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Calling in the
Cavalry:
Memory Aids to
the Rescue!
by Betty Fielding, M.A.
Did you
ever look at your calendar at 10:00 a.m. and discover the notation, "9:00: Dr.'s. appointment"
and say to yourself, "What's the use of having a calendar if I
forget to look at it"?
A calendar
is a memory aid. Memory aids are objects like calendars, timers, notes,
lists and a string around your finger, which help you remember whatever
is important to you. These reminders will enhance your sense of being in
control of your memory and your life. Occasionally, however, you may not
look at the calendar or remember what the string stands for.
The
challenge many people face is to take charge of their memory aids in
order to make them effective reminders. A practical 3-part strategy for
this purpose is:
1. Set a
goal—the specific item or action you want to remember.
2. Plan
your use of an appropriate memory aid including how, when and/or where
you will use it.
3. Develop
the habit/s that will make it work.
Although
creating a new habit requires patience and persistence, the result will
be worth the effort in terms of personal comfort and satisfaction.
For
example, someone who forgot a doctor's appointment might decide on the
goal of using a calendar so effectively that her appointments and
meetings would never again be forgotten.
Her plan
might involve:
• selecting
a calendar which fits into a handbag and keeping it in a handbag
exclusively
• entering
on the calendar dates of appointments and meetings at the time they are
made
•
consulting the calendar every morning before breakfast
The habit
would result from:
• repeating
the 3-step plan regularly
•
reinforcing it through thinking about it, discussing it with family
and/or friends
•
congratulating herself on her success
• after any
memory lapse, resolving to continue following the plan and making any
improvements her
experience suggests.
To keep
from missing appointments, one man kept a very small notebook in his
breast pocket to make notes on appointments. He would transfer them when
he got home to the wall calendar in his kitchen. He also checked the
calendar every morning.
Another
common objective is to remember to take medicine on the correct schedule.
A plan
would include:
• a pill
safe as a memory aid, with a list of prescriptions and their timing
• the day,
or day of the week or month, to restock the safe
•
convenient placing of the safe so that it is an effective reminder
Developing
the habit would involve:
• following
the plan repetitively
• thinking
about it
• feeling
happy about how well the plan works
•
mentioning it to friends
All of
these activities create memory traces which make the pill safe a more
effective memory aid.
In most
areas of your life similar strategies can make a significant
contribution. Another example is forgetting where you parked your car,
which can be a harrowing experience in a large parking lot or airport
garage. Writing down on the back of your ticket the number, row, or other
identifying location is excellent insurance against such a mishap. If you
often park in such situations, making a habit of using this memory aid
will serve you well. A yellow rose or a small bird attached to the radio
antenna also may be a helpful memory aid for this purpose.
Memory aids
can be designed to meet unique situations. One woman, who lived alone and
did not drive, had locked herself out of her house so effectively that a
fireman had to break a second story window to climb in. She resolved
never to face that situation again and wears her house key on a silver
chain under her blouse. Another woman wears hers on an antique gold pin
on her shoulder. (It's a new key and looks quite trendy!)
Many men
and women have problems remembering people and their names. As a memory
aid, a directory or yearbook is useful for recalling people you seldom
see. Reviewing it shortly before an annual meeting or reunion will remind
you of people's names and experiences you have shared.
A
well-organized filing system is a splendid memory aid for someone who
occasionally mislays important papers, such as certificates, insurance
papers, or a favorite recipe. Creating a memory aid in the form of a
filing plan covering the whole range of your business and personal
concerns is time well invested. An index posted on each drawer and each
file folder acts as an additional memory aid.
A different
kind of memory aid is moving an object from its accustomed place to act
as a reminder. For instance, in order to remind you to mail letters, you
might place your car keys with the letters on a hall table instead of on
top of your dresser. Additional insurance against forgetting would be to
put the keys partly under the letters so the letters would have to be
moved in order to pick up the keys.
An
important factor in taking control of memory aids is the recognition that
people tend to be more easily distracted and forgetful when they are
tired or ill or under stress. At any time when events, problems, or
feelings are in conflict for your attention, increasing your use of
memory aids such as "to do" lists can be especially helpful.
In summary:
Memory aids which you develop to meet your particular needs will help to
prevent memory lapses. These memory aids will be most effective when you
have a plan and develop the habits which make it work for you.
When you
are tired or experiencing any kind of stress, increasing your use of
memory aids will help you to remember whatever seems most important.
************
Betty
Fielding, M.A., is the author of The Memory Manual: 10 Simple
Things You Can Do to Improve Your Memory After 50. An Instructor’s
Manual to Memory Training with The Memory Manual is also available
for any person or organization wishing to instruct or sponsor either a
six-session course or a single two-hour workshop.
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