How to Remember Important Dates

Mnemonic devices and good old-fashioned date books can pave the way to a more productive and efficient memory.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Business Card Holders
• Electronic Personal Organizers
• Wall Calendars
• Pens
• Personal Organizers

1. Invest in a sturdy and accurate date book with plenty of room for multiple entries and details.
2. Train yourself to check the date book every day, first thing in the morning.
3. Use mnemonic devices, which are whole-brain memory techniques. For instance, utilize a rhyming technique, such as, "On June 28, Bill and I have a date."
4. Visualize each week and month as a virtual calendar in your head. By imagining the impending event within this virtual calendar, you will have a visual "memory" of it before it even occurs.
5. Carry your date book with you at all times. When you make a date with someone, record it immediately in your date book.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep a wall calendar or separate minicalendar on hand to remember birthdays and anniversaries. Train yourself to check the calendar every week to plan for impending events, such as buying gifts or writing cards.
• If you're online every day, use eHow to send yourself a reminder (see "Remind me to do this," below). Many e-mail programs, including Microsoft Outlook, also have calendars with pop-up reminders.
• Don't rely on sticky notes and cluttered bulletin boards; it's too easy for these scraps of paper to get lost or buried under other scraps of paper.