Oops, not another thing I’ve forgotten!
Does this resonate with you? It certainly does with me. In my 20s and 30s, I was an organisational queen; I remembered everyone’s birthday, anniversary, and any significant date in a friend/family member/colleague’s life. I could keep to-do lists in my head and know exactly which meeting I needed to be in and when. Now, it seems, I am lucky if I can remember what I’ve had for breakfast let alone remember any kind of date 😊. There are to-do lists and post-it notes all over the place and the reminders on my calendar now ping about 2 hours, 1 hour, and then every 5 minutes until the meeting time. I know some will say this comes with age, but I’m only 47 so I should have something resembling an organisational bone in my body especially as I used to be so good at it. But no that seems to not be the case. I’ve had to put in place some organisational coping mechanisms to manage life without forgetting too much 😊
I try to plan meals on a weekly basis and time block my day, so I know exactly what I’m doing and when. I have separate to-do lists for each of my clients and then a personal to-do list (don’t want to forget MOT renewal, insurance cover, credit card bill, etc). I have a family calendar in the kitchen so I can keep track of all the kids' activities (a nightmare at any time let alone for a menopausal woman 😊); birthdays; anniversaries and appointments. These are also in a diary I carry around (I’m trying to be more technical but just cannot get on with an online calendar for personal use – not sure why as I use it for work). I try to sit down every Sunday and look through the calendar 2 weeks in advance so I can see what is coming and have enough time to plan accordingly. I also try to prioritise some ME time so I can exercise. This helps to clear my head and I find I can concentrate for longer (helping me to remember some things 😊).
Here are some useful strategies you could implement if you are struggling too:
· To-do lists: as you can see above, I love a to-do list. Writing everything down so I can see exactly what I need to do and by when relaxes me and there is nothing more satisfying than ticking off something from the list.
· Time Blocking: sometimes we just don’t give ourselves enough time to complete what we need to get done. I find time blocking helps me to be realistic about how long something can take, and, in the long run, it means not having 3 or 4 things on the go at once.
· Can you do it now rule: if something pops into your head and it is easy to do immediately just do it. If it only takes a couple of minutes, why not do it then and there – you will know it has been done and it isn’t another thing to add to the to-do list.
· Bulk buying cards: my mum is a firm believer in bulk buying all the cards she needs for a good 6 months. She then puts them in a box with month dividers, so she knows exactly where they are and that she has them all. I really should be ‘more like mum’ as I buy them and completely forget where I’ve put them and then run to the village shop in a blind panic hoping they have a suitable card 😊.
· Mindfulness: take 10 minutes out and listen to some calming music, sit outside, or just slump in the chair with your eyes closed. This can help reduce stress and improve focus.
My takeaway is to be ‘more like mum’ and get myself a card box so I can stop the panic that I’ve missed another special occasion in my family’s/friends' lives and to try and take more ‘mindfulness’ breaks during the day. If you see me having a quiet moment on that bench in the village just leave me be – I’m just having some ME time 😊. Who will you be more like?