Freudscher Vergesser

German speaking People might recognize the term Freudscher Versprecher, in English it’s called the freudian slip. It’s a type of error in speech memory, or physical action that occurs due to the interference of an unconscious subdued wish or internal train of thought (quoted from wikipedia). Your subconscious reaching the surface of your actions so to say.

The term Freudscher Vergesser (freudian forget) does not exist as far as I know. It’s something I’ve made up this morning; I got home quite late yesterday but woke up early this morning, consequently I had the intent to sleep some more, tiredness being my arch nemesis. I took my sports watch, navigated to the timer menu and … just fell asleep again? I didn’t activate the timer. I slept in, without having set a timer. I didn’t sleep much longer than the originally planned 60min, but still. The point is: This has happened to me more than 5 times by now. I want to set a timer, go into the timer menu of my watch, wake up by myself after a longer than planned period just to find out I haven’t even started the timer in the first place.

Does my subconscious block the act of pushing the timer-activating button? I always think that I started the timer. Curious.

I wonder then, how does my subconscious govern my day to day life in other areas?

Update 2025-06-16: It happened at least twice again since publishing this article.