I think most of us are familiar with incidents like going into a room and forgetting why you came there or the frustration of never seem to remember where you put your things and can never remember what you were suppose to do earlier. I feel you man! I feel you! Forgetfulness is common symptom of ADD/ADHD.
So there might be no cure for ADD/ADHD but there are ways to manage it. Here are some that helped make my life less of a chaos...
1. Place things where you'll see it
If you can see it, you'll remember it. I will most probably never remember if I left my things in another room or if it's in the drawers... But by keeping it nearby my door, next to my bag or in my line of sight (where I have to pass by that area no matter what!), my chances changes from 1% to 99% of not forgetting it.
2. Do it now or put a reminder!
If it takes less than 5 minutes, do it now and then you can continue your work with a clear conscience. If it takes a longer time, put a reminder or get help to remind you. It can either be an alarm, your to-do book, a post it note or a friend.
3. Always write it down immediately
The moment someone ask you to do something, you tell them "wait! I need to write this down."
Never underestimate the power of writing things down! There are way(!!!) too many times where my note-taking habits have helped me immensely!
Write down immediately what you need to do on your notebook, phone or any piece of paper!! Don't go "Phhft! I got it!" or "I'll write it later." Cause if you have ADHD like me... HA!! Chance are you won't remember it.
4. Have a designated area for your things
I always find myself in situations where I'll be like, "where did I put that thing again?", "Where do I usually keep that?" or "I remember I put those there...". So, have an area where you always put certain things and the moment you've done using it, you keep back there.
First, find the hotspots (the places you always reach for and put your things) for your room. Then, you figure out what are your everyday items and organize them according to their needs. For example:
1. Most important everyday things (your keys, wallet, jewelry) are at your door or where you can see them.
2. Things you might need later (stationary, electronic goods) are kept at easy to reach places.
3. Things you need for certain occasions (such as winter coats or decorations) are at places where are the hardest to reach like on the highest shelf of your wardrobe.
5. Never leave your things "for a while"
Never place your loose things like handphones or wallets out on public places like the cashier counter or the top of the toilet tank. Always make it a point that when you take out your things, immediately put back in your bag, pocket or ask a friend to hold on to it.
Never listen to the thought that slyly slip in your head and convince you that it's just for a few seconds and I'm sure you'll remember it. Cause there will be a day that you won't and you can say goodbye to that new expensive phone!
6. Always do a double check
Before you leave the restaurant, restroom or your house, remind yourself to always take a double take to see whether you might have left anything.
You can even come up with a list of your everyday things and paste it on your room door, in your car or in your phone so you can refer to the list if you missed anything.
Build good habits! So even if your mind wanders, your body never forgets!
If you have anymore good habits that have helped you before, please share it with me in the comments below :)
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