The end of summer is a great time to get organized. School has not started, the days have not become hectic with extracurricular activities yet, and the heat outside makes us want to stay indoors. Fall tends to bring busy schedules, with the holidays and sporting events and homework this season seems to fly by! Organization can help the busy fall seem not quite as hectic. Fall often brings change as well, with new schedules for school, activities and sports. If you take multiple medications it may make it hard to keep on the same schedule or to get into a routine.
Getting your medications organized can save time, and help to keep you healthy. There are many ways to make sure that you are properly organized so that you don’t miss a dose of medication, or run out of medication before you have time to refill, or overdose on your medication accidentally. You might find it helpful to use a daily pill organizer. If you take more than one medication day, this might be a helpful tool. Every week you can sort your medications into a daily organizer. You can get one that has a slot for am and pm medications. This way you won’t forget take a dose of medication, and if you aren’t sure if you have taken your dose for the day you can check in your organizer.
If you have young children, this might not be a safe way to store your medications, so another option would be a dosing schedule chart. You can create a spreadsheet with all your medications, the dosage and when you are supposed to take them. Once you have taken the medications for the day you mark it on your chart, that way you can double check to see if you have or have not taken the medication for the day.
It is a good idea to have a list of your medications that you take including the dose and how often you take it. If you have this printed up when you go to the doctor you won’t forget to inform the doctor of all your medications. Also check your prescription bottles frequently so you are aware of the amount of medication remaining and also so you are aware if the medication has expired.
Some pharmacies have online tools or even apps for your cell phone that make managing your prescriptions a snap. They make it easy to refill a prescription and they may even offer texts when your medications have been filled. Ask the pharmacy where you get your prescriptions filled what kind of internet services they might offer. Use these tips and you are on your way to an organized fall season!