Many people struggle to remember phone numbers. They may even search for pen and paper to write down a number someone tells them verbally.

Fortunately, a few easy and efficient techniques exist to memorise phone numbers without typing them down. One way is to use a mnemonic. Another is to utilise chunking.

Use a mnemonic

Try a mnemonic to remember phone numbers without writing them down. Mnemonics are tricks that allow you to connect information in your mind with other things you already know, such as the names of the Great Lakes or how many days there are in a month. They often use rhymes, acrostics, jingles, and acronyms to help you memorise.

Chunking is a method of memorisation that breaks a long list or sequence down into smaller parts, making it easier to recall. This works well for phone numbers, as the digits can be broken down into groups of three or four. You can also create a memorable image for each number pair. The weirder the image, the better — that way, it’s harder to forget.

Another technique is using a memory palace, or the Method of Loci, which involves mapping out an area you are familiar with and placing images corresponding to the information you’re trying to memorise in different locations or loci.

Could you write it down?

In the modern world, we have a lot of numbers to remember, including social security numbers, bank account numbers, credit card numbers and pins, email addresses, and more. It can be challenging to keep all of this information straight.

Try breaking up numbers into smaller chunks to make them easier to recall. This is why telephone numbers are often written in groups of three, two, and four digits. The government knows this, too; that’s why the digits in your social security number are broken up rather than being all together on one line.

Have you ever noticed that when someone gives you directions to a new restaurant across town, you often repeat them back to them? This serves two purposes: it confirms that you heard them correctly and imprints the directions into your memory. It’s a good idea to use the same technique with phone numbers.

Listen to it

Remembering a string of numbers is easier when you break it into chunks. This is why phone numbers are always written in groups of three digits, and even social security numbers are broken into four digits. It’s a trick that the government and marketers use to make their information more memorable.

The best way to do this is to use the Phonetic Number Chunking technique, which involves rewriting the number into a word that sounds similar to its actual digits. For example, 555-675-8672 can be rewritten as “seven fifty thrifty thirty-seven fifty-two.”

This method also works well for situations where you only need to memorise a phone number temporarily, like when someone tells you it verbally. You can also try direct chunking using spaces or dashes followed by repetition. This simple memory technique can help you quickly recall any long number without having to write it down or say it aloud.

Repeat it

Many people find that the best way to remember numbers is to break them into smaller chunks. This is why your social security number has digits separated by letters, and you have difficulty memorising a nine-digit phone number when it can be broken down into three, two, or even just one.

Using repetition and creating active recall can also help. This is why mnemonics are so effective. Repeating a number and doing simple mental math helps solidify it in your memory.

This technique may take practice, but it is a great way to keep those numbers in your long-term memory.

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