I think I screwed up.

[alarimer]

At work, we are in the process of putting the finishing touches on a big project. I got a phone call from someone at another agency giving us the heads-up that they were good to go with it as well. All systems go.

But I can't for the life of me remember the name of this person. I thought I did remember, but when I emailed him, he said he couldn't recall our conversation. I have a bad habit of not making notes to myself about phone conversations, unless it's something I have to pass on to someone else.

My boss needed to tell someone else and called me this morning, but I couldn't come up with a name. And when I did, it was the wrong one.

I just feel like I'm always screwing up and everyone is judging me for every mistake.

[OriginalGeek]

1. I don't know how big your place of work is

but I'm the phone guy at my work. If you worked here I could go look at the calls coming into the switch around the time you think the call came in and find the number of the person who called you - assuming they didn't have "block caller ID" on when they called. If you have an IT department and/or a phone guy, maybe he can help you find the number of who called. Depending on the type of phone system you have, your phone may have a call history that goes back far enough to get the number without even involving the phone guy.

Good luck!

[HappyMe]

2. Do you have any emails

or other correspondence or notes that may jog your memory?

[alarimer]

4. No.

All I can think of is that it was someone whose name was unfamiliar to me. Which does narrow it down a bit.

[Ohio Joe]

3. Get yourself a notepad and pen...

Every day start at the top of a new page and put the date on it first thing. Make notes of anything that may be important.

"I write things down, so I don't have to remember them"

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

This advice has served me well.

[alarimer]

5. Good idea.

I've been so stressed lately that it seems to affect my memory. And of course, the more you try to remember something, the harder it is.

[Ohio Joe]

6. I've been doing it for years...

I will even tell people to 'hold on a sec', while I get things down. Not one person has ever complained or made a comment and it does indeed keep me from forgetting things.