GON Reader Question
Dear Maria,
Lately, I’ve been forgetting everything, from my grocery list to my best friend’s birthday. I start the week with good intentions, but then life gets busy, and the little things slip through the cracks. Do you have
any tips or tricks to help me remember the important stuff?
-- Cindy T., Apple Valley, MN
Maria Responds
Dear Cindy,
You are not alone. We’ve all had that “Oh no!” moment, whether it’s realizing you forgot the dry cleaning or waking up in the middle of the night thinking about something you meant to do three days
ago.
Thankfully, there are some very simple but powerful ways to stay on top of it all. Here are a few of my favorite memory-boosting tricks that I personally use myself.
1. Write it down where you’ll see it: If it’s not written down, it’s easy to forget. Jot your reminder in a spot you’ll actually see, like your calendar, a sticky note on the bathroom mirror or near your car keys. Prefer digital? Add it to your phone calendar with a pop-up alert. The goal is to keep it in your line of sight...or send it right to your radar.
2. Get it out of your head before bed. Some of our best (and most distracting) ideas show up just as we’re trying to fall asleep. Keep a small notebook and pencil on your nightstand to jot them down quickly.
Prefer digital? Use a simple note-taking app on your phone, like Google Keep or Apple Notes. Just be sure to keep the screen dim so it doesn’t wake you up more.
Either way, you can clear your mind, rest easier, and revisit
those thoughts when you're refreshed.
3. Send birthday cards out in batches: If birthdays sneak up on you, try this: towards the end of each month, write out and send cards for the following month. It’s easier to send them all at once, and you won’t have to scramble each week trying to get one in the
mail.
4. Email or voicemail yourself: Sometimes, the easiest way to remember something is to send yourself a quick email or leave a voicemail. It will sit in your inbox or voicemail list until you’ve handled it. Then, delete and done!
5. Use calendar alerts: There are so many great digital tools out there. Yahoo!, Google Calendar, and most smartphones have free reminder features. Just plug in the date, time, and topic...and get a little nudge right when you need it.
6. Build a weekly routine: Set certain days for regular tasks. Mondays could be laundry day, Tuesdays could be for errands, Wednesdays for paperwork, and so on. When something becomes part of your weekly rhythm, you’re less likely to forget it.
7. Use alarms for one-time
tasks: Need to call someone at 11 AM or leave to pick up a child at 4? Set an alarm on your phone, oven, or watch. It’s quick, easy, and saves your brain from having to keep track of everything on its own.
8. Tie a string around your finger (really!): It’s old-school, but it works. Tie a piece of string around
your finger just tight enough to be a gentle reminder. Every time you see or feel it, you’ll be nudged about the thing you don’t want to forget. Once it’s done, untie it and move on.
9. Place reminders in your path: Need to return library books? Leave them by the door. Have to get gas in the morning? Stick a note to
your steering wheel. Trying to remember your vitamins? Tape a reminder to your bathroom mirror. If the reminder is in your way (in a helpful way!), you’ll be much less likely to forget.
Hope these help, Cindy!
Sometimes it’s not about having a better memory. It’s about building better systems. Give a few of these a try and see which ones stick. You might just find your days running a little more smoothly, with fewer “Oops!” moments.
On another note...
Check out my new, carefully curated list:
Smart, simple tools for handling paperwork, filing, computer tasks, and keeping your workspace at home
(desk, home office area, kitchen work station) organized!
