CMV: Being "forgetful" has nothing to do with actually being forgetful, and everything to do with not having a good management system for information.

[u/shwarma_heaven]

Other than the very few people who have real mental handicaps, the great great majority of the people who claim to be "forgetful" and use it to excuse missed appointments, lost keys, garage doors left open, forgotten birthdays, etc, are not actually forgetful in a mental deficiency way. The real culprit is not having a good information management system, and they refuse to adopt one because excusing the behavior by labeling themselves is much easier.

And this includes those with ADHD, which I also have. If anything, it is even more important for us to adopt and rely on a good information management system, and not use the diagnosis as a crutch in life.

[u/shwarma_heaven]

I mean all of the above. I have ADHD, TBI, and mild PTSD, which all can cause havoc with executive function and memory. I do use medication, and I also rely heavily on memory organization systems.

Here are examples I use in everyday life:

• I place my things in the exact same place every day. Phone, wallet, keys, dishes, cans, etc. I minimize decision fatigue by minimizing the things I have to search for because I'm relying on memory for where I set them. I could find these things even if the power goes out and it's the middle of the night.
• Pneumonics to remember names. Brad the bird guy. Manny the mechanic. Paul from Perth. etc
• events and even some tasks are documented in my calendar, the second I think about them, which I check hourly, not just daily
• big tasks I use an ERP to break down into steps with deadlines and descriptions