Nowadays we have so many commitments and options,that our lives are packed with activities, courses, people, appointments, children activities. It is difficult to remember everything you need to do. These 4 ways will help you pay attention to the detail so you remember when needed.

1. 4 CREATIVE WAYS TO INCREASE
YOUR ATTENTION TO DETAIL
4 Creative Ways to Increase Your Attention to Detail
Do some of the finer details about your job and personal life escape you? Are there
some things that you seem to continue to overlook? You're likely frustrated by not
being able to get everything right, especially the simple things.
It could be that what's affecting you is a lack of attention to detail. It's not that you
want to overlook things. It's probably that the details just slip your mind at the moment.
The great news is that it's possible to increase your attention to detail so not as many
things slip your mind at inopportune times.
Develop these four simple strategies for ensuring greater attention to detail:
1. Start with a checklist. Perhaps one of the easiest ways to ensure all details are
captured is to make a checklist. Ideally, have your list ready before you begin a
task.
Once you're done, go back to the checklist to ensure that all items listed have
been accomplished.
In some cases, you may need to make a hand-written list. In other cases,
you can simply commit the items to memory. You can even use apps on
your smart phone to make lists.
Do you keep forgetting which days your daughter has extracurricular
activities? You may want to permanently place a list of events on the
refrigerator.
1
Discover more free tools at http://www.ahappierself.com

2. 2. Put yourself in the other person's shoes. Let's say you have a new project at
work. You feel like you have a pretty good handle on what's required. But at the
end of it, your boss points out four or five things you overlooked. How do you
prevent it from happening again?
Think of the project from your boss’s point of view. If you were him, what
would you be looking for?
Look at your work objectively. Walk away for a little while. Then, take a
truly unbiased look at what you’ve done and consider whether you’ve
accomplished the goal.
Devise a visual way of organizing future projects. For example, you could
use a bulletin board and post-it notes to identify each step of the project
so no detail is bypassed.
3. Use a mnemonic device to remember certain details.A mnemonic device is a
way to learn and remember information. Sometimes people make up a word, silly
phrase, or short poem so their brain remembers some piece of information.
One common mnemonic device used to memorize North America’s Great
Lakes is to take the first letter of each lake and create the word “HOMES”
(Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior).
Using effective memory strategies can be a huge help in remembering details
in your personal life as well.
Do you have difficulty remembering whether your best friend likes
chocolate or strawberry ice cream? You can make up a funny sentence
with your friend’s name and the flavor they love.
For example, Sara loves strawberry ice cream. Sara and strawberry both
start with the letter “s” so it’s easy to remember.
2
Discover more free tools at http://www.ahappierself.com

3. 4. Commit tasks to conscious memory. For the more routine responsibilities, it's
a good idea to reaffirm their importance to you. By taking the time to drill them
into your consciousness, it's easier to remember them.
It could be as simple as getting ready for work in the morning. Are all the
steps important? Have you applied face moisturizer and deodorant? What
about your vitamins?
Let's say you're preparing a speech to promote new products. What does
the audience need to hear? Do you believe in the products? Reaffirm their
importance so it's easier to sell your conviction.
Learning how to pay attention to detail is an ongoing exercise, even for detail-oriented
people! Every time you start something else, you're responsible for focusing on
what's important. Then you need to ensure those details are remembered.
After you get into the habit of practicing these four techniques, you'll find that you’re
more successful at remembering details. Everyone around you will feel comfortable
with relying on you to finish things. Wouldn’t that be great?
Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)
3
Discover more free tools at http://www.ahappierself.com