Perhaps try a very thorough use of maps? Zmud has a built-in map making function, though I've never used it. Try creating your own rather than getting the pre-made ones that someone else put together.

Anyway, if you make maps of the areas you're commonly in and print them out, perhaps it would help if you keep them in front of you while you play. It would slow you down some, but looking at the map-seeing you need to go east-then putting in east, could be a systematic solution. Might help you keep track of where you are if you have the visual representation right in front of you, rather than trying to re-create it in your head.

Obviously doing this for every area would be more work than it's worth. But perhaps doing it for a handful of major areas will at least mitigate the problem somewhat?

Good luck!

Aarn