We can recall that disappointing moment of forgetting our umbrellas at home. It never gets any less annoying when you’re walking home in a deluge. We’ve came up with some excellent ways to trick yourself into not forgetting your umbrella — so next time the heavens choose to open, you’re sheltered and not swamped by the time you get to work!
Mind Games
There is a mental exercise, one study has found, which could help to reduce the likelihood that you’ll get caught out in a storm. When you check the weather forecast and rain is on the cards, visualise the image of an umbrella getting jammed shut in your front door. When practiced frequently, it has been found to create a psychological prompt for picking up an umbrella before leaving the house, as strange as it might sound! The way it works is based on the action of both objects being involved in one movement, combine the two and look… You’ve pulled out your umbrella just as the first few drops of rain hit the pavement! Give it a go and tell us how you get on.
Ban Cheap Brollies
If you are continuously relying on cheap umbrellas, you are essentially removing value from your brolly. This makes it seem like a disposable item, something that you’d throw away as readily as a plastic bottle. Put some pride back into your brolly and invest in a quality product – such as a birdcage umbrella – choose the perfect colour to suit your style and a shape that you feel gives you the best coverage. By simply spending a bit more, you are committing to an umbrella and this will pay off in the long run. When you detach the idea of an umbrella as being easily replaceable, you will hold onto yours for longer.
But where have I left my brolly?
It is too easy to simply pick an umbrella from a bargain store when it is looking gloomy outside, and this is a key reason as to why we often forget or lose our umbrellas. By having a designated place for an umbrella that is a little more expensive, but will last a lifetime, you can build an association of it to improve the habit of picking it up from the allocated space. One of the most common places to have an umbrella ready and waiting to be picked up is by the front door, or in a porch. This tactical placing can build a habit of picking a brolly up as soon as you are about to leave the house, and if you commit to dropping the umbrella off here, then you can avoid any mishaps.
By following these tips, the next time the heavens choose to open, you’re sheltered and not swamped by the time you get to work! Follow these tips and you’ll never feel that sense of disappointment from reaching into your bag only to be find you’ve forgotten your umbrella. Never be without your treasured brolly, and stay dry even on the dampest of days!