The reason we right-handed folks put the phone to our left ear is so that we can scrunch it between our shoulder and ear, keeping the right hand free to scribble notes or just doodle, or type on the computer while talking...

But because of a neck injury, I use a headset at work. Hooks over my left ear and then the little bud goes into my left ear. Much more comfortable than "scrunching."

(I guess the right-handed folks who put the phone to their right ears can't write or doodle while they talk!)

I worked an office job. I always pick up the phone with my left hand to free my right hand for writing. Over half the calls I'd take in a day required me to record notes for reference. Too much stuff to rememeber, and good notes can eliminate an argument later on. I dealt with technical issues and cost quotes.

I answer it with the left hand so I can write with my other.

I am left handed but use my left hand and left ear. I have to balance the phone on my shoulder or hold it with my right hand to my left ear if I need to write. Using my right hand and ear would just seem too uncomfortable.

Neither... or both if you care to think of it that way.

I use the handset's speakerphone!

And I, friends, am so hard of hearing in my left ear that I use my right ear...right scrunch...and right handed to take notes. LOL....it has become quite an exercise. Nanny

I use my right ear, do the right scrunch, and am right handed so do the right hand to take notes. It doesn't feel awkward to me and I never even gave it a thought until now :-) I DO use a headset for work, as I am sometimes on the phone for hours at a time.

Left ear, even with my blue tooth or headset. I've tried the right, it is so uncomfortable!

I use my right hand and my right ear as I am right handed.

Sue

I'm right handed and always answer with my left hand/left ear.

I am also right handed and answer with my right hand and right ear.

Carol

I became unilaterally deaf almost two years ago. I can only hear in my right ear so I use that side. Before I became hearing impaired I listened with my left.

It's been a major adjustment when making calls. I have to sit and have a place to put the number I'm calling, the pad I'm writing on etc. Quite a juggling act. Funny how we take things for granted and they seem so easy until we can no longer do them.

I try to avoid the phone as much as possible for business. I love my speaker phone mode on my cell phone. Used to hate speaker mode.

Maybe it depends if you have to write down something. I seldom have to write anything down as I don't seem to get those kinds of calls. Most all of my calls are on my cell phone.

Sue

I answer with my left hand & ear, but if it is a looooong phone call, I switch back & forth.

Left ear. Can't hear out of the right one.

Linda

I can have many hours of conference calls in a row and I always use a headset, left ear.
I use a headset for home too. I can't stand holding a phone up to my ear or worse, scrunching my next and shoulder.

Almost always hold up to left ear. 20 yrs of office work does that. Phone in left hand pen in right.

headset...left ear......300 incoming lines....yikes!!!!!!!!!

Mostly right-handed ... but some left, as well.

Phone in left hand, left ear, usually. Sometimes will shift, during a long call.

ole joyful

I worked for several months in the phone unit at my job. The others in the unit used a plastic phone rest that sat on their shoulders and held the mouthpiece near their mouths. I could never get used to using a phone rest, so I held the phone woth my left hand to my left ear, which left my right hand free to dial and write.

Left-handed, right phone-picker-upper.

I too am right handed and always hold the telephone to my right hand/ear, make telephone calls, hold left hand dial with right hand to my right ear, writing notes hold on my right shoulder, or left hand/right ear maybe tapping my shoulder and sit at edge of chair while writing.

Right handed but pick up/hold with left hand.

Right handed always use left hand and ear for phone. I used to use a headset all the time but very rarely now, don't have to be on the phone much now. However if I have to call a company or someplace that could require long wait times etc I dig out the headset so I can go on with my life while waiting or whatever.

Right handed, pick up phone left handed and to left ear. Right ear is ackward

I'm right handed and always used my right ear until I started losing my hearing in my right ear. I could hear but the voices were muddled. I found out I had a benign brain tumor that affected my hearing and I eventually lost all hearing in that ear. I now use my left ear for the phone. It was hard to switch after all those years.

I'm "severely" right handed, so I grab the phone with my right hand and hold it to my right ear. If I have to write down a message, I'll switch so I can grab a pen and paper to write it down. I should probably switch, but I'm a definite creature of habit.

vicsgirl, what ear would you hold the phone while writing?

Right-handed, left-eared. When I was temping I had to rearrange desks, moving the phone. And at my full-time job,mi could tell when someone else had used my desk because the phone would be moved. Oddly, I use my left ear for tv and conversations, too. Had my hearing tested at a physical once, and the acuity in the right ear is just fine. I simply find that I don't, what's ,the word, process? as well in that ear. A friend was telling me about her daughter's 504 at school to accommodate that as a disability. I never knew about such a thing,

If I have my right hand full of things, I will probably pick up the receiver with my left hand, but put to my right ear/shoulder

I'm right handed and grab the phone with my right hand, but hold it to my left ear and shoulder.

I have a cordless phone and weak hands. I'm always "busy;" I never get anything finished, but I am always busy. I normally wear a very supportive sports bra (yes, this is relevant! LOL)

I answer the phone with my left hand, click the button with my right hand and say "Hi!"

Then I tuck the cordless handset under the top of the strap of my running bra, placing the speaker high on my shoulder. The stronger, wider strap keeps the phone in place at just the right angle. I hear the caller fine; they hear me fine; and I can buzz around the house, folding clothes, putting things away, feeding the dogs or birds, sweeping the floor, etc. ... all the mindless chores and all the while being entertained with my "visitor."

If I'm not on the phone, then my tiny iPod 4 is tucked up in the strap and I'm listening to an audiobook without having to wear an ear .

This story ... seems to have a history!

Earlier ... stories on KT usually disappeared after three or four months ... unless one knew how to retrieve them from archives ... or something.

It was only on some of the other forums that they could hang around - well, easily accessible, anyway - for years.

ole joyful

Any more?

I also am right handed, hold the phone with my left hand to left ear.

I'm trying to think which I do most often, and I think it's right hand, right ear. But I'm equally as comfortable holding the phone with my left hand to my left ear and do either - if I'm anticipating writing down information I'm given during the call I'll do left hand, left ear, or change to that side when I need to. I've even held the phone with my left to my right ear while writing things down, right handed writer here ;)

Where and what kind of phones are all of you buying, I can't remember the last time a had a phone large enough to comfortably hold it with my shoulder other than one installed in the bedroom for power outages - not cordless.

Ambidextrous. Right ear. Even at work. I just cradle it and take notes with my right hand.

Whichever hand I pick it up with, it doesn't matter to me. Sometimes left, sometimes right. I think I screwed up my neck being a receptionist for 5 years and pinching a phone between my left ear and shoulder while writing. Now I could never do that.

Times have changed to much flamingo; so much of it is written communication, emails!, so one has very few times they're on the phone. Even my boss uses a headset when it's a long conversation though. That, you would've loved.

Always with out fail I use my left hand and left ear to answer the phone, I am right handed so use that hand for writing notes etc. I very much like using a headset and did use one a lot till we got a set of cordless phones that unfortunately does not have a jack and is not bluetooth. I think that will be changing soon. I very rarely use the speaker phone option even though it does have that.
I do miss the headset especially for long waits and business calls where I really need to use my hands.

Another lefty here who uses left ear/left hand with the phone.

i'm very strongly right-handed. But I pick up a phone with my left hand, and hold it to my left ear. This leaves my right hand free for writing notes, taking messages, etc. I think I developed this habit at work, where I was constantly on the phone.

I'm surprised I posted this almost 5 years ago and it's still getting answers,

Thanks folks!

pekemom, how about you?

rob333, do you sit at the edge of the chair or all the way in while writing?

I pick up the phone with my left hand BECAUSE I am right handed! For many years, I had a desk job. I'd pick up the phone with my left hand because I use my right hand to take notes. I do the same at home, also.

Now, things have changed ans I may be forced to switch. The hearing in my left ear is worse than my right forcing me to consider putting the phone to my right ear. However, I still might manage to hold the phone with my left hand thus keeping my right hand free to =write. It a bit more awkward, but doable. I will have to use care to keep from making breathing sounds into the mouth-piece.

Things may get trickery when a hearing aid is added to the mix. The solution to that may be to get a new phone. My hearing aids have a 3rd program that is similar to "blue tooth". Its called 'loop or in the loop" and many phones come equipped these days with it. The phone simultaneously broadcasts a signal in addition to making sound in the earpiece. My hearing aids can receive this when present. A number of movie theaters have the "loop" meaning you can pick up the sound by radio rather than the room speakers. Its supposed to provide better sound quality.

I'm right handed but use my left ear and hand.

I've often wondered why but now I know. It is so that I can doodle, or write the occasional (even totally unimportant) word.

I am left-handed but can't hear in right ear as have tried with phone and so it must be left handed and left ear to hear what they are saying and makes it hard when trying to do things I need my left hand for and its a struggle to hold the phone and not drop it which I have done many times.

Any other women right handed and always answer the telephone to their right hand/ear even when writing notes, making calls, etc?