Let’s face it: life’s not getting any easier for most of us. Busy jobs, stressful schedules and spreading ourselves too thinly is having a real effect on our ability to concentrate, leaving more people than ever suffering with the dreaded ‘Brain fog‘, and leading to more than a few Sticky Situations. There’s no need to fear the most common ones, though, as we’ve put together a guide to help you in your time of need.

1. The last-minute costume debacle
We’ve all been there; 7pm on a Sunday night, and the kids remind us it’s costume day at school tomorrow. However, there’s a ton of great quick outfits you can pull together with very little notice, and using items that you’ve already got in the house. Here are some great ideas.

Australia Day Ideas: Got some Cotton Wool and an old cereal packet? Why not make a koala mask? Use the cotton wool for ears and paint it grey, or use the grey back of the packet if you’re really desperate for supplies. Stick on a black bottle cap for a nose and away you go! Want something a little more original? If you’re lucky enough to have feathers in the house, rip them off the duster and attach them on some cardboard for a kookaburra face!

World Book Day: One of the easiest ideas is inspired by Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory. Make a golden ticket, send your kid in rags and hey presto; he’s Charlie Bucket. Otherwise, you could always use a few pairs of stuffed old tights and go as the spider in Charlotte’s Web. Old Halloween costumes work well here too. Think ‘The Worst Witch’ or ‘Room on the Broom’.

2. The forgotten birthday/anniversary
These days, there’s so much to keep track of, and whilst our loved ones are never far from our minds, sometimes we can lose track of the days until we suddenly realise we’ve forgotten an important event. The first trick is not to panic. If it’s the morning of their big day, get onto one of those same day delivery companies – such as wantitnow or Interflora – and get something over to them quickly! If it’s a little late in the day for a gift to get to them, then consider ‘surprising’ them after work, with a bottle of wine, DVD and an evening of your company if at all possible. If you only remembered the following day – then abject apologies and a promise to make it up to them are warranted. If they’re a good friend, then they’ll likely understand.

3. Locking yourself out
Keys are horrible things to lose. However, knowing that your keys are safe and sound inside your house – your locked house – is even worse. This is where choosing a reliable locksmith comes into its own. Often, professional locksmiths can get you in without damaging the door, leaving you with a smaller bill than you’d have to pay if you’d have broken in yourself – or worse, climbed through a window and injured yourself! If you’re prone to doing this often, leave a key with someone you trust.

4. Food Shopping Forgetfulness
We’ve all been there, wandering around the shops trying desperately to remember what it is we went for. This is especially true for food shopping. Luckily, there are apps specifically dedicated to creating shopping lists. One of these, Scan2List, is dedicated to helping you make lists you can count on, and if you still forget something on the list, you can share it with your other half so they can pick it up for you!

5. Forgetting their name
This is perhaps the worst item on the list. It doesn’t matter whether you bump into them at the supermarket or at a corporate event, forgetting someone’s name is beyond embarrassing. Luckily, there are some great ways to give yourself some clues without giving the game away. One great tip that works well at both parties and networking events is to introduce someone you do remember to someone you don’t, allowing ‘the forgotten one’ to complete the introduction by confirming their name to the other. Phew!

With a bit of quick thinking, and these tips above, there’s no reason you can’t cope with whatever sticky situation you find yourself in!