In our daily lives, we probably do many things without them registering very deeply at all.
Obviously, when you start to focus on particular tasks more closely, you will get better results.
Keep doing that for a couple of weeks and you have a new habit, and a very positive one!
Copyright © 2006 by John Williams 18. http://www.ezymagic.com/
“Maximum Memory Power” by John Williams
Page 19 of 67
Changing from your previous ways will not be as easy as it is for me to suggest it here, but I’m confident that you’ll succeed if you approach it in a positive manner.
Do you remember the task you started a couple of pages back? That’s right, putting an important check in an envelope and trying to ensure that you remembered to take it with you, and posted it at the first opportunity.
The next step, as an extra support to your improving focus, is to associate the letter containing the check with the place that you put it. You can make a mental picture of the check, greatly enlarged, covering your desk. Because the important point is that you must remember to take the letter with you and post it, you could make a mental picture of a giant check on the back of your front door or have the check stuck in the lock of the front door, so that the picture will pop into your mind when you are locking the door to go out.
Try to eliminate extra actions when handling important matters. When you write the letter and try to attach the check, you might find that your stapler is empty. So, you put the letter aside until you make time to find the packet of staples and refill the machine. Or, you can’t find a stamp in your desk, so you leave the letter there until you buy more stamps.
If necessary, set aside the necessary time to organize your desk and stationery. That alone will save you time every week in the future.
Now, you can write the letter, staple the check to it, put the stamp on the envelope and put the letter in your briefcase or bag, ready for you to post.
You could still use a mental picture like I described before to help remind you to actually post the letter!
The “Did I … ?” Dilemma!
When you leave your home, do you sometimes quickly duck back to see if you really did turn off the stove or the iron, lock the cat door and put out the garbage can?
Copyright © 2006 by John Williams 19. http://www.ezymagic.com/
“Maximum Memory Power” by John Williams
Page 20 of 67
This is a common worry which can become very stressful for a few people, but it doesn’t really do anyone much good. Just imagine how much productive time we could recover if everyone found out a simple way to never suffer the “Did I …” dilemma again?
They can fix it forever just by buying this book!
If you think that you know the answer - that I’m going to say that the solution is a new mental image for each task which you must do before you leave your home in the morning or your office after the day’s work, you’re very sharp.
But, please don’t skip the rest of this section – there are a couple of tweaks that might help you.
Let’s say that you are going out and you have to do all these things just before you leave:
• Switch on the answering machine
• Lock the cat in the shed
• Switch off the television at the wall plug.
• Put the garbage can in the collection area
For each of them, you should make a mental picture. I’d prepare a mental picture for each well before I did any of the tasks. Maybe. something like these:
• Your phone going crazy because it’s not being answered.
• Your lovely cat shredding your best curtains
• Your television with smoke pouring out of it, and
• Your garbage can overflowing in your living room, with trash falling on your best carpet.
Change the relevant picture when you complete each task.
Copyright © 2006 by John Williams 20. http://www.ezymagic.com/
“Maximum Memory Power” by John Williams
Page 21 of 67
Picture your answering machine throwing out dollars or hearts, depending on what sort of messages you are hoping to get.
Then, change the next picture to one of your cat sleeping happily in its basket. You did put its basket and water bowl in the shed as well, didn’t you?
Change the next picture to show your television with the power cord plug resting on top and …
The last one could become a picture of your garbage can being emptied into the garbage truck.
They sound crazy - especially the one about the cat sleeping in its basket while you’re away. But, they’re the sort of image which will stick in your mind and help you to change “Did I …. ?!” to
“I Know I Did! ” every time.