How often have you seen people forget things? How often have you forgotten something yourself?
There’s this friend of mine. When I say to him, “Hey, please remind me to call up my service provider tomorrow.” He would immediately say, “Remind me to remind you of it.”
When he said this for the first time the whole bunch of us laughed like crazy. But he is really like that. He had the habit of forgetting his copy of the room key somewhere almost every time he goes out to a party. He would come back to the room, fumble his pockets for it and then call me, “mate, my key is missing again, where are you?”
One day, I even bought him this long stylish looking chain which he could hook to his pants so he doesn’t loose the key any more. Now, he started playing with the chain, rolling it round and round his finger. He lost it ‘coz he never hooked it to his pants anyway.
All of us forget things once in a while, but can often recall it soon, but what if you cannot recall? What if you simply cannot recall where you left your Driving License or your Passport?
So, how can you avoid this problem?
You have only two options --gain the capacity to recall things you forget, or device ways and means of avoiding forgetting things.
In my experience with day-to-day activities, I made up a list of things that can help. Try them out, they worked for me and will work for you too.
1. A Number: keep a count of things
Count the number of items to be carried to office everyday. Always remember that number. Before leaving for office check if the number of items match that number.
Example: You need a bunch of keys, your goggles, a bag, a mobile phone, and a wallet before setting out for office. That makes it five (5) items. So when you are ready to go to office, just grab everything first, then count to see if there are five items. If there are less figure out what is missing.
2. Check before you leave
You are at a friend’s place, you are ready to go back home. Before leaving check the place to see if you are leaving any of your belongings there.
3. List them out
You are about to travel in a couple of days. On piece of paper, list out all the items you are supposed to carry with you. Tick them off when packing to make sure you have packed everything. Carry the list with you. Add new items to this list if you do some shopping etc. Check the list again at the end of your travel to see if you are bringing back everything.
4. Use Post-its, To Dos, Reminders
When you have to remember what to do and when there are many of them, just add them to your calendar on the email application, write them on Post-its and stick them around your personal room or car or other such easily noticeable places. Set up reminders on your mobile to remind you of events to come.
5. Keep a Diary/Journal
Keep a diary preferably a searchable password protected document in which whenever you have some time, you jot down important things, memorable events, etc. If you cannot recall something of the past, your diary may help you go back in time to see if you recorded it somewhere.
6. Organize your surroundings meticulously
If you are living alone or if you have cooperative companions, then organize things carefully. Keep useful items handy; at easy to see, easy to reach locations.
Example: You and everyone in your house know where a toolkit is located in the house. It will always be in the same place.
7. Plan ahead
We tend to forget things generally when we are in a hurry. Avoid last minute rush. Plan ahead and book holidays, tickets, etc in advance. When have a scheduled appointment, make sure you get ready well in advance.
8. Relax: Learn to be a more relaxed person
We forget things because our mind is occupied with many other thoughts. If you are relaxed you will automatically learn to avoid getting carried away by these thoughts.
9. Exercise your memory often
Device ways by which to keep recalling people and their names, places, events etc. as often as you can. Make it a habit of referring to people by their names. Make a mental note of shopping places you visit and bring them up in conversation often.
Example: Say, “Remember the City Lights restaurant where we met last December.” Instead of saying, “Remember that hotel at the street corner where we met last year.”
10. Pay attention to detail
Observe things more carefully than you are generally used to, This encourages the brain to participate more and more actively in whatever you are doing.
Example: You left your keys behind at your friends place. But if you had the eye for detail you would not have missed noticing the keys lying on the table right next to the door.
To remember something means more work for the brain. So wake up those parts of the brain that are dozing.
For those who decide to let the sleeping dogs lie, here is my BIG advise।
Do not keep anything in the safest place ever ‘coz if you forget you will turn your house upside down and will still not find it.
