Put that thing back where it came from
(www.myorganizedbiz.com) – It’s easy to lose track of things. You put something away and later you don’t have any idea where you put it. That happens a little more often than I’d like, especially after having kids. It’s a distraction issue.
If I am distracted when I put do something, I’ll have a harder time remembering it later. For instance, I put my phone charger down next to the desk for just a moment while I jotted notes from a phone call. Later, I had to retrace my steps in order to find the charger again.
If I had just stopped for a moment and thought about what I was doing, even repeating to myself what I was doing, I wouldn’t have trouble recalling later.
You can’t be organized if you can’t remember where you put things. So if you have trouble finding your glasses, or your phone, or maybe your keys do two things for yourself:
1) Always put items back in the same place. Every time. It’ll save you from having to search.
2) If you do move something, or decide to change things around, be mentally present when you do it. Just take a moment to concentrate on what you’re doing so you can remember what you did later.
When I stop and tell myself, “Okay, you put the phone charger next to the desk. Don’t forget it.” I am less likely to waste time digging through things later.
And my poor, sleep-deprived brain needs all the help it can get.