An Easy Way to Stop Forgetting

1. Your Attention is Your Most Valuable Commodity
2. The Punch Line – Consistency Over Perfection
3. Physical or Digital – Find Your Idiosyncratic Efficiencies

Your Attention is Your Most Valuable Commodity

The average persons short-term memory has been mutilated by the modern massacre of relentless stimuli and our chemical-infested food & healthcare systems. Tell me if this sounds familiar…you start your day with a list of things to do and an hour in, get a random message from a random person asking for something random–sometimes important, but usually more for them and less for you. So, you write it on a post it note, jot it in a book, put a reminder in your phone, or just tell yourself you’ll remember to do it later. Then, a week passes & that person sends another message, prompting the classic “oh shit” moment because it was forgotten or lost in the muck with everything else. This post is a little something to help alleviate that daily tug of war.

The Punch Line – Consistency Over Perfection

In one line: Having one place you always log your to-dos, reminders, & notes will minimize what falls through the cracks far more than having the perfect tool or new tech for tracking.

In one more line: Simplicity > complexity; I prefer to have a “pinned” chat with myself in Signal Messenger titled “Note to Self”–the pinning ensures that I see it every day.

In one last line: Create a system or routine so there’s a consistent time when you actually address the things on your list and be quick to eliminate non-essentials–remember, we rarely “have to do” all the things we tell ourselves we’re obligated to.

Physical or Digital – Find Your Idiosyncratic Efficiencies

Can you visualize the person who’s desk is covered in post-it notes slapped on top of post-it notes in so much abundance that they’ve become crusty and don’t even stick to the surface anymore? It’s my worst nightmare. A few thoughts on figuring on out what works for you and a snapshot of where I’ve found success.

• Pay attention to the ways in which you learn and function best is critical
• Focus less on what works for others who may be a model of productivity and more on what helps you make marginal improvements
• It doesn’t matter if your method is digitized/technological or physical/pen & paper
• Whatever you decide, make sure it’s in a place where you will see it daily (my method below)
• If it’s not working (ie: you keep forgetting things), be quick to scrap it and try something new
• Create boundaries between yourself and your technology use to moderate oncoming stimulus