Brain hacks for memory and focus from Guinness World Record holder

If there’s anybody who can provide you guidance for enhancing your memory, it’s Dave Farrow, two-time Guinness Record holder for remembering the most decks of playing cards by a single sighting.

In one sitting, Farrow remembered the order of 52 mixed decks, or 2,704 cards, when he was simply 21 years of ages. He even recovered the title after his record was broken, by remembering the order of 59 decks of mixed cards, which is 3,068 cards.

“For memory and mental focus in general, the key is novelty,” Farrow, author of “Brainhacker: Master Memory, Focus, Emotions, and More to Unleash the Genius Within,” informs CNBC Make It.

“The more unique something is, the more you’re going to remember it. But likewise an activity that’s really unique, which simply [means] distinct or various, is something that challenges your brain more.”

Here’s how the world record holder increases his memory and focus.

1. Short periods of extreme focus, followed by resting durations

“We have this powerful brain, but we have a terrible battery for it,” Farrow states. “The key is to trigger focus at will, not try to force your brain to focus for 24 hours.”

If you’re striving to remember something or concentrate on an activity, you need to ups and downs in between extreme focus for 6 to 8 minutes and entirely clearing your mind utilizing meditation or deep breathing workouts for a short duration, he recommends.

“This is actually one of the secrets behind my Guinness record. I never would’ve been able to memorize 59 decks of cards all shuffled together if I tried to memorize it all in one go,” he states.

“If you do it in short intervals, you never actually push yourself to build up so much chemistry that you need a vacation to clear your head.”

2. Conversations with brand-new individuals

Meeting brand-new individuals and taking part in intriguing discussions is promoting for the brain and can be fantastic for enhancing memory, states Farrow.

“You have to be social. Go out and meet new people,” he includes. “[For] individuals with Alzheimer’s or dementia, or [those] who have threat elements for that, the single biggest thing they can do is be social.”

3. Challenging activities

Don’t hesitate to attempt something brand-new, specifically if you believe you will not be proficient at it, he states. Playing a brand-new instrument, for example, might be tough however even if you’re not fantastic at it, it’s useful for brain stimulation.

“By the time you’re start sounding good, it’s actually less challenging for your brain,” statesFarrow “So, constantly try new things and be adventurous.”

Also think about discovering a brand-new language, using up balancing, beginning a garden or altering the oil in your vehicle if you have actually never ever done that previously, he keeps in mind.

4. Looking up as typically as you can

This one might be difficult to cover your brain around, however it’s really a wacky technique for enhancing memory, according to Farrow.

“When you look up, it’s your brain’s natural tendency when it’s trying to recall something,” he states. “Nobody knows why, but we do know that it sends more energy to your cerebral cortex and hippocampus, all of the memory centers of the brain.”

So, by searching for, “you actually improve your memory,” states Farrow.

5. Deep- breathing workouts

Every so typically, Farrow recommends breathing deeply enough that your chest remains in location, however your stomach relocations in and out.

“You’ll discover that your brain modifications [and] you unwind,” he states. This is mostly useful if you’re not able to focus or keep in mind specific info since you’re exceptionally stressed out, he keeps in mind.

“[With] the trainees that I’ve dealt with this with, when they take a couple of deep breaths if they’re blanking out on something and it’s stress-related, they usually remember the info,” states Farrow.

• Standing on one foot for a while, every so often
• Brushing your teeth with the opposite hand
• Aiming to remember individuals’s names and faces

“When I was a kid, I was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia,” Farrow states. With little understanding of those conditions at the time, individuals saw them as downsides, and at first Farrow did too.

“When I went for the Guinness record the first time, nobody believed I could do it. When I went for it the second time, they were all like, ‘Oh, why didn’t you do this sooner?'” Farrow continues.

“I just wanted to show people with ADHD or dyslexia that you can accomplish some great things.”

Get CNBC’s complimentary Warren Buffett Guide to Investing, which distills the billionaire’sNo 1 finest piece of guidance for routine financiers, do’s and do n’ts, and 3 essential investing concepts into a clear and easy manual.

Sign up now: Get smarter about your cash and profession with our weekly newsletter