The One Tool You Need to Never Lose Track of Your Tasks

Simple, clever solutions form good habits. At least that’s what science tells us.

Daniel Levitin, behavioural neuroscientist and author of The Organized Mind, tells us that we take in five times as much information today as we did in 1986. In this age of information overload, it’s critical that we build and organize our lives to work with our human brains, so that we can reduce the burden of the mental load we carry. Making lists is one of the vital organizing habits covered in Levitin's book.

Making a “TO-DO” or “TO-BUY” list is the most basic way that each of tries to stay organized. Downloading the tasks swimming through our overloaded brains means we are less likely to lose track of our tasks. No remembering. No string tied around the finger. The grocery list, the honey-do list, the Christmas shopping list...We can all make a list, right? We can all make a good list, as long as we remember what needs to go on it. Aye, there's the rub. As a mom of a newborn, remembering to remember is amongst my greatest challenges at the moment.

I recently learned how to take "remembering to remember" to a new level of organized with the Elmer’s Freestyle Repositionable Stick ‘em Squares.

Here’s the thing: a list is only as good as the things you remember to put on it. So, if you’re making a grocery list and forget to include your pantry items, and cleaning supplies, it wasn't a great list. You forgot to remember something. 

If you’re making your weekend to-do list, and don’t include all of the things you need to accomplish, it wasn't a great list. You forgot to remember something.

The only way to never lose track of your tasks is to never have to remember. I spent the week writing all the "TO-DOs" and "TO-BUYs" on my Stick 'em squares as soon as they came to mind. Writing tasks down immediately meant that I wouldn't need to remember anything when it came time to make a master shopping TO-BUY list or weekend TO-DO list.

The Stick ‘em Squares are re-usable, repositionable, washable, and can be stored between uses. I stuck these babies to five high-traffic list areas in our house, so their durability was important. On tile, plastic, painted or stained wood, glass, and metal - almost anywhere where you need place to scrawl your tasks. They did not disappoint. 

1. Front Door

I loved leaving reminders at the front door, as well as a mushy message or two.

2. Kitchen Cupboard

The kitchen is the hub of EVERYTHING in nearly every home. An aid with meal planning and grocery lists takes the pressure off to remember.

3. Cleaning Cupboard

I have a real problem remembering cleaning products at the store. A list in the cleaning cupboard leaves no room for excuses.

4. Laundry Room

Leaving messages for others means delegation is accomplished without the nag-factor.

5. Bathroom

Fun messages can also help keep other family members organized. 

Organizing your home is done best when it works with the flow of how you live your life. Extra effort to stay organized means broken habits and failed projects. By locating your “TO DO” and “TO BUY” lists at the source of your house’s action, losing track of your tasks is nearly impossible.

...unless you're a new mom. Your license to forget to remember is limitless...