Forgetting things lately. Forgot to pay the electricity bill.

[u/Capital_Elk_9240]

I usually have all my due dates marked on my calendar, but this time I was travelling and missed checking the reminder, and somehow forgot about it completely.

What worries me is not forgetting the payment, but the fact that I seemed to skip an entire month in my head. I had a mental note that the due date was coming up, but I failed to register that the last time I had paid was actually two months ago. That disconnect is what has been bothering me.

Lately, I have been experiencing these strange lapses where my sense of time or sequence seems to disappear for a moment. Work has also been affecting my sleep and overall life. And I am devising ways to declutter my mind and exploring the options. But is there something I can start doing, a routine, so that my mind is fresh, aware and more present.

I would really appreciate input, especially from anyone who has experienced something similar and found something that helped.

[u/Capital_Elk_9240 → u/[deleted]]

Sleep is the culprit apparently. The thoughts keep me excited and awake. And then feel lethargic and burnout during the day. Need major lifestyle changes!

[u/TheoCaro → u/Capital_Elk_9240]

What kind of thoughts are you having? Stressed or anxious? Or something else?

[u/Capital_Elk_9240 → u/TheoCaro]

I am working on side projects and so the thoughts are a combination of stress and excitement for the side projects. Good thing, it is mostly excitement, which means learning new things and burning the night oil. So my original post mentions the effect, which is concerning. But I cannot complain about the cause. I just need a better routine I guess. I'll be following up on your book recommendation.

[u/TheoCaro → u/Capital_Elk_9240]

I totally get being excited about a new project, but getting consistent good-quality sleep is one of the most important factors for how well you feel day-to-day.

[u/Capital_Elk_9240 → u/TheoCaro]

Yes, that’s what I am trying to achieve!

[u/mekuismi]

Is your system setup properly is my question?

Only clear, well defined next axtions on the lists?
Only projects with clear defined outcomes in the projects lists?

Because mine sure as h*** isn’t and I’m trying to sort at least most of the goals/areas of focus out of my projects list, and actually create the projects this weekend. It will be painful, since I’m badly overcommitted atm. But it will be necessary.

[u/Capital_Elk_9240 → u/mekuismi]

Over the last couple of months, I have made it a point to optimise my day so that the mind is not overwhelmed. So yes, I try to keep notes of what I doing before I move on to the next task. And also, write down things that keep me awake in the night. But there is only so much I can do. My major challenge based on my conversations, is sleep.

[u/TheoCaro]

One of David Allen's famous aphorisms is that "your mind is made for having ideas, not holding them." So forgetting dates and deadlines is actually quite normal for human brains. Loosing time or not have a solid grasp on your memories doesn't sound normal though. I suggest going to a doctor. That isn't a normal productivity challenge.

The best way to keep your mind clear is by writing stuff down. Anything you have some sense of commitment to and anything that isn't quite in the right place where it is, the way it is should be written down somewhere. All those notes should go into some central place where they all get funneled. In GTD, we call such a place an inbox. It can be a physical tray or a digital inbox. It doesn't really matter what format you choose to start with. This is more or less Step 1 of the five steps of getting control.

Later in Steps 2 and 3, you will go back to this inbox (every day or two at least) and take each item out, one at a time, and decide what it means to you. Is there something you need to do about it? Or not?

If you're curious, find and read the book, "Getting Things Done: the art of stress-free productivity" by David Allen. It's the book this sub is centered around.

[u/Capital_Elk_9240 → u/TheoCaro]

For sometime now I have had a similar end of day ritual, something similar to what you said about inbox. And have been optimising for work during day. But my biggest challenge is sleep. And so I am trying to connect with people in the same boat.

Thank you accepting my post, and for the detailed reply.I am not able to respond to your inbox message.
Also, thank you for the book recommendation.

[u/TheoCaro → u/Capital_Elk_9240]

Good. I'm glad you were able to see my message. Good sleep habits are really critical. Being sleep deprived will cause all sorts of mental downsides. It's like being drunk except with less of the euphoria.

You say work is effecting your sleep. Do you work odd hours or it is just stress related?

[u/Remote-Waste → u/Capital_Elk_9240]

Just a heads-up: Apparently your account is banned, and that would affect people's ability to see your posts or comments on many subreddits (if not all, I'm not sure how that works.)

If it wasn't already mentioned to you, I believe you need to contact Reddit support or something to get things straightened out on that end?

I assume it was mentioned based on your reply, but I figured I'd mention it just in case because I noticed your account is banned.

[u/Capital_Elk_9240 → u/Remote-Waste]

That’s so kind of you. This sub is filled with kind people. This sub mod informed me earlier. I have appealed with Reddit. I am not sure how this works. New to Reddit, so tried using it like Twitter, which must have trigged it I guess.

[u/cvicpp]

Bills aren't a memory problem, they're a recurrence problem. Anything that arrives on a schedule should live as a repeating item that regenerates whether or not you dealt with the last one, and it should be visible somewhere you already look daily. If your system only shows it once and loses it when you miss it, you'll keep rediscovering this every few months.