Where did I put my keys? Who is my next meeting with again? What was I supposed to do before I left for the office today?
Do you ever find yourself asking questions like these throughout the day? As more responsibilities and tasks are added to your list, it can become a bit overwhelming and easier to forget the little things. Taking steps to improve your memory and using tactics to help you recall things will relieve some of the stress from your overtaxed brain.
Let’s review some strategies you can use to help you know how to stop forgetting things.
Get Enough Sleep
People often think if they cut back on sleep, they will have more time and be more productive. Unfortunately, it ends up having the opposite effect and also makes it easier for you to forget things. A lack of quality sleep has been connected with several health complications such as heart disease, obesity, and a weak immune system.
Getting at least seven hours of sleep every night will improve your brain’s ability to reorganize memories and recall information. It will keep you more awake and aware of what is happening around you on a day-to-day basis, making you less likely to be forgetful.
Maintain a Healthy Diet & Exercise
It’s no secret that eating healthy foods and exercising has positive benefits for both your body and your mind. Some specific foods like fish, berries, walnuts, and whole grains can boost memory health and help you stop forgetting things. They contain Omega-3s which have also been proven to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Getting into a good exercise routine will improve your body’s blood flow, meaning more blood can make its way to your brain. This can help increase your ability to concentrate, keep you in a positive mood, and enhance your cognitive memory.
Meditate
Meditation can be the most powerful way to quiet your mind and boost your ability to remember things. Now this doesn’t mean you need to sit on your desk with your legs crossed and your hands in a namaste prayer position. You don’t have to do yoga poses or even use recorded meditation audio.
It can be simple as taking a few minutes to sit or lay down, close your eyes, and allow your mind to relax. Spending just a few minutes of meditation a day can help you focus and stop forgetting key details of your day.
Do It Now
If you’re having trouble figuring out how to stop forgetting things, then try doing it right away. This may seem like cheating, but it avoids the need to take any additional steps or use any of the strategies on this list. It’s easy to set small duties to the side and tell yourself that you’ll do it later, but it also leaves more room for you to forget about it.
As tasks arise, if you have the availability, take care of it immediately instead of worrying about whether you’ll remember it. Setting this example as a manager will help your team recognize the benefits of not procrastinating, making them all more productive.
Use Visual Aids
The human brain is wired to recognize visuals and images more than written or spoken words. This concept can be incorporated into an informational PowerPoint for your team. If there are specific details you want them to remember, add an image to the slide that will help them correlate that topic with the graphic.
The same strategy can be used to help you remember things for yourself. As an example, if there’s a document you need to take to your next meeting, try leaving it next to your car keys or another item you always take with you. Before you leave, your brain will be reminded when it recognizes the paperwork next to the object.
Set Alarms
Are you one of the over 2 billion people in the world who has a smartphone? Then you have a perfect reminder system right there in your pocket. Most smartphones have multiple apps you can choose from to set either one-time or recurring alarms.
If you have responsibilities that are deadline-based or need to happen at a specific time, set an alarm to help you remember. These can be used to prompt you about meetings, reservations, or other tasks.
Use Checklists
When deciding how to stop forgetting things, few tactics will be successful as using a checklist. Managers rarely, if ever, have only one thing to do on any day of the week. Making a to do list will give you a broad picture of the business you need to accomplish throughout your daily routine.
Useful apps like Toggl Plan are readily available to you and offer both checklist and visual timeline features. It can be used to schedule tasks, plan your process, and even set deadline reminders.
Go Automatic
Why do things that technology can do for you? From setting your bills on autopay to having your groceries delivered to your home, there are countless ways to automate your life. Depending on the type of business you manage, multiple tools are available to take some of the responsibilities off your plate.
Mileage tracking, timekeeping, social media, and accounting are just a few business tasks that can be automated by using apps and software. The more duties you can set and forget, the less things you’ll have to remember every day.
Learn More About How to Stop Forgetting Things
Need more ideas on how to stop forgetting stuff as a manager? Our free weekly newsletter offers insight into how you can improve your productivity and organization with tips on checklists, strategic planning, and finding tools that will help you. These are a few of the things that can help boost your memory and keep you on track in your role.
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