I used to be terribly unorganised and very forgetful (okay, I’m still forgetful). I find it super hard to get into routines and habits of doing things which isn’t the best thing, especially as I am now self-employed and have to organise rather a lot more things than I did previously. Going to university certainly helped me to become more efficient with my time and planning – I’m not one of those people that works well when leaving things until the last minute. So I thought it might be helpful to make a post on how I organise my self and how I stop forgetting things (as much). A lot of these points are common practice for a lot of people but I thought it might be helpful to share precisely what I do.
Lists
A pretty obvious way of remembering things but this is the main way that I get things done. I make to do lists upon to do lists. I do this for most days and try to do it in advance so that I know which days I need to get up earlier to get more done etc. I write down pretty much everything even the obvious things like “Tidy room” when I’m sitting amongst piles of mess. It’s so satisfying ticking off each thing that I’ve completed. I usually write things down with a pen and paper just because I find it works best for me but I also use an app on my phone for things like shopping and packing lists. The app I use is Inkpad for Android.
Using a Diary
This connects with the daily to do lists but I generally reserve my diary for taking note of appointments and events rather than daily activities. I carry mine in my handbag all the time so that I can put things in it as and when they arise so that I don’t forget (which is very likely).
Notebooks
Another thing I carry with me is a small notebook (and a pen). I have to keep paper and notebooks around me basically at all times so that I can write down anything that comes to mind that I’ll need to remember. I always keep one in my bag and one on my desk along with a bigger notebook that I use for most things. I find it helps to have a pretty collection of notebooks, if you find something attractive then you’re more likely to want to use it (unless it’s one of those ‘so nice I don’t want to ruin it’ type of notebooks).
Reminder Apps
I used one of these for a while to remind me to wash my face and take out my contacts each evening (yes I’m that forgetful) but it didn’t really work for me as I would just ignore the alarms when they went off. But I think it could certainly work for those that aren’t as lazy as I am. The app I used I did quite like and was this one as it can be used for lists as well as reminders.
(Not) Out of Sight (Not) Out of Mind
This is the most effective thing for me and it’s simply the principle of if something is right in front of you then you won’t forget it. It’s not foolproof but I definitely find it helps. I take three or four different tablets each day and despite having done so for a long time the only way I remember is if I see them. So I keep them in my underwear draw. That way every morning when I go to put on clean pants I see them and take them then and there. I also always keep a drink nearby for this reason. Of course there are times when this won’t work, like when I’ve just done washing and my pants aren’t in my draw or if I’m staying somewhere else but for all the other times it works a treat. I’d definitely recommend trying to associate things with activities you do regularly – I also keep my face wash right by my toothbrush so that when I go to brush my teeth I remember to wash my face – as it should then remind you of the thing you’re supposed to do when you’re doing that activity. I also find this works well for things like moisturising, if you keep your products out on a dresser where you can see them rather than tucked away in a draw then you’ll be far more likely to use them (probably).
So those are the main points I wanted to make in this post, I hope you find it useful and feel free to leave a comment with any tips and tricks you use, I always have room for improvement!