How not to lose things: Three techniques for keeping track of your stuff
Stever Robbins
Two summers ago I lost my keys for a full week . As a hyper - organized person whom Freud would have labeled “ anal retentive  ” this freaked me out . It was my then - 9 - year - old daughter who finally found the keys . I had slipped them into the pocket of her book bag when rushing frantically between assorted appointments . The keys had a relaxing week with Kelsea at pottery camp while I sweated and stewed over their absence . The technological solution All week long I wished I could “ call ” my keys like I do my cellphone when I need to find it . So I bought a gizmo to do just that . The product came in two parts : a little fob to attach to whatever you want to keep track of   and a remote control to press when you have   indeed   lost track of that thing . When you press the remote   the fob is supposed to chirp like a homing beacon . I attached the fob   stowed the remote somewhere I wouldn ’ t lose it — wouldn ’ t that be ironic ?— and went about my life . [ Misleading furniture labels : How to tell whether you have the real deal ] This past fall   I once again lost my keys . After searching for them for 20 minutes   I remembered the gizmo . “ Yes !” I thought   pleased and proud of my foresight . I yanked the remote out of the cabinet   pressed the button   and . The batteries in the remote   the fob — or both — had died . In my quest to remember where I put my keys   I had chosen a system that required me to remember to change batteries . There are now even higher - tech stuff - tracking - devices that integrate with your smartphone via Bluetooth . They   too   require batteries that can die . If you ’ re going to go this route   I suggest creating a calendar alert that reminds you to change the batteries annually . Of course   you ’ ll need to find the little round batteries the device requires . And you ’ ll need to remember to reset the calendar alert after you change them . You might as well just remember where you put your keys . The productivity coach ’ s solution Since “ smart technology ” failed me   I decided to consult a smart person instead :  Stever Robbins    a Harvard MBA and former CEO who coaches other CEOs on productivity .  Robbins  also hosts the “ Get It Done Guy ” podcast   which is where I first heard  him  talk about how to stop losing things . “ Bluntly   a major way to kill your productivity is to have to search for the things you need  ”  Robbins  said . “ Ideally   you want everything you ’ re going to use close to your fingertips . If it ’ s lost   you have to move your fingertips to go find it .” Therefore    Robbins  offers three pointers for keeping track of your belongings : 1 . Create a designated place for essentials . Try this exercise : Walk into your home with fresh eyes and look for a place where you can easily and reliably stow your essentials . If there is no such place   create one . For example   you might install a shelf with hooks beneath it near a power outlet . That way you can place your wallet and phone ( plugged in ) on the shelf and hang your keys from the hook . Having designated spots for true essentials like this will ward off the bulk of losses . If you have a tendency to lose things you use less often — say   your tool kit — the same principle applies : Create a specific place you will always keep it and then stick to it . Label the spot   if necessary   to remind yourself . [ The 14 most useful household products — and what you can do with them ] 2 . Create multiple places   if needed . But there ’ s more . Robbins knows our routines can vary . Maybe you enter your home through the back door when coming in from a run   but through the front when coming in from your car . Stowing your stuff near the front door when you ’ ve just come in the back goes against human nature . That ’ s why he suggests you create designated spots for your essentials near both doors . “ You want to limit the possible places where lost things can go to as few places as possible  ” Robbins said . That way you never need to check more than those one or two places to find something . Scan places before you leave . What about when you ’ re out and about ? First   Robbins tries to quickly create a temporary “ designated place ” wherever he is . If he ’ s at a coffee house   maybe he deliberately places his essential items in the righthand corner of the table . “ Then   when I ’ m going to leave a place   first I scan the area that I designated as my homeless items place  ”  Robbins  said . Next   he scans the entire room or   at least   wherever he has been in that room . For example    Robbins  gathers all his luggage by the door before leaving a hotel room   then walks the room from wall to wall to see if he ’ s forgotten anything . He may “ waste ” a couple of minutes doing that   but he saves many more minutes — calling the hotel   having his lost items shipped — when he finds something he forgot . Robbins ’ s guidance is gold . I myself decided years ago to put my wallet in the left outside pocket of my purse and my keys in the right — and I hardly ever lose them . But   as you know   sometimes I do . The NeuroLeadership coach ’ s solution For that I turned to certified NeuroLeadership Coach Linda Cassell of Quantum Leap Coaching and Training   who has studied brain science extensively to help her clients be more effective executives — and people . Cassell says that to a neuroscientist the key question is : “ Under what conditions do we lose things ?” Fortunately for us   she knows the answer : “ There is an old adage that says ‘ never go to sleep when you are angry  ’ ” Cassell said . “ If you want to know how not to lose things   never put anything away when you are stressed .” This explains why my own system was derailed when I was frantically rushing . “ Even if you have the good habit of putting your keys in the same place every time  ” Cassell explained   “ chances are   under those conditions   stress will void that habit .” Does this mean we all have to practice yoga and meditation so we won ’ t lose our keys ? Cassell says there are quicker   easier ways to reduce your stress and keep track of your stuff . Here are her tips : 1 . Cassell has studied under Mark Waldman   a neuroscience researcher at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles . That ’ s where she learned about the power of yawning . “ Yawning can release approximately 1   200 stress - reducing chemicals  ” Cassell said . “ Try worrying while you yawn . Put away your keys now   and you are likely to remember their location .” 2 . Cassell said stretching your body while you yawn is even better . Take a moment to stretch   starting with your neck and shoulders and moving to your arms and torso . The theory is stretching causes your brain to communicate relaxing signals to your body   which   in turn   helps you make better decisions . In this case   hopefully you ’ ll decide to put your keys in their designated spot . Finally   Cassell suggests a quick and easy mindfulness exercise . “ When you find yourself preoccupied   do something to bring yourself back into the moment  ” she said . “ Rub the palms of your hands together   take a gentle breath   or make a Mona Lisa smile . When you are present   you are in the driver ’ s seat . You get to choose what actions you will take .” The goal is to disrupt the “ muscle memory ” that allows our bodies to do things without our brains knowing what ’ s going on . Now that you are calm and conscious   put your keys - wallet - cellphone - toolkit away . Chances are   you won ’ t lose them .
Two summers ago I lost my keys for a full week . As a hyper - organized person whom Freud would have labeled “ anal retentive  ” this freaked me out . It was my then - 9 - year - old daughter who finally found the keys . I had slipped them into the pocket of her book bag when rushing frantically between assorted appointments . The keys had a relaxing week with Kelsea at pottery camp while I sweated and stewed over their absence . The technological solution All week long I wished I could “ call ” my keys like I do my cellphone when I need to find it . So I bought a gizmo to do just that . The product came in two parts : a little fob to attach to whatever you want to keep track of   and a remote control to press when you have   indeed   lost track of that thing . When you press the remote   the fob is supposed to chirp like a homing beacon . I attached the fob   stowed the remote somewhere I wouldn ’ t lose it — wouldn ’ t that be ironic ?— and went about my life . [ Misleading furniture labels : How to tell whether you have the real deal ] This past fall   I once again lost my keys . After searching for them for 20 minutes   I remembered the gizmo . “ Yes !” I thought   pleased and proud of my foresight . I yanked the remote out of the cabinet   pressed the button   and . The batteries in the remote   the fob — or both — had died . In my quest to remember where I put my keys   I had chosen a system that required me to remember to change batteries . There are now even higher - tech stuff - tracking - devices that integrate with your smartphone via Bluetooth . They   too   require batteries that can die . If you ’ re going to go this route   I suggest creating a calendar alert that reminds you to change the batteries annually . Of course   you ’ ll need to find the little round batteries the device requires . And you ’ ll need to remember to reset the calendar alert after you change them . You might as well just remember where you put your keys . The productivity coach ’ s solution Since “ smart technology ” failed me   I decided to consult a smart person instead :  [TGT]    a Harvard MBA and former CEO who coaches other CEOs on productivity .  [TGT]also hosts the “ Get It Done Guy ” podcast   which is where I first heard  [TGT]  talk about how to stop losing things . “ Bluntly   a major way to kill your productivity is to have to search for the things you need  ”  [TGT]said . “ Ideally   you want everything you ’ re going to use close to your fingertips . If it ’ s lost   you have to move your fingertips to go find it .” Therefore    [TGT]offers three pointers for keeping track of your belongings : 1 . Create a designated place for essentials . Try this exercise : Walk into your home with fresh eyes and look for a place where you can easily and reliably stow your essentials . If there is no such place   create one . For example   you might install a shelf with hooks beneath it near a power outlet . That way you can place your wallet and phone ( plugged in ) on the shelf and hang your keys from the hook . Having designated spots for true essentials like this will ward off the bulk of losses . If you have a tendency to lose things you use less often — say   your tool kit — the same principle applies : Create a specific place you will always keep it and then stick to it . Label the spot   if necessary   to remind yourself . [ The 14 most useful household products — and what you can do with them ] 2 . Create multiple places   if needed . But there ’ s more . [TGT] knows our routines can vary . Maybe you enter your home through the back door when coming in from a run   but through the front when coming in from your car . Stowing your stuff near the front door when you ’ ve just come in the back goes against human nature . That ’ s why he suggests you create designated spots for your essentials near both doors . “ You want to limit the possible places where lost things can go to as few places as possible  ” [TGT] said . That way you never need to check more than those one or two places to find something . Scan places before you leave . What about when you ’ re out and about ? First   [TGT] tries to quickly create a temporary “ designated place ” wherever [TGT] is . If [TGT] ’ s at a coffee house   maybe he deliberately places his essential items in the righthand corner of the table . “ Then   when I ’ m going to leave a place   first I scan the area that I designated as my homeless items place  ”  [TGT]said . Next   [TGT] scans the entire room or   at least   wherever [TGT] has been in that room . For example    [TGT]  gathers all [TGT] luggage by the door before leaving a hotel room   then walks the room from wall to wall to see if [TGT] ’ s forgotten anything . [TGT] may “ waste ” a couple of minutes doing that   but [TGT] saves many more minutes — calling the hotel   having [TGT] lost items shipped — when [TGT] finds something [TGT] forgot . [TGT] ’ s guidance is gold . I myself decided years ago to put my wallet in the left outside pocket of my purse and my keys in the right — and I hardly ever lose them . But   as you know   sometimes I do . The NeuroLeadership coach ’ s solution For that I turned to certified NeuroLeadership Coach Linda Cassell of Quantum Leap Coaching and Training   who has studied brain science extensively to help her clients be more effective executives — and people . Cassell says that to a neuroscientist the key question is : “ Under what conditions do we lose things ?” Fortunately for us   she knows the answer : “ There is an old adage that says ‘ never go to sleep when you are angry  ’ ” Cassell said . “ If you want to know how not to lose things   never put anything away when you are stressed .” This explains why my own system was derailed when I was frantically rushing . “ Even if you have the good habit of putting your keys in the same place every time  ” Cassell explained   “ chances are   under those conditions   stress will void that habit .” Does this mean we all have to practice yoga and meditation so we won ’ t lose our keys ? Cassell says there are quicker   easier ways to reduce your stress and keep track of your stuff . Here are her tips : 1 . Cassell has studied under Mark Waldman   a neuroscience researcher at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles . That ’ s where she learned about the power of yawning . “ Yawning can release approximately 1   200 stress - reducing chemicals  ” Cassell said . “ Try worrying while you yawn . Put away your keys now   and you are likely to remember their location .” 2 . Cassell said stretching your body while you yawn is even better . Take a moment to stretch   starting with your neck and shoulders and moving to your arms and torso . The theory is stretching causes your brain to communicate relaxing signals to your body   which   in turn   helps you make better decisions . In this case   hopefully you ’ ll decide to put your keys in their designated spot . Finally   Cassell suggests a quick and easy mindfulness exercise . “ When you find yourself preoccupied   do something to bring yourself back into the moment  ” she said . “ Rub the palms of your hands together   take a gentle breath   or make a Mona Lisa smile . When you are present   you are in the driver ’ s seat . You get to choose what actions you will take .” The goal is to disrupt the “ muscle memory ” that allows our bodies to do things without our brains knowing what ’ s going on . Now that you are calm and conscious   put your keys - wallet - cellphone - toolkit away . Chances are   you won ’ t lose them .