Are you sometimes forgetful? Believe me you are not alone!

Many of my clients suffer from forgetfulness. They simply can’t remember where they put things. Sometimes they have trouble remembering where they put seldom used items, but a lot of the time they lose their keys, checkbooks or cell phones.

Sometimes the right hand really doesn’t know what the left hand is doing.

Honestly I can say from time to time I misplace my keys or my cell phone, but usually not for long. This is really embarrassing, but the last time I lost my keys, I was actually holding them in my other hand. Talk about proving that the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing.

Usually misplacing keys is due to being preoccupied and not being mindful of what we are doing. That was absolutely what was going on when my left hand couldn’t find my keys in my bag because my right hand was holding them. I still can’t believe that I did that, and to make it even more embarrassing…  I was with a client. I’m so thankful that she has a great sense of humor.

Be mindful and establish a specific home

Staying mindful at all times is the best solution for remembering where we put our keys and other often used items. It is also a good practice to establish one place to put them and to get in the habit of actually putting them there.  In the above instance I had a place for my keys; I was side-tracked talking and forgot that I had already retrieved them.

There is also a third technique for helping you remember where you put things. This one came to me when I was helping a client who has a habit of losing important things like gifts that she has purchased.  She has hidden things so well that she has had to re-purchase items because she couldn’t remember where she put them.

The last time this happened to her she asked me out of frustration, “How can I remember where I put things?” I’ve worked with this particular client for awhile and I have come to realize that she hides things because she is afraid she will lose them.  She operates from fear rather than confidence.  

Focus on Finding

My suggestion to her was this. She should say out loud. “I am going to put this (her item) here (her away place) where it will be safe and where I can find it again.”  The key is in the language. Instead of focusing on hiding and not losing something (fear), she will focus on keeping it safe and being able to find it again (confidence).

She told me last week that she has started using this method when putting her keys away and it has been working for her. I was pleasantly surprised because it didn’t occur to me to apply the technique to helping her find her keys. It made perfect sense to her and I’m glad that she tried it.

So my advice to you…. Be mindful and when you put anything away, say to yourself, “I am going to put this (your item) here (your away place) so that I can find it quickly when I need it.”  Say it two or three times. Try this technique and let me know how it works for you.

What do you have trouble keeping up with?

Please share your stories in the comments section below.