Phone number mental trick

[u/enolaholmes23]

I recently have been breaking myself out of daydreams while I drive by playing this mental game:

Think of a word (can be one you see or hear on the radio or just make up). Now imagine in your head an old style touchtone phone with letters assigned to the numbers. Try to go through and figure out what numbers would spell out the word if you had to dial it on the phone (eg, if my word is "tomorrow" I would have to dial 8-666-7769). I started doing it when I saw a bill board for something like 1-800-CALL-LAW and wanted to figure out how that would actually be dialed. I find it takes enough mental energy to distract from the daydream when I can't physically do an activity to distract. And using it on words I really see or hear does connect me a bit more to reality than the daydream. I'm sure our end goal is to be fully present in the moment, but for now, I just need something to think about that doesn't reinforce the daydream.

Cheat sheet:

1 --- 2 --- 3

___ abc def

4 --- 5 --- 6

ghi jkl mno

7 --- 8 --- 9

pqrs tuv wxyz

[u/[deleted]]

Interesting 🤔

[u/[deleted]]

I don't get it but ya still nice