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Remembering things

Everybody has their forgetful moments, but we seem to have them more than most. For example I've been known to microwave pizza for dinner and find it still sitting in the microwave, stone cold the next morning, because I got caught up in something else and forgot I was making something. Sometimes I forget more serious things - like doctor appointments.

Anyone know a good strategy for remembering things? I've thought about getting a day planner but I'm worried I'll either lose it or forget to keep it updated.

Tags: forgetfulness

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Sean M Hebner on October 24, 2009 at 2:57pm

I"ve tried telling my friends/loved ones/parents for YEARS I didn't just forget things because I don't lable those things important....

there are an average of seven slots of short term memory in the human brain....the rate at with which we absorb information....its really no wonder that we have no chance to retain a bunch of what we take in

I'm obsessed with NCIS, and its on Tuesday at 9:00pm...I went over to my girlfriends house on Tuesday however....and completely forgot about it.....I think then she finally realized that I'm not just forgetting these things on purpose.

Permalink Reply by Little Name Atheist on December 10, 2009 at 11:04am

Not that I'd wish it on anyone, but I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one who has had "Well, you must not have thought it very important." lobbed at you.

Permalink Reply by Nate on December 8, 2009 at 4:13pm

How about prepaying for gas and then getting in the car and driving away without pumping? I"ve done that a couple of times.

Permalink Reply by Sean M Hebner on December 10, 2009 at 10:24am

Oops.....and OUCH!!!

Permalink Reply by Little Name Atheist on December 10, 2009 at 11:05am

Nate... single-handedly making independent gas stations profitable.

Permalink Reply by Nate on December 12, 2009 at 6:23pm

Nate... single-handedly making independent gas stations profitable.

More like I'm good for giving the cashier a laugh. I remember a few miles down the road and go back. They've told me I'm not the only one.

Permalink Reply by Little Name Atheist on December 12, 2009 at 7:39pm

Oh, that's good to hear that they remember to let you pump gas.

Permalink Reply by Tedster on December 12, 2009 at 6:18pm

That has been my strategy and it has been a great improvement. I use a blackberry, which I would normally wouldn't bother with because I usually think of such as being a little highfalutin.

Permalink Reply by Will Higdon on December 26, 2009 at 8:48pm

I have it so bad, and the only way I survive (without a full time minder) is a smart phone. Everything I do goes onto a calendar, and then the smart phone synchronizes to warn me. I tried everything prior, and this is all that works.

But to forget and lose focus is horrible. One time I found myself writing a complex program for school and developing courseware for a course I was teaching. In that three week period I learned that multi-tasking with ADD is hell. I got in the shower with my pants on, I went to work with both a battle-dress jacket and dress blue slacks, and actually taught the first five minutes of my lecture in another instructor’s classroom. The jokes continue today

Permalink Reply by Amy on April 5, 2010 at 5:27am

When I started my current job, my employer gave me a day planner. I dutifully entered all my appointments and meetings, and proceeded to miss every one. It took me a year to get into the habit of actually opening the planner every day. Being a creature of habit, however, I eventually got into the groove. I have to use a month-at-a-glance, and highlight EVERYTHING that is TIME SENSITIVE. I'm wicked visual, and if something's not highlighted, I'll won't see it. I only highlight things when they require being somewhere at a certain time....like my own appts, someone coming to see me at work, or when I have to have my kids somewhere (if they're catching a ride, I don't highlight it).

I'd like to eventually wean off the planner and go to a smartphone. My phone isn't very sophisticated, and the couple of times I set the alarm, I forgot what the alarm was for. :P My son has a great phone, and relies on it for everything. If he doesn't enter it in his phone, he doesn't remember. Period. I find the planner cumbersome, and would like to streamline things.

My husband is ADD also, and we recently had a conversation about how our life will change when we leave the small town we live in, and can't leave our keys in the ignition anymore. YIKES!!! We always leave our keys in the cars....otherwise we'll lose them! We'll have to establish a dedicated space ASAP, and get into a routine. Heck, where I live people leave their cars running in the winter when they run into a store real fast. Plus, we rarely lock our house. It will certainly be a challenge! :/

Permalink Reply by Amy on April 6, 2010 at 10:32am

How do you tell them apart? Do you color code them? I frequently find random keys around the house and have absolutely no idea what they're for..... This really makes me feel inept.

Permalink Reply by Tedster on May 21, 2010 at 12:35am

Te reason why I use a smart phone is because I am more likely to carry it over a day planner, and I can sync it onto my computer, which is great because I would be screwed if I lost my Blackberry.