when I was standing in the supermarket the other day, I just couldn't think of what I wanted there. It wasn't until I got home that I realized: they were lemons. My colleague Katharina Kunert is also familiar with such situations. That's why she spoke with psychology professor Sebastian Markett about what helps against this stubbornness. And where it actually comes from.

That's how I learned: People who get worried quickly tend to be scatterbrained – but also people who are particularly enthusiastic. A quality that I like about myself. In addition, sloppiness is genetically determined – even about 50 percent.

In the meantime, I've learned to avoid common mistakes: I immediately enter appointments in the calendar, I arrange my to-dos in apps, push messages remind me of birthdays. And if I still find myself helpless in the supermarket after a long day, I will console myself in the future with a sentence from researcher Markett: We can't always be fully attentive.

We hope you enjoy reading

Tanya Falenczyk, editor of SPIEGEL Start

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