Out of Sight, Out of Mind

The other day I included a bath mat with my laundry and put it in the washing machine.  When I went to check on the load a half hour later, the bath mat was so heavy with water that it tilted the entire load and interrupted the spin cycle.  No matter how many times I readjusted the bath mat, the washing machine would not complete the spin cycle, so I  finally removed it and the load was able to finish.

The mat was dripping wet, so I laid it outside by the clothesline in the back of my apartment building hoping the sun would dry it out.  Then I forgot about it, a few days passed, and then it rained.  I do this sort of thing all the time.

You would think that each time I stepped out of the shower and onto a towel on the floor that wasn't my bathmat, that I would remember to check on how it was drying outside.  But instead, I just got used to the towel being on the floor.  Because not only am I "out of sight, out of mind", but I am highly adaptable.  If something changes in my environment, I just get used to it.  If dishes start to stack in my sink, I don't notice them anymore until I have no more clean dishes.  If a sweater ends up on the floor, it becomes a fixture on the floor until the weekend comes and I'm like, "hey I should probably vacuum, by the way, what's that sweater doing there?"

I've been this way for as long as I can remember.  I do this at work too.  I have all sorts of folders out and pieces of paper on my desk that I should just put away, but the problem with that is if I file them away it's gone forever.  So I leave things out.   If they are not in front of me, they don't exist.

Then I try to make lists of things to do, but then guess what happens?  I forget where my lists are.  Then I'm like, "hey I know there was supposed to be something that I needed to do."  So then I send myself reminder emails, and then my inbox gets so full I get overwhelmed.  And then I adapt to my inbox being full and forget about it.  So then I write myself reminder notes on my hand--- and guess what--this actually works for me.

So instead of a piece of string around my finger, I opt for ink on my hand.  I know it looks tacky, like I was just at the club the night before and forgot to wash the stamp off,  but I don't care.  I guess I must look at my hands alot?  Why does this work?

I also have to put my gym bag in front of my door the night before a gym day--or I may forget to go the gym after work.   I have to put my rent check in an envelope and leave it by the front door, or I will forget to pay my rent.  I do have a calendar on my wall and that works somewhat.  As long as I remember to actually look at the calendar.

This "out of sight, out of mind" disease is terrible on friendships.  I have a routine and the people I see the most are the ones that are part of my routine.  I apologize if I have affected you.  It's not you, it's me.  No really.  IT'S ME.  Please forgive me.  I will write you on my hands next time.