Prospective Memory and How to Remember Your Future Intentions

How our brains help us keep our priorities straight

Medically reviewed by Shaheen Lakhan, MD, PhD, FAANMedically reviewed by Shaheen Lakhan, MD, PhD, FAAN

Remembering to go to a doctor’s appointment, picking your kids up from school on time, paying your bills when they're due, taking dinner out of the oven before it burns…can you guess what all of these tasks have in common?

Yep, they all involve memory. But there’s a specific type of memory that you must employ to complete these tasks. This type of memory is called prospective memory, which basically means the ability to remember to do something that is going to happen in the future.

Here, we’re going to take a look at how prospective memory works, why it’s critical in our daily lives, what causes problems with prospective memory—and finally, what you can do to enhance your prospective memory.

Ready to dive in?

Related: Different Types of Memories

What Is Prospective Memory and Why Is It Important?

When we think of what memory is, we usually think of our ability to remember what happened to us in the past—for example, childhood memories, memories from our early adulthood, or memories of significant or traumatic events. This type of memory is important, and shapes who we are.

But memory is more than that. Our ability to remember to do tasks in the future is another type of memory—and it has strong impacts on our ability to function in our daily lives.

Remembering to fulfill future obligations and complete tasks is an important part of life, and prospective memory plays an important role here. “Prospective memory refers to our ability to remember that we need to do something in the future,” Marcus Smith, LCPC, LPC, LCADC, a licensed clinical professional counselor and executive director at Alpas Wellness. “It is vital for everyday tasks such as taking medication on time or making appointments.”

One important aspect of prospective memory is that these future tasks and obligations are something that you can remember without much prompting, and that you don’t need to have others remind you to perform these tasks.

Takeaway

Of course, some people still use reminders to help prompt prospective memories, but the idea is that you are able to use your brain power to keep these future tasks and obligations on track.

Prospective memory isn’t just a nice thing to have—it’s actually super important. That’s because having a good prospective memory is crucial for your daily functioning.

Prospective memory “is so important in daily life because it determines how well we can work, keep promises, and interact with others,” Smith says. Prospective memory allows us to stay independent, in our youth and also as we age.

In addition to meeting daily tasks and work commitments, prospective memory is important for our social skills and to ward off social isolation, because it helps us keep up with social commitments and social relationships.

Related: How to Improve Memory Effectively

Types of Prospective Memory

The idea of prospective memory is a pretty simple concept. But where it can get a bit more complicated is when you look at the different types of prospective memory. Basically, there are two main kinds of prospective memory: there’s time-based prospective memory and event-based prospective memory.

Let’s break down the difference between the two, as well look at a few real-life examples, to help illustrate the concepts.

Time-Based Prospective Memory

Time-based prospective memory is where you remember to do something at a specified time. This is often because that thing you need to do happens at the same time most days, or on a regular basis within your daily life.

Takeaway

The trigger for this type of prospective memory is that a certain amount of time has passed and now you are ready to perform the necessary task.

An example of time-based prospective memory is dropping your kid off at school and knowing that at a certain time of day, it will be time to pick your kid up. Another example is putting something in the oven and knowing that you will need to take it out at a specified time.

Finally, remembering to attend all those appointments on your schedule—doctor’s appointments, work phone calls, remembering to take your medication, etc.—are examples of time-based prospective memory.

Event-Based Prospective Memory

Event-based memory is when your reminder to do something isn’t necessarily based on what time it is, but on an event that occurs that will trigger a reminder to do something. Event-based memories are like when something happens in your life, and you say to yourself, “Oh yeah, I have to XYZ.”

Some examples of event-based memories are remembering to tell a friend something important when you see them, or remembering to call a colleague to discuss an important matter after a work meeting is over. It could involve remembering to grab a certain item you meant to get at the grocery store.

Related: How Stress Works With and Against Your Memory

The Psychological Process of Prospective Memory

Experts aren’t entirely sure what underlies the processes of prospective memory in our brains, but believe they are linked to other common psychological mechanisms. “These include executive functions like planning and decision-making,” Scott says.

Indeed, research has found that people who have deficits in executive functioning may also have trouble with prospective memory. For example, one study found that students who experience learning disabilities have both executive function issues as well as issues with their prospective memory.

Psychological factors may come into play as well, says Rizwan Bashir, MD, a neurologist at AICA Orthopedics, who specializes in cognitive functions. “Psychological factors such as stress, anxiety, and overall mental health can also affect how well one can manage [prospective memory] tasks,” he explains. “Balancing these elements is key to optimizing prospective memory performance."

Related: What to Know About Executive Dysfunction in ADHD

Factors Affecting Prospective Memory Performance

There are a few factors which can affect our prospective memory abilities. This means that we can potentially influence our prospective memory and improve it. But it also means that there are certain factors that may be out of our control that can negatively affect prospective memory abilities.

Let’s start with the not-so-good news. Basically, our prospective memory gets worse as we age. “Age is a significant factor, with performance typically declining as people get older,” says Dr. Bashir. Scott agrees with that assessment. “Age has been noted as one such factor considering that aging studies indicate decreased performance on tasks involving future thinking or planning,” he describes.

Takeaway

But it’s not all gloom and doom. There are certain factors affecting prospective memory that you may have some control over, regardless of how old you are or any other cognitive or psychological conditions you may be experiencing.

A big one is sleep, as poor quality sleep is definitely linked to worse prospective memory. “Inadequate rest periods have been linked with worse-off recollections besides limited thinking skills,” Scott says.

In other words, working on getting adequate sleep—by going to sleep at the same time each night, avoiding large meals or caffeine before bed, and reducing evening electronic use—can help improve your prospective memory.

Other lifestyle choices can interfere with prospective memory, and improving these can help, says Dr. Bashir. These include improving your overall mental health, improving your diet, and reducing your alcohol intake. It may also be helpful to reduce the number of tasks you are responsible for, or make those tasks less complex, if possible, Dr. Bashir says.

Related: Causes of Memory Loss

Strategies for Enhancing Prospective Memory

Although prospective memory is about our mind’s ability to remember future events, it doesn’t hurt to use environmental cues to enhance our prospective memory, Dr. Bashir notes. “To enhance prospective memory, I recommend using tools like reminders on your phone or sticky notes in visible places,” he describes.

Having a more regulated and organized daily routine can also help with prospective memory.

This might look like making it a habit to keep your medication out on your kitchen counter so that you see it each morning when it’s time to take it. Or it might look like leaving your briefcase at the door each night so you remember to take it in the morning.

Working on improving your cognition and mental health will also go a long way in increasing your prospective memory abilities. “Practicing mindfulness and engaging in brain-stimulating activities can improve overall cognitive health and prospective memory,” Dr. Bashir recommends.

Related: What Is Mindfulness?

The Bottom Line

Prospective memory is different from remembering something that happened in the past. Instead, it’s the ability to think ahead and plan for future events. We all have some degree of prospective memory, but some of us struggle with our prospective memories.

If you have questions or concerns about your prospective memory, or your memory in general, don’t hesitate to reach out to a healthcare provider, such as your primary care provider, a therapist, or a neurologist.

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Read the original article on Verywell Mind.