What are visual reminders?

Simply put, a visual reminder is something that causes you to remember or to think about something.

Do visual reminders work?

Yes. Visual reminders are an evidence-based technique shown to improve motivation, compliance, and prospective memory(what we intend to do). Visual reminders can also be an integral part of healthcare treatment plans.

Below is a sample of research benefits associated to visual reminders.

Improves motivation

-Lijia Lin, Robert K. Atkinson, Wilhelmina C. Savenye & Brian C. Nelson (2016) Effects of visual cues and self-explanation prompts: empirical evidence in a multimedia environment, Interactive Learning Environments, 24:4, 799-813

Improves compliance

-Nevo I, Fitzpatrick M, Thomas RE, Gluck PA, Lenchus JD, Arheart KL, Birnbach DJ. The efficacy of visual cues to improve hand hygiene compliance. Simul Healthc. 2010 Dec;5(6):325-31.

-Gould DJ, Moralejo D, Drey N, Chudleigh JH, Taljaard M. Interventions to improve hand hygiene compliance in patient care. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017 Sep 1;9

-Horsch C, Spruit S, Lancee J, van Eijk R, Beun RJ, Neerincx M, Brinkman WP. Reminders make people adhere better to a self-help sleep intervention. Health Technol (Berl). 2017;7(2):173-188.

-Bouchoucha, S. L. , & Moore, K. A. (2019). Factors influencing adherence to standard precautions scale: A psychometric validation. Nursing & Health Sciences, 21(2), 178–185.

Improves prospective memory

-Grundgeiger T, Sanderson PM, Orihuela CB, Thompson A, MacDougall HG, Nunnink L, Venkatesh B. Prospective memory in the ICU: the effect of visual cues on task execution in a representative simulation. Ergonomics. 2013;56(4):579-89.

Which type of visual reminders will work best for me?

There are two factors you might want to consider when deciding how to use visual reminders: style and location.

Style: reminders can be explicit or subtle. An explicit reminder is unambiguous and conveys a very clear message (eg, restroom hand washing sign). A subtle reminder is more ambiguous and the message may not be clear to everyone (eg, a piece of art). If you value privacy and don't want others to know the self-care concept, a more subtle styled reminder might be a good choice. if the reminder is in a private location then perhaps you would prefer an explicit reminder.

Location: the place you want to be reminded can also be an important factor. For instance, maybe you get anxious before a big presentation at work. In which case, an iphone case reminder might be the right solution. Or perhaps you are looking for a way to start your day with the right frame of mind. A coffee mug reminder may be the right solution.