Are you one of those people who would like to be able to lose weight as easily as you lose everything else in your life? Do you sometimes think you might be an absent-minded professor even though you’ve not stepped foot on a college campus in decades? Do you worry that not only are you forever losing your keys, your glasses, your phone, and your ‘you-name-it,’ but perhaps you’re also losing your mind?

If you’re nodding your head ‘yes,’ keep reading. You’ve got company. Mega-company. And your compadres are not losing their minds. Nope, they’re too busy losing other things to bother with senility.

So, if I’m not losing my mind, then I’ve got ADD, right? Maybe, maybe not. Most of us are super busy today. And we carry around so much stuff. How can we be expected to recall where we put our stuff when our thoughts are a million miles away?

Still, it doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do to change your pattern. Read on, if you want to become better organized. I’ve got some ideas for you that just might make your life less hassled.

  1. Calm down. Stop panicking. When you’re in an agitated state, you’re not at your best. Then it’s harder for you to find anything. First thing for you to remember is that you probably just misplaced what you’re looking for, rather than losing it for good. Your item will probably show up sooner or later – often, when you least expect it.
  2. Scan your environment before you leave it. Look around you. Look behind you. Items you think you lost might be close by. Perhaps, where you were just sitting. Or, under the cushion. Or, in your pocket, your purse or maybe even in your other hand. Or, on your forehead. Don’t laugh. That’s a favorite place for misplaced glasses.
  3. Start your change program with one item you tend to lose. Let’s say it’s your keys. You could have sworn you put them on the counter but they’re not there. You wish you could remember where they are; but you don’t. What to do? It’s time to make a designated place for your keys; put a basket by the front door. Make it visible. Make it attractive. Make it hard to ignore.
  4. Drop your keys in the basket as soon as you enter your home. Good idea! But, somehow, you keep forgetting to do it. You’re right. It takes time to train your brain to learn a new behavior. Speed up the training process by connecting the action (dropping the keys) with a humorous song. Here’s one, I just made one up that’s yours to appropriate. “My keys are safe; I now have faith; they no longer roam; they’re enjoying their new home. Yippee!” Associate the action with a lighthearted ditty and a new habit is formed. Case closed!
  5. On to the next. What else do you misplace? Perhaps it’s your phone. Here one minute, gone the next. What to do? In this instance, technology might come to the rescue. Attach a Bluetooth tracker to help you locate your phone in seconds. There are several different types on the market. See what works best for you.
  6. Establish new routines, one by one. You don’t have to have everything organized to stop losing things. You just need to develop a few new habits. One of the best techniques is to talk out loud to yourself: “Yup, I have to remember to drop those keys in the basket.” “Now, where do I want to keep these important papers.” “I will make it a point to put these things where they belong so I can find them tomorrow.” Talking out loud to yourself doesn’t make you crazy. It makes you smart. It reinforces what you want to accomplish. Good or you!

So, if you are forever losing things, it doesn’t mean you are losing your mind. However, it does mean that you are losing your focus. That’s understandable. Busy people can’t focus on everything. However, if losing stuff is stirring up your anxiety, it’s time to make some changes. I hope this article provided you with the impetus to do so.

©2017