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  • [–] [S] 2 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    I don't know. I have a similar journal, but I find myself dreading entering info in it because there's too much to do and the ADHD makes it even more difficult to process and commit to.

    There's also just too much to do and too little time. There's just too many things to cope with.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    Oh, for sure.

    I do what I can, which is better than not at all. Some days I put a lot in there, some days I can't be bothered, and that's ok. My spreadsheet has helped me find software fixes I've seen before, rather than relying on a web search. Plus it'll have my notes with links to my own tools/folders, etc.

    The phone app I find useful for health stuff, since I wont remember the last time a symptom occurred, or something new started - you never know when say a random pain in your thumb will be meaningful info.

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