Routine

I have not used an alarm clock for several years now. I get up at the same time, give or take 10 minutes, every day. It's the same routine. Pack my lunch, catch up on email and news, have breakfast, etc....then out the door.

Habitual behavior gets to the point where you don't even have to think about a lot of things that you do. It is like your body is driving you on autopilot. You are aware of your activities but accept it as a daily routine of what you are supposed to do.

Now you throw in variables. Let's take something that you do not do everyday but it needs to be done. Like taking garbage and recycling to the curb every Thursday. Does the time gap catch you off guard? It's been a week since the last time you did it, is your mind trained well enough to make that trip to the curb part of your routine?

In some cases yes, but we are in the age of information overload. More often, it takes trigger points to make pull us back into our element and get us on track. Simple things, like looking at a calendar, "oh it's Thursday", or a simple conversation "Can you bring the kitchen garbage out?" - things start to kick in and you are again reminded of what you are supposed to do.

It is said that everything you experience is stored in your memory. It's just a matter of being able to recall it.
Which brings me to the point of why I am posting this.
If you do something with repetition, a daily task, a daily routine, you are probably not as prone to remember exactly what you did.
For example, Do your daily routine. For me, I end up being at work for the day after my routine is done at home. At lunchtime, think back about what you did in the morning - you can easily recall. Now put some detail into it. Try it - were there dishes in the sink? Where was the cat? What did you pack for lunch? How much toothpaste is left?

Some can answer. Some cannot. Yet it is a daily task. Your body is on autopilot, just doing it's thing.

Now take a situation that is out of this world. You see a horrific accident as you drive to work. You vividly remember it, for days, months or years to come. On that day, think back about your regiment. How much toothpaste do you have left? Did you empty the dishwasher? At that point it might be a blur. Your "routine" was thrown off.

Or was it?

You still did what you had to do in the morning. You still made it to work. You are doing what you always did yet something remains that is the focus of your attention - the accident.

Things sometimes happen fast. I see a lot of accidents and unusual things on the way to work. I have been trying this theory that you can build your memory by viewing something that you do not see every day, then recalling something that you do every day. Some detail about it. Then refer back to it later. Even if it's something as simple as a license plate number from a hot looking sports car, then referring back to what is on the topshelf of your fridge, what you had for dinner the night before. When was the last time you vacuumed.

In time, I think it has helped me remember details. Why is this important? Well the benefits are obvious but just think about those reports we have seen from people who cannot remember much about their experience(s).
Have you ever seen a newscast - "suspect was driving a silver sedan heading northbound on Main St."
Great. That accounts for about 1600 residents who live on Main St. It's the details that count.

Happy Friday!