MindSparke progress

For eight days, I have used MindSparke to increase working memory. Working memory is how much information you can hold in your head at once. How does this help ADD? If you take more in, even with the same amount of attention, you have more to process and act on. So, maybe you get more done. Of course, you need to be able to process it all and have the motivation to act. But, together with Lumosity, I'm hoping to see improvement, which I gauge by my level of productivity.

Back to MindSparke, here is my progress.

My progress with MindSparke after 8 sessionsWhat does this mean? The exercise being measured is called n-back. You can also read the research that got all the attention connecting it to increased fluid intelligence. What the chart above shows is that my average n-back score has increased, from 2.6 to 3.5. Basically, where dual-back exercises strained me at first, leading to a real headache (a first for me with brain training), I'm now fairly comfortable with 4-back and find myself straining with 5-back. It feels good to improve at this, or anything for that matter. The question is whether I see transfer into daily activities. Again, for me, the biggest benefit would be productivity. Oh, and better planning wouldn't hurt.