«Headache» © by Pedro VeraAt the core of David Allen's Getting Things Done (GTD), you'll find the statement that you should get all of your commitments out of your head and into a reliable system because your head is not a reliable system.

There are numerous myths about memory, like one can keep 7 +/- 2 things in the short-term memory; memory uses images; or: linking with bizarre images is best for memory. They're simply not true and may give you an unjustified feeling of security. Why?

Here are 3 reasons why your «mental RAM» isn't a reliable GTD system:

1. Emotions impair your memory
   While connecting information to emotions is a technique for memorizing something that is recommended everywhere, this usage of emotions has its downsides, as described in Wikipedia:
   The mood congruence effect means information becomes the stickier the more it incites a mood similar to that you're currently in; additionally, being in a negative mood fosters remembering mostly negative information, too. Should you try to be positive, then? No - to make things worse, there is a Catch-22: trying to be brave and positive in a sad situation may also impede your memory.
   At your workplace, you may not always have time or opportunities to enwrap yourself into the «necessary» emotions.
   The mood-state dependent retrieval effect links your mood during memorization to your mood when you try to remember. The more congruent your feelings are at these moments, the better you can remember things.
   Can you deliberately feel the same way, during both memorizing and remembering an information, any time, at your workplace?
   The different effects of thematic vs. sudden appearance of emotional stimuli represent another reason why your mental RAM is not a reliable system: you remember things better when an evolving story helps you slip into the desired mood. You remember things worse when stimuli arrive in an uncoordinated, disruptive, sudden manner - as is common in many workplaces.
2. Chemistry impairs your memory
   You may do well at memorizing things after having a cup of coffee. It may even slow down memory decline. However, caffeine may increase your so-called Tip-Of-the-Tongue (TOT) experiences when you can afford them least: caffeine increases the number of those desperate moments when you know that you know something, but just can't remember it right now because you're bombarded with unrelated information - as is common in many workplaces.
   Medication (e.g., against pain, mental problems, hormonal problems) can have numerous side effects on your memory, as package inserts reveal. Most prescriptions do not represent your choice, so your memory may be impaired by whatever you need to swallow, possibly over a prolonged period of time. It's arguable whether you're able to work at all under such conditions, but chances are you will (need to) work.
   Chemotherapies and similar, extreme treatments are known to produce what patients call «chemobrain» or «chemofog»: serious troubles with word finding, memory, multitasking, learning and processing speed.
   You'll hardly ever go to work during such treatments, but when you're struggling to get as many things done on your own as possible, you don't want to be at the mercy of a brain that just can't handle too much, at that moment.
3. Multitasking impairs your memory
   Checking emails and Instant Messaging (IM) while taking an IQ test lets you perform worse than people who smoke marijuana during the same tests. As an employee, you may not have any other choice here but to monitor your inbox for your boss's mail.
   Constant distraction leads to stereotyped learning by habit and routine: you can't apply what you've learned to other situations, because multitasking alters the way you learn: it does not activate the regions of your brain that are responsible for learning by understanding. Plus, as in computers, the brain simply halts one task while working on another - you just think you're multitasking. The telling results in experiments: students using IM, cell phones (especially text messaging) or MySpace accounts get lower grades (Bill Klemm lists the scientific sources).

Like it or not: you need a reliable system, and it must exist outside of your head. Otherwise, tasks and responsibilities may fall through the cracks.

Some suggestions I can offer, as additional postings:

• Personal, timeless organization: 4 suggestions for your checklist
• GTD Unplugged: building the Reliable System on the D*I*Y Planner
• GTD Unplugged: building the Reliable System on Post-Its