How Not to Lose Another Umbrella for Life
It is a fundamental fact of human life that we lose about 100% of the umbrellas we buy. Almost everyone has experienced that moment when you are six blocks from a restaurant and it starts to rain, conjuring up a crystal clear image of your umbrella on the floor under your table. That’s why every shop in the universe always has a supply of cheap umbrellas: people keep losing them.
There is no more despair. Science has been working on this problem, and it turns out that there are several tried and true ways to prevent yourself from leaving your umbrella again.
Play mind games with yourself
One of the main reasons we lose so many umbrellas is because we place no value on them – and that’s probably because you bought the cheapest one you could find when you last got hit. shower. Without any investment, you subconsciously treat the umbrella as a disposable item, so one simple solution is to finally invest in an umbrella that doesn’t suck . You don’t have to spend over $500 on a Burberry , but by spending over $5 on your next umbrella, you might be inspired to protect it with the same zeal you protect your other valuables. Also, if you have a habit of losing your umbrellas, you can save money in the long run by purchasing a more expensive model that you won’t lose.
If your budget doesn’t allow for more expensive umbrellas, or if you find yourself capable of losing surprisingly expensive items, science has a solution known as “unification.” According to a study published in the journal Memory and Cognition , this involves putting the two concepts together in your mind and has proven to be very effective in helping older people with memory problems. For those who have difficulty with an umbrella, this can work very simply: when you place your umbrella somewhere, imagine that it is stuck in a door through which you will need to exit. Sounds a little odd, but it actually links the umbrella to the act of leaving and another object—in this case, a door—in your subconscious mind. When you get up to leave, the image will remind you to grab an umbrella before you leave.
Additional Tips and Tricks
If the unification method doesn’t appeal to you, there are a few other basic tricks you can try in your quest to be buried with the $5 umbrella you bought from CVS:
- If your umbrella has a Velcro strap to keep it closed, try attaching the Velcro to a string or any other piece of clothing when you lay it down on the floor.
- Use an umbrella with a cover. When you go inside, put on an umbrella cover and put something easy to remember inside, like your car keys. When you get up to leave, you will look for your keys and remember your umbrella.
Or touch technology
Finally, if you’re the modern type who likes to solve simple problems with incredibly delicate and advanced technology, you can attach a tile or AirTag to your umbrella and set up a split alert to alert you if you leave it. Alternatively, when you put down your umbrella somewhere, set a reminder in your phone’s calendar app for when you estimate you’ll be leaving. If you’re not ready to go when it activates, just put it off until you’re ready. Annoying but effective.