For the past five years, my commute has been a thrilling five-foot journey from my ‘office’ to my bed and back—talk about working from-home perks! But it wasn’t always like this. Before, I had commutes ranging from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on where I worked. One of the biggest challenges during those commutes was packing everything in the rush of the morning. Forgetting something meant either suffering through the day or making the frustrating trip back home to grab it.
Luckily, I rarely faced such mishaps, all thanks to a clever Marathi mnemonic I learned as a child: पे रू चा पा पा (which literally means “kiss a guava”). Back then, in Mumbai, as an office-goer was about to leave, his wife would often ask in Marathi, “पेरूचा पापा घेतलास का?” meaning, “Did you kiss the guava?”—which was actually a coded way of asking if he’d packed his Pen, Handkerchief, Keys, Pass, and Wallet.
Of course, as times changed and my needs grew, I had to adapt and expand this mnemonic, even destroying the original pun. At one point, it became this longer version: पे रु चा पै पा घ क च मो सौ टा झि (Pen, Handkerchief, Keys, Wallet, Papers, Watch, Pocket Comb, Specs, Mobile, Socks, Tie, and—of course—the zipper check, **XYZ**!).
The point is, that mnemonics like these are life-savers. With so many things on our minds—household matters, work tasks, and everything in between—it’s easy to forget the essentials. Simple memory aids can be the difference between a smooth day and one full of hiccups.
I’ve always maintained a detailed travel checklist, even with a special section for business trips. However, a written checklist isn’t always practical for short outings or daily routines. You might start with a written list, but over time, it’s much easier to create a mnemonic that sticks.
And it doesn’t have to be funny or punny if that’s not your style. You can get creative with simple mental associations: imagine carrying one item on your head, another around your neck, something in each trouser pocket, and a couple in the sides and inside of your duffle bag, let’s say!
Of course, with tools like ChatGPT around, you can always ask for help in creating mnemonics too! For example, I asked for one to help me remember what to pack for swimming, and it came up with this, which I don’t like very much: “Swimmers Can Glide Through Deep Cool” (S.C.G.T.D.C.):
S: Shorts
C: Cap
G: Goggles
T: Towel
D: Dry clothes to wear after
C: Comfortable shirt
Recently, I started going to a table tennis club on Saturday mornings with friends from my neighborhood. After forgetting to bring my water bottle one day and my racket another, I knew it was time to create a mnemonic for that too. I’m thinking of calling it “3 Whites”—my white water bottle, white racket pouch, and white handkerchief. Now I’m forget-proof on that front!
It’s a strategic battle for us Homo sapiens, tackling the forgetfulness caused by our limited short-term memory – one we can win if we learn how to outsmart it!
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(Originally published in Times of India on September 28, 2024)
