Every day we are introduced to a new challenge, whether it’s an important appointment or remembering to take food out of the freezer in the morning. Life requires us to remember everything that is going on, to stay on the right track and not derail. But for a brain injury survivor, it can be difficult with hidden disabilities like fatigue and memory loss. What should take 2 minutes can turn into 2 hours, or not at all! Hills become mountains, puddles into oceans.
But day to day functioning following a brain injury does not have to be impossible, there is no one solution but many techniques you can introduce into your routine. Surprisingly simple, even annoyingly obvious, methods of remembering and completing tasks.
A Place for Everything
Keys, a universal inconvenience made into a daily struggle for brain injury survivors. A notorious example of a greater difficulty, with objects disappearing without a trace. So, how can we try to prevent the frantic search under the sofa pillows? Simply having a place for everything. Keys go in the bowl by the door, the spices are all in the back cupboard by the sink, socks are at the top of the drawer, etc.
It’s a very simple strategy that you might already be doing. How many times has an item moved from its usual spot and suddenly vanished? It is an example of memory association that can help you stay organised when looking for something!
“I know there will be loads of people sitting there saying, ‘Yeah, that happens to me. I don’t have a brain injury!’ But this tends to happen a lot more to somebody like myself, or somebody who is dealing with a brain injury. And then somebody like you, who is living with that person, or maybe the person who’s made that appointment… They can feel really really let down. And yourself inside, you know that’s really hard to take because you think, ‘I let that person down.’” - Mark
Reminders
At your fingertips is a device with hundreds of available apps to remind you of chores, medications, or appointments. How you set it up and what works best is entirely up to you. Sometimes, we need more than just one reminder. Maybe even a day’s notice of a coming event! But if that doesn’t work for you, there are plenty of other alternatives. Post-it notes, for example, are great for physical reminders you can not miss! Provided you stick it to somewhere you will definitely look.
Sometimes, reminders from ourselves are not enough and we require the aid of a friend or loved one. If you know someone able to assist, ask them to call you and say, “Hey! Don’t forget!” Be grateful for the help too, even if you remembered anyway. They are taking time out of their day for your benefit to avoid the potential chance of you forgetting.
The 3-step rule
Mark’s 3-step rule is a simple guide on how to approach any task. Ask yourself, can it be done in 3 steps? If the answer is no, it can become a daunting and overwhelming feat to pull off. So, what next? You have two options, option 1 being: ask for help! Whether it is a friend, loved one, work colleague, or anyone relating to the task at hand.
Option 2 is a little more involved. If the task takes more than 3 steps, can you break it down into 3 steps? A recipe, for example, can make even the simplest margherita pizza into building a space rocket. So, break it down. For example, start by prepping the food: grate the cheese, slice the tomatoes, and file the dough ingredients in order. 3 steps and a whole less hassle!
“Remembering to remember, things that you need to do throughout the day. Things like losing track of time. Again, if you are doing something and you know that you have an appointment or that you have to make a phone call or something in an hour’s time… Set an alarm or have a clock in front of you. Just try to make your life as simple as possible and just try to help yourself remember the things that you have to do that day.” - Jules
Day to Day
We can become hard on ourselves when we feel like we let others down, whether that is from unintentional forgetfulness or overwhelming fatigue. Our minds are always chugging along like a great big train charging forward, that time often slips away. But with the right day-to-day techniques, you’ll remember to remember those important details and tasks. Setting yourself back onto the correct track, 3 steps at a time!
If you would like to learn more tips and techniques for living with a brain injury, why not check out our FREE webinars? With a new topic every month, you can listen in or ask some questions. Sign up for our next one here!