50 • DECEMBER 2021M
y son started secondary
school recently. There was
a huge amount to get used
to, but he coped more
than well.
Until Monday of week two, when
he accidentally left his entire sports
kit on the bus.
The school was sympathetic, while
we did everything we could to get
his gear back. But it was nowhere
to be found, and we had to buy the
whole set of clothes, boots and other
accessories all over again.
It’s a pretty typical part of family
life, I suppose: expensive, but easily
forgiven. And it got me thinking
about why this sort of forgetfulness
is so common—and what we can do
to combat it. For my son, there were
three key factors. First, he was doing
something he wasn’t used to. It was
the first time he’d carried an extra
sports bag, and he simply followed
his usual habit of leaving the bus
without one.Tip 1: When you’ve got
something new or out-of-the-
ordinary with you, make an
extra effort to keep it close.HEALTHThe second reason my son forgot
his kit was likely stress. It was a new
bus route for him, so he was anxious
about getting off at the right stop. In
moments like that, memory is low on
the brain’s priority list.Tip 2: When you’re on high alert, try
to calm yourself down by slowing your
breathing and stabilising yourself.
Then give yourself a moment to think
logically, and check for anything
you might be about to lose (you can
apply this to anything you need to
remember. You’ll always do better
when you’re happy and relaxed).Tip 3: The third reason he forgot his
bag was that he couldn’t see it. He’d
slid it under the seat in front of him.
So, when he stood up to leave, there
was nothing to remind him that he
was one item light. When you’re
on the move, try to keep any loose
possessions in sight—so that they’re
safe but still visible to you (and in
all your learning, try to visualise
ideas, draw pictures, use coloured
pens... and make everything more
vividly memorable). It’s easy to lose
things, so don’t be too hard either on
yourself or others.
But do a few simple things to boost
your brain, and you’ll stand a much
better chance of keeping hold of
your stuff.
As for my son, thankfully
he’s not left anything else
behind—yet! QStop Memories
Going Missing
Fed up with losing things? Fight
forgetfulness with the help of our
memory expert, Jonathan Hancock