This is not hard — I’m going to tell you how to solve this in a practical way. Your past doesn’t matter and no psychoanalysis is necessary. You don’t need to cope — you just need to fix this in a down-to-earth way.

First, go to the store and buy yourself some Post-It notes. You know, those little squares of paper that have a strip of adhesive on the back that you can stick anywhere.

Whenever something comes up that you need to remember, write it down on the post-it note and put it on your bathroom mirror. This means you will see it at least twice a day. Write something like “SUBMIT HOURS FOR JOB BY 9:00 AM FRIDAY!” and stick it on your mirror right smack-dab in your line of vision while you’re shaving or brushing your teeth. Put these notes on the dash of your car if this is a better place. Or in both places if needed.

Next — buy an actual calendar with squares that you can write in, even if it’s a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles calendar. Put it on the wall by the mirror in your bathroom. Keep a sharpie in a bathroom drawer. Write your reminders on the calendar as well, and check it every morning as you’re getting ready for the day.

Next — when your phone is working again, calendar your deadlines and set pop-up reminders and / or alarms.

Next — carry a small pad of paper and a pen in your backpack. If something comes up you need to remember or want to make note of, write it on the pad and review it every evening. You could, of course, also write yourself a note on your phone, but I believe actually handwriting on the pad might help you to remember better.

Next — if you can see a disaster potentially happening down the road if you don’t do such-and -such, take action to prevent it NOW. Don’t say, “Oh I’ll remember to fix that later.” Nope, prevent it now. For instance, when my children were small and there was a glass of water that was too close to them on the dining table, there was always the possibility that they would knock the glass over. But you don’t let it happen — you move the glass out of their reach NOW to avert disaster. You don’t just hope they won’t knock the glass over and you don’t hope you remember to do it later — you prevent disaster before it has a chance to happen.

Next — realize that things like a malfunctioning phone happen to everybody, and you just have to FIGURE IT OUT. Keep at it until you do.

The thing is, in life everything falls apart if you don’t keep on top of things. The people who don’t actively prevent their lives from falling apart become the failures. You’re obviously too smart for that, and I don’t want it to happen to you. I’m no organizational expert, but I guarantee you that if you’ll use the tools above your life will start to run much more smoothly.

Said with love, and with a sincere wish to help 🙂