How Good Is Your Memory?
Do you rely on your memory?
We’ve all been there, sitting in a meeting saying “yes I’ll do that” and then something happens and you totally forget about it.
Normally the person you’ve told you’ll do it doesn’t forget, and that may cause some embarrassment when they ask you how it’s going. That chill feeling that you’ve overlooked it suddenly arrives!
In reality not doing something isn’t always a problem (unless there are legislative timetables to hit) and as long as you keep people informed, their expectations are managed correctly.
But if you’ve forgotten about it how can you keep them informed?
The simple answer is don’t forget – I know this sounds a little flippant. Maybe we should say take every effort not to forget. No one is perfect!
When you have agreed to something make sure you schedule it into your plans to do, this could be allowing time in your diary, or if it’s simple, and you have a moment, just doing it there and then.
Once you have scheduled time for it, if you regularly refer back to your plans this item will continually be seen and you’ll not forget it. When you get to the time scheduled and you find you can’t do it – agree a revised delivery date with your customer/colleague/supplier and again schedule it accordingly.
Obviously the intention is not to keep re-scheduling things, and this should only be the exception, but knowing you have allowed time for it to be done is part of the process to make sure it happens.
This simple approach will keep things moving and, hopefully, reduce if not remove those moments of realisation that you’ve forgotten something.
