If your absent-mindedness is getting you down, first ask yourself if it’s about your priorities or someone else’s. Next, identify one thing you would like to work on. Start small—most big change is best made incrementally so you can problem-solve as you go and build in lasting habits. Think about what doesn’t work, and why. Then, think about what might work and give it a try!
Be wary of classes, programs, and systems. Most of these are designed and run by sequential thinkers who love to organize people and things. These are like the holy grail of organization perfection. “If you buy now, your house will be tidy, surfaces clear, papers filed alphabetically and by date, and your calendar will be a well-oiled machine!” Realistically, you would have to change more than your filing system to achieve this masterpiece of detail management. You would need to not just obtain the system, but the time to implement it, the ongoing effort to maintain it, the energy to prioritize it, and the grace to forgive yourself when it just isn’t working for you. What would you rather spend your time on?
