4 ways to help you remember

Have you ever forgotten a very important appointment...or left your child waiting at school? Have you ever gone to the grocery store to get something specific and left without it? When we forget to do things, no matter how important they may be, the cause is not just that you simply "forgot" it is that you probably didn't "remind" yourself. Yes, they are different...and making a conscious effort to remind yourself of things can all but eliminate your forgetfulness. Here are some suggestions on how to do just that!

1. Write everything down in your daily planner.

Everything! Even if I set up the meeting through email, I still make a note of it on paper. You never know when you'll have a power outage and you can't access your electronic diary. Or when you don't have time to look at your email.

2. Make it a habit

If a meeting is recurring, I follow the exact same steps until it's ingrained in me that it's a habit. Like joining a new class at gym...or scheduling a new coaching client...or putting a new system into place, like a weekly back-up instead of monthly.

3. Set multiple reminders
If I need to leave at a specific time to get somewhere, I set electronic reminders (email, Outlook and/or sync to your phone) and a paper reminder (on the refrigerator, in the car, on the bathroom mirror). Because sometimes you do get carried away, especially when you're working hard and you're "in the zone", one method will back up the others.

4. Work your system
A system will only work if you work the system.

That means checking your paper planner every day. Or reading and actioning your reminders on Outlook instead of just clicking "snooze" or even "dismiss" by accident.

I check my daily planner as part of my evening routine so that I can mentally prepare for the day ahead and of course, choose appropriate clothes.

For more organizing ideas, visit my website: www.andreadekker.com