How to reduce carelessness?

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sliceofbread136

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So I'm a pretty careless person. Tonight I left the burner on and made a ton of smoke. Another example is I've actually accidently left my car on while I was grocery shopping (just forgot to take the keys out lol). This is obviously a very undesirable trait in a future physician, and I want to try to improve. Any suggestions? It's not like I mean to be careless, sometimes things just completely slip my mind...
 
1) Make sure you're well rested, with 8+ hrs sleep/night.
2) Try doing some meditation that focuses on "being in the moment".
3) Have an agenda book to keep track of things so you don't have to worry about them as much.

(Apologize if I fed a troll).
 
man with gas prices at 4 dollars a gallon, i don't even leave the engine idling.
 
sibitrum said:
1) Make sure you're well rested, with 8+ hrs sleep/night.
2) Try doing some meditation that focuses on "being in the moment".
3) Have an agenda book to keep track of things so you don't have to worry about them as much.

(Apologize if I fed a troll).
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice. I might try some of those...

Why do you think im a troll?
 
I think part of it is mental preparation. Tell yourself that you will be more careful and make an active effort to think about what you are doing (right and wrong), and correct any mistakes. Your brain will learn with time, young grasshopper.
 
A surgeon is born.

I would just try to be more focused during the day-to-day activities. Get in a routine of mentally checking your future goals/past actions before you leave a room or an automobile.
 
sliceofbread136 said:
So I'm a pretty careless person. Tonight I left the burner on and made a ton of smoke. Another example is I've actually accidently left my car on while I was grocery shopping (just forgot to take the keys out lol). This is obviously a very undesirable trait in a future physician, and I want to try to improve. Any suggestions? It's not like I mean to be careless, sometimes things just completely slip my mind...
Click to expand...

The key to avoid omissions is being systematic. For example, when I'm making a plan in the ICU, I go through all the organ systems. So even if a patient comes in with respiratory failure ("pulmonary"), I go through all the systems and remember other things like stress ulcer prophylaxis ("GI"). Just about every resident I see carries around a checklist.

There are all kinds of checks and balances in place. This is part of the checklist craze going on in medicine (see Atul Gawande or Peter Pronovost's books). Most EMRs have ordering protocols to remind you of things (e.g., "did you remember to order DVT prophylaxis?).

The key is to recognize you have the issue, and develop systems to remind yourself.
 
If you're forgetful you're forgetful. Its not the kind of thing that comes from lack of trying.

Try to get more sleep. Keep a mental or physical checklist of things you need to attend to, and try to stick to a rigid pattern. Don't multitask or let yourself get pulled away from what you're doing. If you know you can't rely on yourself to remember to do something use an external aid e.i. you start cooking set an alarm on your phone to remind yourself to check the burners an hour later, etc.
 
CeeEstee0 said:
A surgeon is born.

I would just try to be more focused during the day-to-day activities. Get in a routine of mentally checking your future goals/past actions before you leave a room or an automobile.
Click to expand...

PMPMD said:
The key to avoid omissions is being systematic. For example, when I'm making a plan in the ICU, I go through all the organ systems. So even if a patient comes in with respiratory failure ("pulmonary"), I go through all the systems and remember other things like stress ulcer prophylaxis ("GI"). Just about every resident I see carries around a checklist.

There are all kinds of checks and balances in place. This is part of the checklist craze going on in medicine (see Atul Gawande or Peter Pronovost's books). Most EMRs have ordering protocols to remind you of things (e.g., "did you remember to order DVT prophylaxis?).

The key is to recognize you have the issue, and develop systems to remind yourself.
Click to expand...

I guess I should start being more systematic and put in an effort to actually think if I've done what I need to do. Very good points.
 
Slow down a little, and be observant. I find that I'm more careless when I"m rushing from one thing to the next. Before I'm ready to move onto the next task, I"ve trained myself to take a quick pause and see if I've forgotten something
 
A lot of my careless mistakes happen because my thinking goes too fast for my own good. I'm always thinking many steps ahead which ironically leads me to focus less on the task at hand. If you find the same is happening to you, just slow down and think about everything you are doing in the moment.
 
sibitrum said:
1) Make sure you're well rested, with 8+ hrs sleep/night.
2) Try doing some meditation that focuses on "being in the moment".
3) Have an agenda book to keep track of things so you don't have to worry about them as much.
Click to expand...

+1

This is called "mindfulness meditation." It teaches you to recognize and, nonjudgmentally, clear out extraneous thoughts.
 
I had so many issues with this growing up. I pretty live and die by a notebook now. 1 planner to write the big stuff and just a small notebook that I carry around to write down what I have to do. And then, I make a habit to check it.

If you end up using a notebook and you really want to fix your problem, you'll even write down, "turn off car engine." ...

As mentioned, in lab or while you're cooking, practice on focusing on what you're actually doing; just try to forget everything else and focus on the task. I tended to wander off when I had to do my 1000th PCR, but sometimes you forget to do a hot block start or something small that may not be good in the end. For another example, if you work out, actually focus on the muscles and the movement, not really the weight or anything else. Now, it's a lot better.
 
Danlee07 said:
I had so many issues with this growing up. I pretty live and die by a notebook now. 1 planner to write the big stuff and just a small notebook that I carry around to write down what I have to do. And then, I make a habit to check it.

If you end up using a notebook and you really want to fix your problem, you'll even write down, "turn off car engine." ...

As mentioned, in lab or while you're cooking, practice on focusing on what you're actually doing; just try to forget everything else and focus on the task. I tended to wander off when I had to do my 1000th PCR, but sometimes you forget to do a hot block start or something small that may not be good in the end. For another example, if you work out, actually focus on the muscles and the movement, not really the weight or anything else. Now, it's a lot better.
Click to expand...

I do that, and it does make a difference. Never really thought about it in this context though 👍
 
sibitrum said:
1) Make sure you're well rested, with 8+ hrs sleep/night.
2) Try doing some meditation that focuses on "being in the moment".
3) Have an agenda book to keep track of things so you don't have to worry about them as much.

(Apologize if I fed a troll).
Click to expand...


All good advice.

Also, develop a pathological need to check very important things twice. For example, whenever I leave my dorm I have to walk back after fifteen seocnds to make sure the door is locked.
In a more general sense, create safeguards against carelessness (i.e. planners and phone reminders for important dates).
 
Are you a guy? If so, I don't think there is much you can do to correct it. 😛
My dad has left the garage and front doors open overnight, left the headlights of the car on till the battery died out (while sitting in the car), and leaves the lights of the room on then leaves the house EVERY. SINGLE. NIGHT. :laugh:
On a more serious note, try to pay closer attention as you do things. It's common to forget things because of not paying the little attention to details (same theory applies to retaining information). But really I wouldn't sweat it, I think you can grow out of it.
 
venomous11 said:
Are you a guy? If so, I don't think there is much you can do to correct it. 😛
My dad has left the garage and front doors open overnight, left the headlights of the car on till the battery died out (while sitting in the car), and leaves the lights of the room on then leaves the house EVERY. SINGLE. NIGHT. :laugh:
On a more serious note, try to pay closer attention as you do things. It's common to forget things because of not paying the little attention to details (same theory applies to retaining information). But really I wouldn't sweat it, I think you can grow out of it.
Click to expand...

Let's hope, for the sake of my future patients! :xf:
 
sliceofbread136 said:
So I'm a pretty careless person. Tonight I left the burner on and made a ton of smoke. Another example is I've actually accidently left my car on while I was grocery shopping (just forgot to take the keys out lol). This is obviously a very undesirable trait in a future physician, and I want to try to improve. Any suggestions? It's not like I mean to be careless, sometimes things just completely slip my mind...
Click to expand...

Wait a second- I think you're thinking about this in the wrong light OP. You did not say "I'm a pretty careless person. I left a burner on and burned my house down and destroyed all my stuff. Then my car was stolen and stripped because I left it running in a parking lot. Insurance didn't cover it because I forgot to pay my insurance......." Clearly leaving a burner on has it's dangers. But in what other ways are you careless? I really have a hard time criticizing you leaving your car on in the parking lot. Why do we all lock up our cars anyway? A door lock and absence of a key will not stop someone from stealing a car. I don't know about anyone else but there is nothing worth stealing in my car. Heck leaving the engine running almost seems like a brilliant way to discourage theft. It makes the car look like police bait.......
 
OP, just develop routines. When I close the front door behind me, I turn the knob three times to make sure it's locked. When I leave my car, I press the lock button to hear it beep twice. You may develop OCD, but at least your car won't get stolen...
 
Slow down

If you are in a rush you are more likely to forget something make a mistake, etc.
 
Here's a crazy idea, but it works:

Wear 1-3 rubberbands on your wrist, and whenever you do something "careless," pull the band so it hits your skin (not too hard, but enough to acknowledge it). Over time, you'll get used to not making the same mistakes.

I did this to learn how to perform speeches without constantly saying "uh" or "um."
 
BTW I think have literally heard from God, Holy Spirit tell me more than once that I should slow down...
 
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