10 Ways NOT to Remind Yourself What You Need to Do

Do you ever forget errands you need to run? Haveherself). This is also a no-win way to damage
you ever forgotten a phone call you needed to make -relationships if you ask someone else to remind you to
or something else you needed to do? You might bedo something, then that person forgets, and then you
using one of the 10 ways NOT to remind yourselfblame him/her. Don't try this at home. Not smart.
what you need to do.6. Not carrying your calendar or PDA with you all the
time. Your planner is one of the ways THAT WORKS
1. Layers of Post-it® notes around your monitor (soto remind yourself, but not if you don't carry it with you.
any importance is lost). Not only does this NOT work7. Overscheduling yourself. As soon as you are running
to remind you (because the "reminder" is buried in aaround like a chicken with your head cut off, you are
sea of other "reminders") but it makes your workforgetting all kinds of tasks, responsibilities, and
space look ridiculous and as if you have no system incommitments. Back off a little.
place (which you don't if this is how you remind8. Sticky notes on your forehead. (You've probably
yourself).seen the cartoon). I just had to put this one in case
2. Writing on your hand. Please. How old are you? Thisanyone thought it was worth a try. It's not.
isn't 7th grade science where you put a formula on9. Saying "yes" to things you don't really plan to do.
your hand to cheat. Surely you're past this.There's a psychological response when we do
3. Thinking about it while you're doing something else.this...and we are pretty well guaranteed to forget...and
Multiminding is not smart and not efficient. I'm surethen we have to apologize. Why not tell the truth from
you've tested this one enough to know that it doesn'tthe beginning.
work. There's no need to try it out again, is there?10. Deluding yourself that you don't need any kind of
4. Post-it® notes on your steering wheel. Even thereminder. People at every income and education level
Super Sticky Post-It(R) notes won't stick to a steeringsay "I can remember." None of us can. We need
wheel. And, then when it falls off, you could have ansystems in place to support our intent to remember.
accident while you root around on the floor looking forBeing able to remember what you need to do so you
it.can do it (i.e., following through on your commitments) is
5. Depending on someone else to remind you (unlesspart of being a peacefully, predictably productive
you're paying that person). You really don't want theprofessional. Lots of people recommend how you can
intrusion of another person with you all the time andremind yourself of what you need to do. I thought it
that's about the only way this can work (and then onlywas time to make sure you knew the sure-fire ways
if that person has systems in place to remind himto FORGET what you need to do.