I Want to Stop Forgetting Things!
“I really want to stop forgetting stuff. Last week was the last straw: I forgot to pick up my child at school. He was crying when I finally arrived, an hour late. Can you please give me a foolproof way to remember things?”
I have good news and bad news. The bad news is that forgetfulness is, usually, part of having ADHD. Your brain is going to let you down sometimes. The good news is, once you accept this, you can work around it.
Don’t rely on your memory; rely on good tools. I also worry about forgetting to pick up my son, although he’s 17 now and probably wouldn’t shed any tears. My motto is, “If it’s not on my calendar or to-do list, it’s not going to happen.” So I always schedule an appointment for things that are time-based – like picking up my son. I like Google Calendar because it texts me right before every appointment. Check your calendar regularly and have audible alarms – not having a good sense of time is another ADHD challenge.
A foolproof solution might not be possible for you or me. But we can get pretty close by developing the habit of updating and checking our calendar regularly, using audible reminders, and always having our phones with us.
