Question that needs answers

There are several question that might need answering in order to understand the situation.

What age are you?
What has changed in your life recently?
What are your major stressors right now (like a job change, relationship change, death in family/friend, recent operation or health problem, major routine change)?

Most of the time when I've experienced what you're mentioning it's been because I haven't slept well, or recently changed jobs, or just am stressed out. Sometimes it's been because my mind is pre-occupied with something hanging over my head..(big bills, new or old relationship)

You wrote, "Is there an issue?"
Perhaps you can tell us best if there's an issue? Has this forgetfulness had any major impact on your life...caused you embarrassment or forgotten appointments?
What has your physician said when you asked?

Any of this fit your situation or help shed light at all?

Sounds an awful lot like stress, or just a lot of things on your mind. It can also be distressing to be forgetting stuff, and that adds to the stress etc. and so it can turn into a vicious circle. One way to clear up some of that stress is to write down the important things you need to accomplish, rather than carry them around in your head. Just a small piece of paper or an index card, nothing fancy. Stick the card or whatever in your pocket or wallet and take it out on occasion. Or you could do it electronically. I usually write myself an email.

Just something like -
* pick up gift for Mom
* do a load of white laundry
* yard work (weather permitting)
etc.

Sometimes it may be silly, you think, why should I have to sit and remember all of this? But it can be helpful and it can also get you to prioritize a few things.

As for what you're cooking, it's easy to get distracted, particularly if you're doing something kinda dull. However, I would recommend turning the flame down or off before you head to another room. Write yourself a sign in the kitchen if you have to. That's just for your own personal safety. You don't want a fire.

Crayon--

Age makes a big difference here. During and after menopause, women lose some of their ability to multi-track. Hormones are very useful compounds. This is "normal" aging.

Start thinking of ways to out-think yourself. I always fill the tea kettle and replace the whistle after I pour my hot water. A stitch in time saves a lot of tea kettles from boiling dry.

I think the originator of this query is on the younger side, based on the prior posts.

I have come to the same conclusion.

Stress, anxiety, depression and tension can play havoc with memory. The key is whether the memory loss is affecting your life in a significant way. If so, it might be a good idea to have a thorough physical checkup (with blood work) to rule out anything medical.

I just turned 20, and I've recently decided to drop out of university to pursue a career in the army to achieve my goal and life long dream. My dream is to pay off a house by the time I'm 30, with a 2-3 year deviation.

help please.

crayon, you're under stress. If you are this concerned about it, see a doctor.

well I'm not really concerned about it, just looking for some ideas as to what may be causing this.

I'd guess this is causing it. Stress, I mean.

Big life change. Heavy expectations on yourself.

What you might try is writing out what you do each day - in hour blocks - over the course of a week or so.
Short notes on what you did, and how you were feeling for each hour.

That should give you some insight. Helped me. And can be surprising!

Take care, eh.

Basically to write out a time table of my day. Is this supposed to test my memory ?

Crayon--



Not so much "test" your memory as focus your memory. For example, you might discover that you spend 30 hours a week under stress and only 6 hours doing things you enjoy.

You already "knew" this, but seeing it spelled out would give you some perspective.

Crayon-
If you have an issue, (based on what you describe in your opening post) I definitely have an issue. I do exactly the same type of things and always have done.
One time I frantically searched my kitchen for my one cup measuring cup to measure rice and finally looked over to the counter and there it sat with the rice already measured into it.
I didn't even remember that I had already measured the rice.

Have you always been sharp as a tack- or would you describe yourself as a little spacy? I think that's what I'd examine before I got worried about anything- especially at the age of 20.
I've always tended to be a little spacy, so the fact that I have mental lapses doesn't worry me in any way.
I've learned to deal with it by remembering there's a good chance I've forgotten something and mentally do a checklist to figure out what exactly it is I may have forgotten.

Well I used to be pretty sharp when it came to remembering things, I remember I never my agenda for school and would always remember my assignments.

I think this gives you a good way to measure whether or not you have any kind of memory issue. If you overlook an assignment that's just one of several assignments on a given day or because you've been busy with other big projects that might be due that particular week-I wouldn't say that's an issue.
(Do you write your assignments in a diary/assignment book-etc? I used to never even have to do that. In terms of due dates, etc, I pretty much was able to keep all that stuff in my head. I was always sharp in terms of those things too- especially concerning numbers-due dates, birthdays, phone numbers).

But if you find that you're standing in the hallway or the middle of campus and you can't remember what class you have next or how to get to it- and it's beyond the second or third day of school-I'd consider that to be an issue.

That's how I'd judge the situation for myself.

Story of my life.