What helps you remember things?

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I have pretty severe short-term memory issues. I usually can't remember numbers or tasks for more than a few seconds without some help. I always carry my phone or something to write on/with so I can have a reference for what I need to remember. I also associate with animations and pictures a lot, and for some reason having a visual in my mind helps me not to forget things. So for example if I was asked to get someone a banana, I would imagine a banana and a big red arrow pointing to it, red meaning an uncompleted task. Then when I find the object the arrow turns green, then the name of the person I have to bring it to shows up in my mind with a red arrow and i find the person.

I carry a pocket note book and a pen to write down things that I need to remember but don't want to because I want to devote mental energy to more enjoyable and interesting thoughts. I can make the note and forget about it.

Writing things down is my primary memory aid.

I have an Amazon Echo device, which I've programmed to remind me to take my meds (and 10 minutes later, ask if I'm quite sure that I did), when to get ready to leave for appointments (it syncs with Google Calendar), when to take out the trash; that sort of thing. When I'm starting to feel edgy it can play something calming (I prefer 'Liquid Mind'), and when outside noise is getting to me, it can mask it with ambient noise (I prefer 'rain sounds'). Some of the lamps are rigged with "smart plugs"; if I awaken at night and am disoriented, I can turn on lights by voice command without stumbling around in the dark.
I have a lot of tremor in my hands; carrying a notepad turned out to be pretty useless because I couldn't read my writing.

However, this doesn't prevent me from doing stupid s**t like leaving the stove on, or the garage door open when I leave the house. Yesterday my mate was extremely upset when she found the toaster oven on when she got home from work, and not without good reason.

Last edited by Piobaire on 18 Oct 2018, 4:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I try to write them down.

I used to keep a notepad with me, but now I jot them on sticky notes at work, crumple them up, and put them in my pocket (so I will feel them and remember to check them).

The downside of this is that now my desk is littered with crumpled sticky notes. A few months ago I went through and cleaned them up, tossing out the junk ones, and collecting together the song lyrics.

That was always the worst part of taking medications, for me, especially anything I had to take more than once a day.

"Did I take these pills already?? Did I just forget to write down that I took them??? Overdosing would be a bad idea...uhhhh..." >_<

I agree with everyone else. Write it down using pen/pencil on paper. Typing it on a device doesn’t help.

Repeat it at least twice. Especially when you meet someone & want to remember their name, or have them say it twice. That helps to reinforce it in your brain.

I try to write things down, but I get distracted by something else before I get to it... or I can't remember where I put the pen... or, even if I do write it down, I forget to check the notebook later. .. or I do check it but wander off with it and set it down in another place and so can't find it next time I need to make a note.

You just need to set a routine and try to follow it. I'm the same way at times. But I do try to put open in my shirt pocket & take a Field Notes book with me. I have to lat things out before I head out, or someplace easily accessible. Again, that doesn't always happen, but keep trying!

I've tried quite a few different methods for helping my poor memory, but it's hard to give any advice because I can't remember whether any of them worked or not. ( Sorry!)

Something that does work for me is commanding myself out loud, so that I actually hear my voice saying it. The same trick works quite well when my wonky executive functioning is making my mind wander or think in circles too much. I don't know why it works better than just thinking the words in my head, and it doesn't always work, but it definitely helps.

I do scribble stuff down quite a bit, but like SabbraCaddabra and Benjamin, I'm so inattentive a lot of the time that all I'm doing is absent-mindedly creating small piles of rubbish everywhere or searching for a pen (I usually discover dozens of pens and lighters when I clear out a flat to move out). It doesn't help that my handwriting is so bad that I can't read it myself half the time, and I'm not a smart-phone user, nor want to be.

There's a rule for that, but I can't remember the exact number (heh). It's something like 20 seconds of studying will send a memory from short-term into your long-term.

I remember some things by having routines that I follow. For example I take my meds in a certain order every day. I take certain 1s rite after I brush my teeth when I get up. I also take them in an exact sequence so I don't get confused as to if I took some or not. I remember the last one I took & move on to the next. I also eat breakfast an hour later & take some meds then too. I'll also grab them in a certain sequence. You get the idea. There are some meds I take every couple days so I have an app on my phone that shows when I need to take them. I also have the app set to tell me what day the recycling goes out to make sure I remember; I sometimes get confused about what day it is or just don't think of it. I clear the alerts after I take the meds or bring out the recycling. I also remember some things by telling me girlfriend to remind me. She also tells me to remind her of things cuz she's very forgetful too.

I use a combination of things depending on the situation. If I need to remember a string of letters or numbers, then I will picture that string in my mind and then go through it letter/number by letter/number in my mental picture a couple times while focusing on it. My brain will tend to auto-repeat it in between my other thoughts and I will focus on the mental image every so often. If I don't do this, I will have a hard time remembering anything short term.

For long term memory stuff or for detailed events, I use Microsoft's free web version of OneNote. It uses OneDrive to store your journal files, has color coded sections, each with its own titled pages. And There are mobile apps, so I can access it from any browser or on my phone. I also use it for lists.

Since I'm an android user, I use Google Calendar for scheduled reminders and events for anything that requires being known on a specific day/time.

I'll remember a place way easier and how to get there by walking to it rather than driving or using a GPS. All the visuals and sensations around me may help.

I've tried to write things down, but I forget to check my list of things I've written down if I do remember to write it down.

I use Google Keep to keep notes and it works sometimes.

Occasionally I'll try to remember to use Google Calendar.

I'll send myself e-mails sometimes.

I've been taking medication daily for 20+ years and still forget to do it.

Not as severe, but I have a small whiteboard that I can move around. If I need to remember something for later, it's always somewhere I'll glance at it once I get up from the computer for a drink, go into the kitchen, etc.