By 2018, there were plenty of ways to reach someone. WhatsApp worked for quick messages, photos, and voice notes. There was also Telegram if you prefer an alternative to a Facebook-owned app. On Twitter, a short message forces you to get to the point. And email has been around for almost 50 years, surviving plenty of changes in how we communicate. It works well for longer messages and attachments.
Then there are phone calls. For me, an unexpected call is a major interruption.
When I am doing something, I want to focus on it—whether I am working, reading, spending time with friends or exercising in the gym.
An unplanned call is one-sided: the caller needs something and assumes I am available at that moment. It interrupts whatever I am doing.
I prefer a message on WhatsApp, Telegram, Twitter, or email. I can answer when it suits me and take a moment to think.
Last month, I counted my unplanned calls and sent them to voicemail. I set the message to a HAL 9000 clip from Stanley Kubrick’s 2001, A Space Odyssey, asking callers to message me on WhatsApp or by email:
Only two unplanned calls came in. Both callers sent a WhatsApp message after hearing the voicemail, and we continued there. I made the message with Online Tone Generator.
When I travel, I often swap my SIM for a local one. I can still use WhatsApp and FaceTime with my original phone number, which helps me stay reachable.
If you want to talk by phone or video, I am happy to arrange a time that works for us both.