Our memories aren't 100% reliable when we're multi-tasking or thinking ahead. So if you ever want to remember something like – "Did I turn off the lights before leaving for dinner?" – don't overthink. This life hack is quite simple and makes complete sense.
Contributing editor of Inc., Bill Murphy Jr., shared an anecdote about his uncle casually offering some sage advice while on a recent sailing excursion.
Once a year, Murhpy Jr. and his wife visit his aunt and uncle in Rhode Island, and one of the highlights is setting out on a sailboat.
I get to do this only once a year or so at most, and it's always a lot of fun. Every time I go, though, it seems my uncle has to start more or less from scratch telling me things I can do to help out.
The uncle, who was formerly an Army drill sergeant, gave the usual instructions to his nephew as they prepared for mooring. But he added one more detail Murphy Jr. had never thought about until now.
So as we were wrapping up a nice evening sail, he started telling me exactly what to do to help him quickly tie the boat to the buoy: Use this hook, grab that rope, string it below that line, tie it to this cleat.
'The last thing we do is this,' he said, pulling out his iPhone and taking a quick picture of how I'd tied the line to the cleat. 'This is so when you wake up at 2 a.m. wondering, 'Did I tie up the boat correctly?' you don't have to drive an hour back to the dock to find out.'
I'm sorry. This is such a simple solution to so many everyday ordinary problems, especially if you have a lot of things on your mind.
The solution was always within reach. And Murphy Jr. added that the solution isn't limited to the "physical world."
The habit can come in handy when it comes to work responsibilities and paying bills, by simply taking a screenshot.
He also mentioned that all those snapshots aren't just for verifying a memory; they're for creating ones as well.
It means you create a personal photo diary on your phone, documenting all the mundane moments that actually make up a big part of your life.
For my uncle, he came up with the idea after a bitter experience. Let's just say that thing about driving to the dock in the middle of the night wasn't hypothetical.
Others have been wise to this not-so-secret solution by providing other examples.
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