Working Memory
Also known as: WM, Short-Term Working Memory
Your brain's scratchpad — holding information in mind while you work with it — and it fills up faster for some brains.
The brain's scratchpad — the ability to hold and manipulate information in your mind for short periods. Like mental sticky notes that fade quickly. Used for everything from following multi-step instructions to doing mental arithmetic to remembering what someone just said while formulating a response. In ADHD and dyslexia, working memory capacity is often reduced, not from damage but from different allocation patterns.
How it works
Your working memory holds a small amount of information active while you use it — like mental sticky notes. In ADHD, working memory capacity is often smaller or less stable, so information 'falls off' more easily. This affects everything from following instructions to mental maths.
Think of it like
It's like trying to carry grocery items without a bag — you can manage a few, but add one more and something drops.
What it feels like
You walk into a room and forget why. Someone gives you three instructions and you lose the second one. Your mental sticky notes keep un-sticking.