Write It Down Instead of Remembering Everything

Scripture: “Write down the revelation and make it plain.” Habakkuk 2:2

Tip: Give your brain a break. Keep important information in one reliable place instead of trying to remember everything.

Reminder: Writing something down is not a sign that you cannot remember. It can help you organize your thoughts, listen more intentionally, and protect your time and energy.

Throughout my years of caregiving, I have worked in some pretty chaotic environments. There can be people asking questions, phones ringing, schedules changing, appointments coming up, activities happening, and several things needing my attention at the same time. I learned a long time ago that trying to keep everything in my head simply does not work for me.

One of my little secrets has always been a small notebook.

I could carry it with me and quickly write down something important before it disappeared from my mind. Maybe someone needed me to follow up on something. Maybe I needed to make a phone call. Maybe there was a change I needed to remember later. I did not have to stop everything and take care of it immediately. I could write it down and know that I had a place to return to it.

There is another reason writing things down has become important to me. Because of my hearing loss, I have learned that taking notes is actually one of the ways I listen to people. When someone is sharing something important with me, I intentionally listen and write down what they are saying. It helps me focus on the conversation and make sure I understand what I am hearing.

I can trace some of that all the way back to elementary school. My speech therapist, Mrs. Harmon, taught me the value of writing things down. What I learned from her became a tool that I have continued to use throughout my life. Something that helped me as a child eventually became something that helped me professionally and personally as a caregiver.

When I think about it, I saw this modeled at home too. My mom has always been very good about writing things on her calendar. I cannot tell you how many times I have given her a date and watched her immediately look at her calendar. Growing up, I remember how full that calendar could be.

Looking back now, I understand it differently. She had a lot going on. Writing something on the calendar was not because she wasn't listening to me. It was because she was listening. She wanted to make sure what she heard was captured somewhere she could find it again.

I think that is an important distinction for caregivers.

Writing something down can actually be an act of intentional listening. When someone tells us about an appointment, a concern, a preference, or something they need, taking a moment to record it can communicate, “What you are telling me matters enough that I don't want to forget it.”

Today, technology makes this even easier for me. I can create a note on my phone, add something to my calendar, or set a reminder. The tool has changed from the little notebook I carried around, but the principle has stayed the same: I don't need to carry everything in my head.

Think about how much information a caregiver may carry during an ordinary week. There are appointments, questions, medications, phone calls, changes in routines, things that need to be purchased, information someone told us, and things we need to follow up on later. On top of all of that, we are trying to be present for the person in front of us.

That is a lot for one brain to hold.

Sometimes we worry that if we stop thinking about something, we will forget it. So the reminders keep running through our minds: Don't forget to call. Don't forget to ask. Don't forget the appointment. Don't forget what they told me.

All of those little reminders take energy.

Writing things down gives them somewhere else to live.

Whether you prefer a notebook, your phone, or a calendar like my mom has always used, having one reliable place for important information can create a little order in the middle of caregiving chaos.

It can also help us become better listeners. Instead of trying to remember what we want to say next or worrying that we will forget something important, we can slow down, listen, write it down, and return our attention to the person in front of us.

Writing things down is also a small act of kindness toward ourselves. Our minds need room for more than remembering tasks. We need room to think, listen, connect, laugh, pray, rest, and simply be present.

So today, notice how many times you tell yourself, I need to remember that.

Maybe you don't.

Listen. Write it down. Let your mind release it.

Sometimes caring for ourselves and caring well for others can be as practical as putting pen to paper or opening a note on our phone.

Keep on Caring,

Jeremy

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Write It Down Instead of Remembering Everything