Seven Sure-Fire Ways to Stop Forgetting Stuff

Do you have a bad memory? How many times a week do you stop and say, “Oh my gosh! I forgot!” If it happens frequently, you’ve got a problem on your hands. Chronic forgetfulness causes you stress. You can disappoint others or miss out on opportunities. It lowers your productivity and can even cost you money. It’s so important to just remember, but it’s not as easy as it sounds. How can you stop forgetting stuff? It is possible to make yourself remember things. Here are some sure-fire tips that will work for even the most scatterbrained among us.

Carry an Appointment Book
Carry a calendar-style appointment book with you at all times. Purchase a very small book that will fit in your pocket or your purse so it’s always on hand. A physical date book works better than a calendar on your phone. You might forget to open your calendar app, but you can never deny the presence of your appointment book.
Set an Alarm
When you have something you really need to remember, set an alarm for it. Have an alarm go off sometime during the day when you’ll still have enough time to complete your task. When the alarm rings, you’ll instantly be reminded to do it. Also, set recurring alarms for tasks that repeat.
Send Yourself Email Reminders
If you check your email every day, email reminders can be very effective in getting you to remember things. Use something like Google Calendar to keep track of your schedule and tasks. When you add something, adjust the settings so you’ll receive an email reminder about it.
Get a Friend to Help
Your family and coworkers probably know how forgetful you are, so they’ll be happy to help you out. If you have something important to remember, or if they want you to do something, just ask them to remind you. Sometimes just knowing someone is going to remind you will cause you to remember on your own, but it never hurts to have back up.
Keep a To-Do List
To-do lists sound boring, but they’re incredibly helpful. Write down anything you have to remember on your to-do list, no matter how small of a task it is. Keep one master to-do list that contains everything, and keep it close to you to refer to throughout the day. An added bonus is that it feels great to cross things off.
Automate It
Technology is your friend, especially when you’re forgetful. If you often forget when your bills are due, for example, just take a moment to sign up for automatic bill payments. After that, you won’t ever have to remember again. Whenever you can automate something, do it.
Don’t Procrastinate
You always forget things that you have to do later. A lot of those things, however, you could really get done now. If someone asks you for a favor, and you tell them you’ll do it, why wait? Do it immediately, and you can forget about it without shame.