Working Memory in Action: What It Is and How You Use It Every Day
I just wrapped up a trip filled with working memory moments—but don’t worry, it wasn’t all work!
Sometimes, we just need nature. I traveled to San Francisco to present alongside Gretchen Wegner (of the Antiboring Learning Lab) at the California Consortium Independent Study, and it turned out to be the trip I didn’t know I needed. While I’ve been to California before, this was my first time exploring this area.
Even though there was plenty of work, we made time for fun, and honestly, it was the perfect balance. More importantly, I finally had a chance to breathe. My trip to Europe was incredible, but getting sick at the end left me completely drained. California gave me the reset I needed, and now—I’m officially ready for 2025!
Working Memory
Gretchen and I presented on the connection between depression and working memory, and we were surprised by one of the responses we received. But before we dive into that, let’s take a moment to explore how you might be using your working memory in everyday life.
How often have you been given a phone number, tried to dial it all at once, only to realize you can only remember a few digits and need to check again? Or found yourself at the grocery store struggling to recall what was on the list you left at home? What about cooking a recipe—checking a measurement, grabbing the right utensil, and then immediately forgetting the amount you just saw? These everyday moments all rely on our working memory in action!
📱 Phone Numbers – Break the number into smaller chunks to make it easier to remember (e.g., 555-123-4567 instead of one long string).
🛒 Grocery Lists – Take a quick snapshot of your list when you finish writing it. You can also group similar items together to make recall easier.
🍳 Recipes – Use a voice assistant like Siri or Alexa to set reminders for measurements so you don’t have to keep checking.
These small adjustments can make a big difference in reducing mental overload!
The Critical Link Between Working Memory and Student Success
Now, back to the response at our conference that caught us off guard. At the start of our session, we asked the audience how many had heard of working memory—nearly every hand in the room went up. But when we followed up by asking who could define it, only about 10% of hands remained raised. Even as an Executive Function Specialist, I’m always struck by how often this gap in understanding appears.
Did you know that working memory is the #1 predictor of academic success? I would even argue it’s a crucial factor in life success as well.
What Is Working Memory?
Working memory is our brain’s ability to take in information, manipulate it, and use it effectively. A simple way to illustrate this is by asking someone to add two numbers in their head without writing them down. If they simply remember the numbers, that’s short-term memory. But when they actively manipulate those numbers to find the sum, they’re using working memory.
Final Thoughts
Working memory is an essential yet often overlooked skill that impacts nearly every aspect of learning and daily life. When students struggle with working memory, tasks like note-taking, problem-solving, and following multi-step directions can become overwhelming. The good news? There are strategies and tools that can help strengthen this critical function.
In our next newsletter, we’ll dive into practical ways to support students in developing and improving their working memory skills. Stay tuned!
Invest in your professional development and transform the lives of your students. Remember, new cohorts begin on April 21, 2025! However, you don’t have to wait until then—pre-course materials are available for you to get started right away!
