As I get “more mature” (read ‘older than dirt’), memory becomes more of an issue.
I used to think it was ‘aggravating’ to go into a room, then realize I couldn’t remember why I had gone there. I had to go back to what I was doing, get into it, and THEN I remembered why – getting up again to go DO it this time. NOW I write a sticky note before I get up, KNOWING I won’t remember. I’m not sure I can call this an ‘improvement.’
Paul Harizan-Getty Images
My husband has kept a spreadsheet on his computer for years that lists what he considers important things for us to remember. This has helped us many times. We’ll list the date of installation of our new tankless water heater on there, for example.
I’ve devoted a whole big notebook to keeping stickies with artist information on them so that I don’t have to start from scratch when I feature an artist’s work on the blog. Right now I have 6 pages of these.
I have stickies everywhere – on my desk, on my computer, in my hand, on the fridge, on the ‘go-out’ table, etc. You get the idea.
I notice I have a word retrieval challenge more and more often these days. I’ll start to say something or write something and the word I’m trying for just won’t come. I’ve given up on being embarrassed with names, even with people I’ve known for a hundred years or so. The words simply ‘disappear’ until they’re ready to come – usually in the middle of the night. I’ll sit up in bed and say, “THAT’S what I was trying to think of!” (Unless I write it down on the notepad on the table beside my bed, I’ll forget it again by the time I get up in the morning.)
I write notes to myself, leaving them on the dresser I pass on my way out of our bedroom, reminding me of something I need to put on the grocery list, or something I need to do during the day.
Even though I’m coming up with ways to get around the problem, I’m aware that the problem seems to be growing faster than the solutions I can come up with. I comfort myself with the following –
Spreadshirt
Medical News Today
creativeartworksblog 