Call vs. Text: Which Do You Prefer?
::Phone rings::
My phone is ringing! Who is calling me? What do they want? I try to get my kids to quiet down, “Kids, please be quiet for just a second.” I become panicked for a split second. Phew, it’s just my mom. I can send her to voicemail and I can call her back. Anyone who knows me knows that I really only talk to my mom and husband on the phone.
Think to yourself before you call me, “is this something that could be texted?” If so, take that route. More than likely, 80% of the time I won’t answer. It’s not that I don’t like talking on the phone like I used to in the 90’s as a teen with a 3 way call between girlfriends; it’s just that it is not my favorite method of communication anymore.
Kids yelling, dogs barking, tv blaring, you get the gist; the noise level and the chaos of life just get in the way and the last thing I want to do is answer the phone. Then I think … why are they calling me? Is something wrong? A bit of anxiety comes over me and I’m nervous to pick up the phone in the event a bomb will be dropped on me (especially if you are calling past midnight or before 7AM). So I check the caller id and more than likely let it go to voicemail, and if it’s important, I’ll call back once the noise level is tolerable.
And I feel awkward calling people as well. Am I interrupting them? What if they are at work? At a kid’s school function? Doctors appointment? I could go on but you catch my drift. I find it to be intrusive. I even go as far as texting someone saying I’m going to call at a specific time, so you know, they can be ready.
I’m not an introvert by any means, but I just don’t enjoy talking on the phone as I age. Maybe it’s the comfort and ease of technology? I’m not sure. But I am totally certain that it’s my least preferred form of communication.
So next time you pick up the phone to call me, think to yourself if you can text it. If you can, please do so.
