What helps you remember things?

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I don't know but I could do with it today -

First off getting off the sleeper train with everything except my wallet, fortunately remembering in time and when I got back to the station the other passenger in the berth had found it and passed it to the hosts, who recognised me and returned the wallet.

Then having gone home and freshenned up, I set out to work and realised too late my wallet was in its safe place at home, so any canteen trips will be decidedly frugal to eke out the change in my pocket.

Just curious, are you on any medication like anti-anxiety, anti-psychotic or anti-depressant? They can really mess up your memory.

What helped me is to visualize things. Pictures, charts and symbols associated with stuff help me remember them. I despise using sound (alarms) for reminders. I get stressed out anticipating them going off. I still use a paper day planner. It's very satisfying to cross things off after they're done.

I think it is the combination of getting on a bit and working a shift pattern with a few too many day-night turnarounds.

A couple of things:

1. I set recurring reminders on Todoist app
2. When I'm taking care of errands, I use my "Filofax mini" (fits in pocket) to write down any notes or whatever
3. For shopping list, I use a "magnetic memo pad" on the fridge (can buy on eBay for 2$)
4. Putting all things in the same place before leaving can help me remember to take them with me

Best of luck to you!

When I was younger, I had a steel trap mind. Not anymore. There is a lot going on in my life, primarily with work, and also with medications, and so on. I have tried many things, but the iphone and a couple of apps have been key for me. Plus a 8x7 notebook for spontaneous notes. Evernote is the app I used for notes, drafts, web clips, research on the web for my hobbies. The app Anylist I use for grocery shopping. It can be shared with others, so both my husband and I can update or cross out anything on the list at anytime and whoever gets to the store has a full list. Both apps are free. I do not like technology particularly, but it is required for my work and, once I learn how to use it (long lag phase in learning), it is very useful.
The good thing about the paper notepad is that it fits in my purse and is always with me. I use one per month. All the little notes I take when on the phone, or in a meeting, or talking to someone are in there SOMEWHERE and I can flip through to find them. (ie. I know I jotted down this client's new address, but where did I jot it down???? - now I know.)
My "purse" is now a handwoven backpack from the indigenous Boruca in Costa Rica (they are more famous for their masks.) Having it as a backpack has drastically cut down on the number of times I forget my purse somewhere. I realize there are cities where this might not be safe. I always wear pockets, not matter what and keys go in the pocket. I do not leave the car until I can feel my keys in my pocket. Similar for my cell phone.

I used to have a really good memory as a child too. But sometime during puberty, it went awry.

I'd only rely at written lists in some occasion. Usually when said task would be at the day after or so -- sometimes I forgot the list itself and lost it. So I kept a notepad somewhere in my bag.
Usually during my worse days, unlucky breaks of waking up with a disorganized mind, I have to use it whenever there's an ongoing task.

Usually, if there's something I memorize, it could go in two ways; nonverbal visual, or nonverbal nonvisual.
The former may require visual triggers, sense of time and likely translated into nonverbal nonvisual. All I have to do, is keep looking at the clock. If I forgot to look at the clock, it'll fail.
The latter likely ends up in the long term memory if I can hold the short term memory long enough. So yes, repetition can help. The downside is that it'll be hard to recall said memory even if it's there. For me to recall the memory easier, I'd have it translated to nonverbal visual as close and as coherent as possible.


I don't take meds. But I usually end up having some sort of mind fog because of chronic sinusitis, and it causing some low quality sleep at almost every night for years to the point that I grew up hating sleep. I couldn't just take meds for it either, because it'll make my memory worse.

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Lose more time here - Updates at least once a week.

I keep a commonplace book.

I put a small number of pills in a plastic bag. Then I keep a list of when I take the pills and the number of pills left in the bag. If I'm not sure I took a pill I can count how many are in the bag.

This is useful when you just had surgery and need all the help you can get to keep track of meds you don't normally take.