11.24.08
Free “Productive Magazine” Download
I found this link on Lifehacker. I haven’t read it all, but it looks good so far, so I thought I’d pass it on:
11.08.08
Trick I’ve been using
I noticed that I’ve been doing something lately to help me keep track of vital stuff I need to carry with me, and it has been helping. I did this in a way before, but now it’s more “formalized” – I run down a list of things I’m supposed to have on me, and say where each thing is out loud. It took me a while to make it a habit, but it has helped keep me from 1) locking my keys in the car, 2) forgetting to take things with me as I’m leaving the house, 3) leaving things in random places and forgetting where they are.
So, this is basically how it works: I mentally list what I need to take with me before I leave the house, leave the car, leave the store, etc. and touch/say where each thing is. It sounds goofy, but trust me, it helps. So, before getting out of the car at the grocery store, I’ll say:
“I need cell phone, money, grocery list, keys.”
“Cell phone in purse” (feel for cell phone lump in purse pocket)
“Money in purse” (glance to make sure it’s there)
“List in pocket” (feel pocket)
“Keys in hand” (jingle keys)
“OK, locking door. Keys in hand.”
I have an old manual-locking vehicle, and I used to put my keys in the cupholder while I was gathering things to get out of the car, then get out and lock and close the door, only to glance in and see the keys in the cupholder at that moment. Once my boyfriend came with the spare key for the 3rd time, I devised a method, and it has really helped so I thought I’d share. I know it’s hard to incorporate someone else’s tactics into your day, so you’ll have to make it your own. Let me know what works for you!
Impulse that Cost Me
I do have ADHD, but I don’t think I have the ‘impulsive’ type of it. I usually thoroughly research things before buying them to make sure I’m not purchasing something that will break or I won’t use.
So, yesterday I made the first ‘impulse gamble’ that cost me money, $20 to be exact. I won’t go into details, but basically, I tried out a website that could have gotten me something nice for cheap, but there was a gamble that I might not get anything at all. The website is not a scam, I checked it out thoroughly, and you can legitimately get an expensive item for a few dollars if you’re lucky/patient, but it is a money-making machine that could definitely make someone impulsive lose a lot of cash, that’s why I capped my potential losses at $20 – and it’s a good thing I did, because I did spend it all and got nothing in return.
Anyway, just wanted to share. It did make me feel really guilty because I’m not one to gamble, and I’m not one to waste money – I like to give extra cash to charity. I rationalized this expenditure by saying anything I got would be a gift to someone else, and I wouldn’t keep anything, but I ended up with no gifts to give, and my Christmas shopping fund is now down 20 bucks. So, I’ll write it off as a $20 game (it was fun) or a $20 lesson learned, and remember not to give into my impulses like that again!
