Life Kit Lost your keys? A better way to find them
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Sep 8, 2025 
Malaka Gharib, a digital editor, shares her chaotic experience of losing her passport before travel. She discusses the psychological effects of stress on searching and how staying calm can improve focus. The conversation includes expert tips, like identifying distinct features of lost items and adjusting your search perspective. Personal stories and innovative strategies, like recreating the scene of loss, add humor and insight. Gharib’s experience and expert advice turn the frustration of misplacing items into a more effective and lighter task.
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Relax To Focus Your Attention
- Calm your body to widen your attentional spotlight before searching.
- Take deep breaths to reduce stress and improve focus for visual search.
Let Object Features Guide Your Search
- Use memory for features like color, shape, texture and size to guide attention.
- Attentional guidance directs you toward areas where the object is most likely to be.
Look For Distinctive Features
- Identify distinctive features that make the object stand out in its environment.
- Focus on those features, like shininess or reflection, to spot the item quickly.