The short answer

What it’s called
Remembering to do something later is called prospective memory.[1]
What helps
An if-then plan tied to a moment you can’t miss. In one study, older adults who made one were more than twice as likely to remember a task.[2] A review found a medium-to-large benefit for older adults.[1]
For appointments
One calendar or notebook, filled in when you make the appointment, saying each entry aloud as you write it.[3] Check it at the same time each day: a daily routine is one of the NIA’s tips.[4]
Is it normal?
Now and then, yes. The NIA’s list doesn’t mention appointments, but it counts missing a monthly payment as normal aging, and problems taking care of monthly bills as a possible sign of something more serious.[4]

Why do I forget to do things I meant to do?

Because nothing reminds you at the right moment. You have to remember to remember.

Researchers call this prospective memory: remembering to carry out a planned action in the future.[1] With nothing to remind you, the prompt has to come from you, and that’s where plans help most. In one study, an if-then plan helped with exactly these tasks, the ones with no obvious cue, and made no difference when a clear cue was there anyway.[2]

What’s the best way to remember appointments?

Write each one in a single calendar the moment you make it, and look at that calendar at the same time every day.

  • One place. One calendar or notebook, not scraps of paper. Mayo Clinic suggests keeping track of tasks and appointments in a notebook or calendar.[3]
  • Write it while you’re still on the phone, and say it aloud as you write: “Dentist, Tuesday the 14th, 2:30.” Mayo suggests repeating each entry out loud as you write it down.[3]
  • Look at it at the same time every day, with breakfast for instance. Following a daily routine and using calendars and notes are among the NIA’s tips.[4]
  • The evening before, put what you’ll need by the door: the letter, your insurance card, your list of questions.
  • On a phone, set the reminder for when you need to act (“Leave for the dentist”, 1:45), not only for the appointment itself.

How do I remember to do something later today?

Make an if-then plan: link the task to a moment you know will happen.

Pick the moment and say the whole plan: “When I put the kettle on after lunch, I’ll call Jean.” Then picture yourself doing it. Researchers call this an implementation intention. In a 2001 study, older adults who made one were more than twice as likely to carry out a task on their own as people who were simply told to, or who repeated the instruction to themselves.[2] A 2015 review of 36 comparisons found a medium-to-large benefit for older adults. In young adults, plans that were both said and pictured worked a little better.[1]

Where should I put reminders?

In your path, at the moment you’ll need them.

Put the library book on top of your keys, the letter by the front door, the bag on the door handle. A note works only where you’ll see it at the right time: a reminder about the trash belongs on the back door, not the fridge. Memory-training studies with older adults teach these “external memory aids” alongside other strategies.[5] For everyday things that go missing, see how to stop losing your keys and glasses.

Is it normal to forget appointments as you get older?

Now and then, yes. It’s worth a word with a doctor when it starts to make everyday life hard.

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) doesn’t mention appointments as such. Its table lists missing a monthly payment, and forgetting which day it is but remembering later, as normal aging. It lists problems taking care of monthly bills, and losing track of the date or time of year, as possible signs of dementia. The NIA also says to talk with a doctor about noticeable changes in your memory, and notes that some memory problems have treatable causes.[4] This page is general information, not medical advice.

Try it: four things to do tomorrow

For each task, write an if-then plan using a moment from your own day. Then check it against the examples below.

  1. Call Jean about Sunday. When , I’ll
  2. Take the library books back. When , I’ll
  3. Buy a birthday card for Sam. When , I’ll
  4. Water the tomato plants. When , I’ll

Example plans

  1. When I pour my morning coffee, I’ll call Jean.
  2. When I pick up my keys, I’ll pick up the books. (Put them on top of the keys tonight.)
  3. When I walk past the drugstore on the way to the bank, I’ll go in.
  4. When I fill the kettle after dinner, I’ll fill the watering can too.

Any moment that really happens in your day is a good answer. Tomorrow, notice which plans worked. This is practice, not a test.

An if-then card to print

Three plans for tomorrow. Fill it in tonight and leave it where you’ll see it in the morning.

If-then card

Tomorrow

  1. Pick a moment you know will happen.
  2. Say the plan in full: “When I…, I’ll…”
  3. Picture yourself doing it.
What you type stays on this page. Nothing is sent or saved.

Where this comes up in the journal

Sample page for Day 3, “Tomorrow, Step by Step”: a worked example, then lines to plan one small task for tomorrow, what to bring and where to leave a cue.

The Everyday Memory Journal practices this on several days: Tomorrow, Step by Step (Day 3, with the helper Leave a cue in your path), Appointment Ready (Day 20), Plan the Week (Day 26) and Reminders That Work (Day 28). Answers for every activity start on page 49.

Print the first three days free, Day 3 included, or read how to remember a grocery list.

Quick questions

Are phone reminders better than a paper calendar?

Use whichever you’ll actually look at. What matters most is keeping everything in one place and checking it at the same time each day.

What about remembering to take medicines?

The National Institute on Aging suggests tying each dose to a daily event, such as a meal or bedtime, or using a chart, a calendar, a weekly pill box or a timer. Your pharmacist or doctor can help you choose what suits your medicines.

I remember the appointment but forget what I wanted to ask. What helps?

Write your questions down as they come to you, keep the list with your calendar, and take it with you.

Sources

Each page was read on the date shown; the studies were read as their PubMed abstracts (and, for the 2012 review, its free full text). These organizations and authors have not reviewed or endorsed this page.

  1. [1] The effect of implementation intention on prospective memory: a systematic and meta-analytic review

    Chen XJ, Wang Y, Liu LL, Cui JF, Gan MY, Shum DH, Chan RC. Psychiatry Research 226(1):14–22 · Published March 2015 · read on October 9, 2026

    doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2015.01.011

  2. [2] Implementation intentions and facilitation of prospective memory

    Chasteen AL, Park DC, Schwarz N. Psychological Science 12(6):457–461 · Published November 2001 · read on October 9, 2026

    doi.org/10.1111/1467-9280.00385

  3. [3] Memory loss: 7 tips to improve your memory

    Mayo Clinic · Dated January 21, 2026 · read on October 9, 2026

    mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/healthy-aging/in-depth/memory-loss/art-20046518

  4. [4] Memory Problems, Forgetfulness, and Aging

    National Institute on Aging (NIH) · Content reviewed November 22, 2023 · read on October 8, 2026

    nia.nih.gov/health/memory-loss-and-forgetfulness/memory-problems-forgetfulness-and-aging

  5. [5] Memory training interventions for older adults: a meta-analysis

    Gross AL, Parisi JM, Spira AP, Kueider AM, Ko JY, Saczynski JS, Samus QM, Rebok GW. Aging & Mental Health 16(6):722–734 · Published 2012 · read on October 9, 2026

    doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2012.667783

  6. [6] Taking Medicines Safely as You Age

    National Institute on Aging (NIH) · Content reviewed September 22, 2022 · read on October 9, 2026

    nia.nih.gov/health/medicines-and-medication-management/taking-medicines-safely-you-age