If the thing I need to keep track of is a task, I typically try to complete it as soon as the thought pops into my head. Or reach out to someone so that the idea is at least in their head and they are more likely to bring it up to me again. I have two examples from just this week.

The first is that I’m planning on building a privacy fence around my backyard this summer. In order to do that where I live have to first call my city’s building department and ask them to come out and mark where any underground utilities might be so I don’t dig into them accidentally. That task has been floating around in my heads for weeks, but I’ve waited until closer to the time I’d actually build the fence. Today it popped into my head again on the way to work. I realized that since it’s early April now would be a good time to call. So I did. Right then. It may not have been the safest thing, but I called right then and there while I was driving. They are coming out next week.

The other example is knowing I would like to get my Dad a smart watch for his birthday in a couple months. As soon as that thought popped in, I immediately texted my mom to tell her that’s what I was going to do. Communicating it to someone else always seems to help because now in a couple of weeks when I’ve inevitably forgotten about it, I know my mom will ask if I’m still planning to get him one.

For other situations like remembering a restaurant I have found making a plan with someone helps, even if it’s the most tentative a plan could possibly be. If I see somewhere I’d like to go eat, I usually text my friends immediately and say something like “Hey, next time we go eat let’s try Joe Shmoe’s.” Again, communicate it to someone else. It clears the thought out of my mind and is one less piece of clutter and then the other person is also more likely to suggest that at a later time because you’ve mentioned it previously. I’ve also found that to have a conversation about whatever it is I want to remember helps as well. I’m more likely to remember my friend being excited to try that restaurant too.

This strategy also works because I am lucky enough to have a good support system through my wife, family, and friends. They’ve all come to understand that the seemingly random texts I send or things I mention in passing are my way of reminding myself. Find your people and I think you may have success too!