Write It Down

I’m reasonably good with dates and generally have a good idea of what’s happening when but it's a lot easier if I write everything down. Usually it’s the personal stuff that needs to get done during the day that I’m more likely to forget, if I don’t have it written down on my list of actions for the day.

I might think I’ll remember something but if I've written it down I don’t have to worry about forgetting it. I’ve often thought "Oh, I’ll remember that" until I can get back home or get back to my computer but invariably there’s so much going on or I get distracted and before I know it – I can’t for the life of me remember what that important piece of information was that I needed to remember. So, now I write things down – phone numbers, people I meet, appointments, things I need to do.

Unless you’ve got a photographic memory or a finally honed brain that can remember ten decks of playing cards at a time or recall the entire contents of your phone book, it makes sense to write every thing down. Carry a notebook with you – write down ideas, thoughts, things to-do when you think of them rather than missing the moment, or use your mobile's text msg or notes function. There’s nothing more frustrating than having a blinding idea or remembering something important when you’re busy doing something else, only to have it disappear from your mind when you’re back in the office or back at home.

Tips on improving you memory later ...