Achieving goals can often be a daunting task, but research suggests that the simple act of setting reminders can significantly boost our chances of success. This method, termed “cognitive offloading”, involves leveraging external tools such as notepads or digital alerts to assist our memory, writes Richard Sima for The Washington Post.  

Sam Gilbert, a professor at University College London, sheds light on this phenomenon: “It’s quite hard to achieve our goals. There are many reasons why we get led astray or don’t manage to realize our goals.”  

A predominant reason is our tendency to forget. Studies indicate that a substantial portion of our daily memory lapses relate to forgetting our set intentions. 

Setting reminders not only enhances memory performance but also allows us to allocate our cognitive resources more efficiently to other intricate tasks. However, it’s worth noting the potential downsides.  

Overreliance on external reminders might lead to issues if the reminder is misplaced. The more vital the goal, the more we tend to offload it, which can pose risks if the external reminder is lost. 

While reminders can be a potent tool in goal realization, it’s crucial to find a balance between external aids and innate memory capabilities. 

Learn more about the importance of setting reminders in The Washington Post. 

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