E-mail addresses, phones, chat, US mail, my kid screaming from his bedroom.
The whole blackberry thing where people have to be immediately available. I'm drowning. I have three voice mail boxes that manage. My e-mail inbox fills up faster than I can read.
Enough!
I have been thinking about it for a long time.
Now I only have one phone number. One phone. One voicemail.
I have ended all the other phone numbers.
Yes you can still call and reach me from switchboard, where an actual human will pick up the phone. But since technology is supposed to make our lives easier rather than more complex, we are using the technology to allow the receptionist to put you through to my one phone.
This does require different thinking. It is not wise of me to answer a phone call while I'm driving down the road if that phone call requires that I stare at the computer screen. It's a bit of a conundrum to me. Should I answer it and apologize? Or should I ignore the phone call? But in the end I think it's just about returning your voicemails.
As an entrepreneur, I am my company so I do not have any reason to not answer phone calls. I will tell you that during family time and when I tuck in my little girl in bed I don't care if Mr Obama is calling I'm not going to answer the phone.
Somehow along the way I had a crazy idea in my head that when the phone rings I have to drop everything. That's simply not true.
Now, I know that I do have to be available and responsive to people who leave me messages, but that's what voicemail is all about. I can get back to you in a reasonable amount of time.
So if you want to reach me, 512-590-1977. If you want to talk to the nice girl at the reception desk 800-561-7206.
