Gary Martin: ‘Digital hygiene’ could be key to keeping minds ‘sharp’

November 10

Ever missed a doctor’s appointment because your phone didn’t remind you? Forgotten your best friend’s birthday and now scrambling to make it up to them?

You might be experiencing digital amnesia — a modern reliance on smartphones and devices that leaves essential details slipping through the cracks.

Digital amnesia describes the habit of offloading everyday information, like phone numbers, important dates, or appointments, to our devices.

While this can be convenient, it’s also shifting how we remember, or rather, how we increasingly forget.

Some experts view this as the latest step in a long history of using external tools, like notes and maps, to support memory.

But others worry it weakens our natural ability to recall, much like muscles that deteriorate from lack of use.

As we organise our lives through digital reminders, we may actually find ourselves disconnected from the very moments we’re trying to capture.

Practicing better “digital hygiene” — choosing which details to commit to memory versus what to delegate to devices — could be key to keeping our minds sharp.

After all, memory isn’t just about facts; it’s about staying engaged in our own lives, beyond what’s on the screen.

So, where do you stand on letting your phone do the remembering, versus keeping your own memory strong?

Professor Gary Martin is CEO of AIM WA and a specialist in workplace and social trends

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