How often do you have a thought, but then forget it a minute later.Have you ever been walking to a meeting or in the mall, and remember you had to instruct your Personal Assistant to book your flight, or you had to buy something from the supermarket; then boom it has disappeared...again.Recall how many times you think of something and then forget it in a day, and how much time you waste trying to remember that item that you have just forgotten.Wouldn't it be better to not lose that thought?I always advise clients to write their thoughts on paper or using apps (such as the ones I describe below). By capturing your thought you allow yourself to then decide what to do with that idea or thought moving forward, instead of letting it float around your mind (and stressing it you out).Here are my favourite tricks to not forget your thought or idea:

1. Store it in your To Do List.As soon as you have a thought, put it in your to-do list app on your phone. I use TickTick religiously, but there are many to-do apps that are available which can be used such as Todoist.I keep the app in the first page on my phone which means it is accessible very quickly, as soon a thought comes to my head. I have been known to stop driving to note a thought before it disappears again. On most to-do lists, you can set a time to deal with that item later in the day or even week.

2. Put that idea in EvernoteIf you have a great idea for your home or business, such as a business collaboration, write that idea immediately in your notebook. I use the Evernote app regularly to log all my ideas and thoughts for my personal and business life. Within Evernote, you can create notebooks for specific matters which makes it easier to find your notes later (there is also a very good search function as well).I also keep a notebook in my car in case of emergencies (you never know when your technology could suddenly stop). If the note is very important or will be part of a bigger project, I take a photo of the written note and store it in Evernote.

3. Diarise the Appointment or Next Action item ImmediatelyDo you meet someone, agree to have a meeting together, but then forget the details as soon as you walk away from them? If yes, why not add it to your calendar immediately whilst talking to them. This means that you both have confirmed the details of the meeting at the same time and it cannot be forgotten.I also add all my important next action items such as "writing blog", "buying chicken from supermarket", "meet Client for analysis of office" into my calendar as soon as the thought pops in my head and add the time, date and reminder. As the calendar syncs between my computer and phone, I can always recheck appointments during the day.

4. Mind Map your Project Ideas For projects, I like to take out my coloured pens and an A4 piece of paper and mind map all my thoughts. An example of mind mapping can be seen above.I have used mind mapping for over 15 years for projects, travel planning and even to create my business plan. Mind mapping is a colourful way of listing and ensuring that everything that is in your head is captured. Once the information is captured, you can then create calendar reminders, to-do lists or action the item. Using different colours, helps you to focus on certain items within the map, and then start delegating your points in a fun and effective manner. Once you have captured your thoughts using one of these or all of these tricks, then start dealing with the items in a systematic approach. You will start finding you are more productive and focused on your day to day activities.Let me know if you find these tricks helpful and if you start to see a difference in how you deal with your thoughts and ideas. If you need more guidance on how to capture your daily thoughts, contact me and I will be able to book a session to help you start being more productive.

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The Most Important Tricks for Capturing What is In Your Head

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