I don’t know about you, but all day long I get text messages, phone calls (less of these lately), emails, and direct messages. They happen throughout the day and there are times, that can’t respond right away.
I may be in the middle of a project for a client, podcasting for Hilary Topper on Air, or recording my audiobook, working on my Hofstra class, and responding to messages just isn’t possible.
It may sound like I’m ranting here, but I think the question to ask your friends and family members is this…
What would you prefer? Text Message? Phone call? Email? or DM?
If someone asked me, I would say email is best. This way, I can respond when I have time to respond. If I receive a text or DM, I feel compelled to respond immediately because of its urgency. But are all text messages and DMs urgent? Most aren’t and therefore, an email should be sent in its place.
I respond quickly to emails because I’m on outlook all day long. Sometimes, I find that text messages and DMs feel intrusive and then I feel guilty about not responding immediately.
That may sound strange, but it’s true. I don’t mind the occasional text or DM. But when I don’t get back to the person right away, I feel like they think I’m snubbing them. I’m not, I’m just busy.
Phone calls
I’m not sure how phone calls became almost obsolete. It has gotten to the point where I feel like it’s almost awkward to call someone and yet, if you want an answer or a response, I still feel that phone calls are the best option. I also feel that they are more personal and you make a strong connection when you talk on the phone to someone, even if it’s just an audio call and not a facetime call.
Everyone is different
Everyone prefers a different way to reach out. Some may prefer text messages rather than email. Some may even prefer a phone call. I think the best way to approach this is to ask the person, what do you prefer? Email? A text message or DMs?
What do you think? What would you prefer?
