To be efficient and happy, you must minimize all types of interruptions. And the jar of a suddenly ringing phone is one of the worst possible interruptions.
You are way more productive when you’re not bugged by phone calls, especially calls that don’t happen on your schedule.
Here’s how I prevent and avoid phone interruptions, and it’s helped my time management significantly.
Six Ways to Minimize Phone Interruptions
1. Keep your ringer off whenever possible.
2. Make sure you have a good answering machine or answering service for your phone.
3. Check your messages at a time that is good for you: on a work break, or after lunch, for example.
4. Check for messages as infrequently as practical; don’t let yourself get distracted by checking every 30 minutes.
5. Get caller ID. That way, if you must have your ringer on, you can see who’s calling and decide whether or not you truly need to talk right now.
6. Program your phone so that each truly important person in your life—say your kids—has his or her own specific ring. Only pick up for these important people.
Of course, you must deal with phone calls in the manner that best suits your work habits and your life, and no two people are the same, so adjust the techniques to fit you.
What’s your attitude toward the telephone? Any suggestions to add to the list?
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I’ve come to view the phone simply as a tool I use for my own convenience. The ringer is off nearly all the time, and I check messages a few times a day to return important calls. I used to keep the ringer on and screen the calls with caller id but that ended up being too distracting to me.
Jean, you’re doing a great job of keeping the phone from affecting your productivity. And I see how much you write on your excellent blog, and all the comments you leave on other blogs, so I know you know how to get it done.
Great suggestions, John!
To hitchhike on your phone interruptions suggestions, I would add 10 telephone etiquette and productivity tips:
1. Smile when talking on the phone.
2. Speak s-l-o-w-l-y and clearly when leaving a tel. # or other important info.
3. NEVER take another call when on the phone to someone. It’s rude. Also, do not answer a phone call (unless you are a doctor or it’s life and death) while talking to someone in person.
4. Do not multitask when talking on the phone.
5. Follow-up any dates, agreements, plans, etc. made on the phone with an email stating same. You don’t want to forget or misunderstand anything.
6. If you are calling a business and don’t want to talk to anyone, call early in the morning and leave a message. (See #1 and #2 above).
7. Don’t be humorous to strangers on the phone, as they can’t pick up on you body cues and may perceive you as flippant.
8. Though you want to be businesslike, don’t rush the call or hurry the person on the other end of the line. People can always tell.
9. Set time to make all your phone calls at once, when it’s convenient for you and you are in a good physical environent (not a theater)–and when you have adequate time of course.
10. Modulate your voice. Don’t shout or mumble into the phone.
Eric, what a great list. We should have made this a guest post here on the blog…
I agree with every single one of your suggestions, although there are times I break a couple or your rules.
For instance, sometimes I’ll do stretching when I’m on the phone, and occasionally I’ve folded laundry. (I assume petting the dog is OK.)
And I often to chunk my phone calls together. However, sometimes I’ll make individual calls as a breaks from a work project.
Thanks again, Eric, for sharing your expertise.
I wish more people would read #3. I hate the cell phone revolution where people think it’s okay to answer a phone when I’m sitting there with them. The only time I ever answer is when the person currently caring for my kids calls, and I make that a quick answer to be sure there isn’t a child-related emergency.
John: Great tips. I really do think it is important that we have a philosophy and approach for how we are going to deal with our phone because it really can get overwhelming. It also has a way of sucking you in if you let it and serving as a complete distraction. For me, I use my phone when I have down time. I am hesitant to just answer it all the time unless it appears to be something urgent or an emergency. I think it is all about preserving blocks of time where you aren’t distracted and managing your phone is a must. Great post.
Sibyl, I like your phone-use practices.
If I’m expecting a call and the phone rings, I always look at caller ID before I answer. If it’s not who I should be talking to, I let the machine get it.
Burned into my brain to this day is my dad’s favorite – but gruffly uttered and oft-repeated line (and this goes back to the sixties and seventies) – “I’m gonna rip that $&%(#)#$*# thing off the wall and throw it in the garbage!”
That still pretty much sums up my sentiment when it comes to phones and phone calls / conversations. Short and sweet. The facts only. Part of this attitude is that it’s so uncomfortable holding the stupid gadget to my head for periods of time longer than five minutes!
I don’t own a cell phone, and want to completely unhook myself from conventional lines by going Skype all the way. I am forced to answer enough phones at work that it’s the last thing I want to do when I’m at home. *(Unless it’s my mom, and today’s her 86th birthday, so I’ll be on the phone with her for at least half an hour.)*
First off, happy birthday to your Mom. 86 is quite an accomplishment.
My dad said similar language when I was a kid.
I also minimize the time I spend on the phone, unless it’s the only good way to connect with someone I cannot easily visit in person. I use headphones so I don’t have to actually hold the phone.
I have a cell phone, but I only use it when I’m out of the house and absolutely have to.
Some great tips John. One of my daughters worked at McDonalds so I set her personal ring tone to Old Macdonald Had a Farm. It is the source of much amusement around the house but it is very effective.
I am still looking for a song with lyrics like “We’re really in the sh@t now!” for when a large petroleum company from Britain calls me.
Michael, thanks for sharing — you made me laugh!
Adding to other superb comments, here’s one for the books:
Place phone calls whenever you want, but listen to calls at set times throughout the day. Use the same algorithm for email: send whenever you want but read when you listen to the calls.
Ari, I like this strategy.
That way writing an e-mail or making a phone call can be used as a break from other work, or when the mood truly strikes. Answering can be chunked all at once for increased efficiency.
after the invention of touch screen mobiles with great computing features, phones started to rule us,, we want to be away from phone to be successful,, nice tip
Ashok, I usually have my cell phone turned off unless I’m specifically expecting an important call, usually from a family member, that I couldn’t be scheduled for a specific time.
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