Fatal distraction...Why we forget 6 things a day
FORGETTING stuff on the shopping list, where we left our mobile phone and passwords are among the six things that slip our minds every single day.
Other memory lapses include what day of the week it is and misplacing house keys.
The average adult will forget half a dozen things every day – the equivalent of 42 memory fails a week or more than 2,190 a year – a survey of 2,000 people found.
And the lockdown is only adding to our recall problems, with one in five saying the stress of restrictions caused them to forget more.
Parents also confessed to missing their children’s Zoom lessons and failing to check homework had been done during quarantine.
Harley Street-based psychologist
Dr Becky Spelman said: “We live in a frenetic world with a cocktail of factors influencing our cognitive function – whether it’s high-pressure jobs, the demands of parenting, or caring for pets already putting pressure on our memories.
“Add a global pandemic to the mix and it’s not surprising things have fallen by the wayside further.
“Covid-19 has turned our day-today routines on their heads. This lack of control has elevated our stress levels, which in turn affects our ability to recall information, dates and details.”
Absent-mindedness can have a financial impact, costing the average man £117.69 and the average woman £98.60 a year.
Forgetfulness cost young people aged between 16-24 an average of £303.32, compared with just £6.89 for savvy over-55s.
Expensive examples of the consequences of being forgetful included needing a plumber after leaving a tap running, paying for a locksmith and late fees for forgetting to pay an invoice.Almost one in three said the main cause for forgetfulness was general stress and anxiety.
One in four blamed daydreaming, watching TV, scrolling through social media and chatting to a partner for their poor memory.
Dr Spelman said healthy eating, a good night’s sleep and playing brain training games are all ways to improve your memory.
The report was commissioned by the online pet store ITCHpet.com, which also found 1.5 million owners forget flea treatments for pets.