If you have ever opened the pill box again to ask yourself “did I take it?”, you’re not alone. Forgetting medicine is rarely about willpower. More often the moment simply has no fixed place in your day. Here are things you can try today.
1. Attach it to something you already do
A new habit lasts longer when it follows something you do every day anyway.
- Morning medicine: after brushing your teeth, or after making your morning coffee
- Evening medicine: after you finish the dishes
- Bedtime medicine: when you plug in your phone charger
If your medicine has to be taken with or without food, follow the timing your doctor or pharmacist gave you first.
2. Keep it in one place you can see
Medicine in a drawer is easy to forget. Put it where you always pass at that time, such as next to your toothbrush or on the kitchen table. Keep it out of children’s reach and away from sunlight and damp.
3. One ring is not enough
A phone’s built-in alarm is over the moment you switch it off. Then something else comes up, and the pill is still sitting there. That’s why a reminder that rings again until you check it off helps.
CareRing first says “It’s time to take your medicine” out loud at the time you set. If you don’t check it off, a bell rings a few minutes later. Tap I took it on the notification and the remaining bells stop.
4. Answer “did I take it?” with a record
Relying on memory makes you worry about a double dose, and you end up skipping it. If you check off each dose once, you only need to look at the record later. After two weeks on a calendar you can also see which time of day you miss most.
5. Move the time that doesn’t work
If you often miss the evening dose, look at what happens at that time. If you’re usually on your way home, moving the reminder to after you arrive can be enough. Always ask your doctor or pharmacist before changing when you take a medicine.
In short
- Attach it to something you already do
- Keep it where you can see it
- Use a reminder that rings until you check it off
- Check your record instead of your memory
Always follow your doctor’s and pharmacist’s directions on how and when to take your medicine. This article is general lifestyle information.