How to Remember to Take Your Supplements

You may have the best of intentions to improve your health. You may even buy expensive supplements for yourself and make the promise you will take them — but then, you forget!

Taking supplements infrequently or only when you ‘remember’ will not give you any therapeutic value. You may feel good about the fact you think you are doing something good for yourself but any other effect is not more than placebo. In order for supplementation (even a simple multi vitamin) to be really effective you need to ensure you are taking it DAILY.

Any new habit takes reinforcement to become a part of you. Taking your supplements is no different and in the beginning need to use as many possible ways you know of to remind yourself to actually do it.

So here are some simple strategies you may like to use to remind yourself daily:

• If you are taking multiple supplements, organise them for the week ahead in 7 old pill containers or buy a spice rack for this purpose—use each little container for one day of the week that way all you need to do in the morning is grab one of the containers on your way out;
• If you are at home all day, still do this, but leave your nutrient container in a very easy to see place—knowing the aim is to ensure your container is empty at the end of the day;
• Set an alarm every few hours or twice a day—specifically to remind yourself to take your supplements;
• Put some post-it notes around the house everywhere, in the kitchen, in the bathroom, in and on the fridge etc. with the question: Have you taken your supplements today?
• Put a HUGE sign on the back of your front door so you will remember to take your supplements or take your daily container with you;
• Keep a duplicate of everything you are currently taking at work so you have no excuse about having forgotten your supplements at home;
• If one day blurs into the next and you keep your supplements in their original containers and you are having trouble remembering if you took it today—get out a piece of paper, draw a table and each time you actually take your nutrients, draw a stick inside the box corresponding today and you will no longer forget;
• Pair up with a friend or work colleague and help keep each other accountable via sms or email;
• Create a little routine for yourself—i.e. take your supplements after each time you brush your teeth;
• Keep your supplement container in your view at all times—until it is empty.

What other strategies can you think of that would work for you?

And here’s another question you may find useful: If my life depended on it (its quality certainly does) how would I ensure this happens daily?

Everything in life is a matter of priorities — what are yours?

Keywords: Health > Supplements