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“I’ll just remember.”
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“I forgot.”
“I Just Can’t Remember” … Now What?
Getting into the habit of setting reminders takes a lot of practice. So where to begin? Identify your failure points. What are the things you tend to forget – handing in math homework, paying your credit card bill, professor’s office hours, etc.?
Step 1
Eliminate shame/blame language, especially with yourself. Approach the situation with true curiosity, “Why do I keep keep forgetting to hand in my math assignment?” I always encourage students to look at a missed reminder as an opportunity to get better. It’s how we all learn and there’s no shame in that.
Step 2
What broke down in the routine? “I finished the math assignment, I had it on my to do list.” Become a detective, investigate your process looking for clues as to what happened. “I forgot to hand it in. My teacher requires us to take a picture of the homework and submit it as a PDF.” Many times, there are steps overlooked in a routine. In this instance, the student doesn’t just need to complete the math, they need to take a picture of it, upload it into an app, then submit it through the portal. They need to add those steps to their to do list.
Step 3
Remembering to remember. You realize you need to add a new step to your routine, how do you remember that you need to do that? Many turn to the Reminder app in their phone with a notification to remind them “Submit PDF”. Others rely on a sticky note on their computer screen or the bathroom mirror. Perhaps a parent or roommate could help.
Step 4
Assess the routine. Is the strategy working? What needs to be tweaked? If the student continues to forget to submit the assignment because they didn’t see the Reminder app notification, it’s time to get creative. School portals like Canvas and Google Classroom have the ability to set reminders through the calendar page. Ask a friend in class to text you when they submit their homework.
Step 5
Adjust and try again. Be flexible with your reminder strategies. What works for you today may not work for you tomorrow.
Be Patient
Setting reminders can help you to be more organized, productive, and less stressed. It’s important to be patient with yourself and to experiment with different strategies until you find what works best for you. Everyone is different, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to setting reminders. Don’t be afraid to give something new a try.
