I KEEP LOSING THINGS!! How can I get this under control??

1. 71

   stanwshuraposted 11 years ago

   I KEEP LOSING THINGS!!  How can I get this under control??
   
   This isn't just sometimes.  And I ain't just-a-whinin' "Where's the remote ("clicker")?!"
   
   I mean library books that I lost *THE DAY* I borrowed them.  Didn't read (well, research/pick at - nonfiction/reference books on...don't laugh...the brain) and, as I knew would come, I just got a notice about how waaay overdue they are.  I'm gonna have to fork over something near $250 - and that isn't what bothers me the most.  Thanks to me, these books are unavailable to thousands of other people!   
   
   Registration renewal, bills, *PRESCRIPTIONS*, my wallet.  My profile explains a lot, but this is nuts!

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2. 61

   Vledocposted 11 years ago

   I have a special drawer where I keep stuff. I call it the "drawer of lost items". Basically whenever I know I am going to lose something (Yes I lose things so much I know when it will happen), I throw it in this drawer.  Later on when I can't find an item I come look in the Drawer of Lost Items and voila, there it is.
   
   If you don't have a drawer big enough, I also recommend having a Tabletop of Lost Items. Sometimes I temporarily use my dining room table for this purpose. One big plus to it is you get to eat in front of the TV on the couch!
   
   By the way, I actually do this... hope it helps.

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   1. 71

      stanwshuraposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      This is a great idea!  One of my biggest problems (I mean severely disabling) is making decisions.  So, when I can't decide where to put something, I toss it on my desk or bed or the best "general" area I can fathom.  I rarely follow up and decide.

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3. 60

   Rhonda D Johnsonposted 11 years ago

   I hate to tell you this, but you are going to have to discipline yourself.  I can't offer you a gimmick that doesn't require any effort on your part.  However, let me make these suggestions.
   
   1.  Be aware _ when you have something in your hand, be aware of it.  Treat your library books as if they were your baby. 
   2. A place for everything and everything in its place.  That way, you will always know where stuff is.  If you tend to lose things in transit, take a shoulder tote bag with you and put stuff in it so you know where they are when your mind is concentrating on other things. Then at home have a place to put the bag and a place to put the things in the bag. This may take more discipline, because you cannot control your environment if you do not control your time. 
   3.  Build a relationship with your subconscious mind.  The subconscious mind can store thousands of gigabytes of information.  When you put something down, instruct your subconscious to remember where you put it.  Then when you need it again, instruct your subconscious to bring its location to your recall.  Tip:  once you've told your sc to recall information, do not try to force the information to come to you.  Go about your business, and when you aren't even thinking about it,  you'll be doing something that will remind you of what you want to remember.  This is not a gimmick.  It takes discipline to let your sc do its work instead of struggling to remember.  Be aware of your physical environment and what you are doing or carrying in your hands, but don't struggle with your memory.
   4. Control you time- not totally, of course.  You may have a job and your boss expects you to be there if you want to be paid.   But the time that belongs to you, belongs to you.  Does your life seem cluttered?  Do you rush in and rush out with no time to put things in their places, just throw one thing down and grab something else?  You know your situation.  I don't.  So don't fool yourself.
   
   I realize that all of this is easier said than done.  That's the way life is.  The only things that grow without any effort on our parts are weeds.

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   1. 71

      stanwshuraposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I appreciate your effort and thank you for responding.  My life and mind are very cluttered - even after 4 brain surgeries and now taking 3 psychotropic meds.  All I DO is try.  How do you "talk to your sc mind"??  I'm very literal, so I don't get th

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