Work phone is NEVER to go to voice mail in the written job description.
Thing is it doesn't always have reception... so this has been a problem at times.
Grew up in a house where the phone was always promptly answered and it has been a hard habit to break Mom of as maybe a dozen solicitations or worse type calls come to her each day...
Finally getting use to screening calls... told her to listen before answering... she says almost everyone now hangs up and I said this is a good thing!
This was SWMBO's attitude for years, phone rings, answer it. Mine has always been answer it if convenient or EXPECTING a callback. It took about 2 years after retirement for her to wait until the caller ID told us who was calling before she answered.
What prompted me to start this thread was a phone call to my brother last night. He sounded flustered so I asked if it was a bad time.
It turns out that he was talking to a coworker, and asked me to call back.
I wasn't to, but he returned my call and we talked. Then he mentioned that he was sitting in a store parking lot and needed to get his wife's cigarettes.
Maybe it's just me, but if I'm trying to get home I'm not going to be bothered to talk on the phone unnecessarily.
I do like texting for the same reason that others have mentioned. It's not as intrusive, and you can say what you need without all of the formalities of a phone call. I won't check them while I'm driving, so if my phone pings it adds a little mystery to my life as I drive down the road wondering who it's from.
I've 5 principal people that I frequently contact that are getting to the point they don't email, only text. Texting has become easier since I found Googles pc app - Messages for web. I also love the feature of being to able to write 1 message and send it to all 5 immediately.
Critical things - Like "rushed your mom to hospital" get out quick.
Psychologists would say its a matter of acknowledgement. People call - you answer - they are acknowledging your existence.
WHATEVER My one and only phone - a cell phone - is OFF - ALL THE TIME. Except when I turn it on so I may make a phone call. Otherwise, I try to remember to turn it on every evening to see if somebody left a message worthy of a return call.
This generation forgets - - the phone is for the use of he who pays the bill - not an instrument for use by the general public. Like most young ones I see - I do not have an umbilical cord running from my cell phone to my head. And for that matter - when I leave the house - the cell phone remains at home.
Am I just an old fart - firmly set in the old ways - YES, most likely, and I'm not about to change either.
I tried that, didn't work well. Found myself turning it on 10 times a day and waiting 40 seconds each time for it to boot.
What is this thing we call a phone? My Samsung is about as powerful as a 5 year old laptop.
Mine is used (in approximate order of frequency, time spent)
As a watch/clock/calendar
As a safety device so SWMBO does not worry about me when I'm doing what she considers dangerous (roof work, chainsawing etc.)
To stream music and news over the web
As a camera to document life
As a notepad w/ a database to track what I need to buy etc.
As a voice recorder for notes when I don't have time to type
To check weather radar
To read/refer to PDF manuals
To search the web, read TBN
As a library of tools (carpenter calculators, sound level meter, etc.)
To text
And occasionally to communicate via voice with another person.
I normally use about 10 minutes of talk time a month.
This here.
Before cell phones were common, standing at the counter of auto parts store, only to be held up by phone call after phone call to said parts store. I had been waiting for what seemed to me, about 15 minutes. I pulled out my cell phone and called the parts store and asked them my question, while standing at the counter. The clerk was talking to me and his eyes started to wander over toward me and noticed i was on my phone, talking to him.
Been there, done that.
I have no problem ignoring the phone. It serves me not I it. That being said I am not working or running a business anymore where access to me is a requirement. So I do have sympathy for those that have to.
Only time mine is with me at home is if Im doing something that I could need assistance ifn I got hurt. Anybody that knows me also knows that my phone is beside my recliner not on me.
My phone is always with me but for the uses I mentioned. It's a fairly powerful computer. Oh, and it also can be used to communicate.
I've no idea in heck why people answer the phone when it's not convenient.
