Even in the era of cellphones, memorizing phone numbers can still be a valuable skill. This is a guide about remembering phone numbers short and long term.
Solutions: Remembering Phone Numbers
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I made what I refer to as "phone number cheat sheets." I happened to have several white cards that were in clear plastic envelopes, but any cardboard would work. White is best, I think. You can even try using plastic wrap to protect the cardboard if you like. I might try the plastic bag used to mail magazines to your home as the protection for your cardboard. I've also used the front or inside covers of my telephone book for this purpose.
I write down the name and phone numbers of my pharmacy, doctors, snow plow driver, plumber, etc. on the cardboard with a fine-pointed, black Sharpie marker and slip it back inside the plastic envelope. This has helped me in many, many situations where I have been upset or not able to remember the name of the doctor or person I wanted to telephone. I also can keep track of cell phone numbers this way! For me, it has made a great quick reference. I keep adding and deleting names until I need to replace the cardboard.
Remembering phone numbers can be difficult, especially with the use of cell phones. With cell phones you just selecting someone's name from a list, so you don't even have to know their phone number. Here are a few tips that can help:
Look for patterns in the phone number. For example maybe if you double the first and third numbers you get the second and fourth numbers (555-2436) or if you are lucky the numbers are sequential (555-4567).
Find out if the numbers "spell" a word with their letter counterparts. Look at your phone and see if the letters on each number make a word you can remember. There are a few apps and websites that can attempt to generate words if you input a phone number.
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Tips for Remembering Phone Numbers