Ask the Experts

Misplaced PDAs

“I’m always on the go for my job, and I often lose the piece of paper or the PDA where I wrote down appointment info. Any suggestions?”

Adults with attention deficit disorder (ADD) are most likely to lose things during transitions from one activity or job site to another, so do a quick inventory each time you make such a transition: “Do I have my phone? My PDA?” and so on.

Wearing a fanny pack or a briefcase with a shoulder strap ensures that you always have a place to stash those essential items. If you can manage to hang on to your keys, buy a key chain that contains a voice recorder. (SharperImage.com sells one that records for 20 seconds.)

As a backup, leave a message on your office voicemail each time you schedule an appointment. You can always call in to get the info. Or, as a last resort, write appointment info on your hand – that’s one thing you can’t misplace.