The least used feature on a smartphone is the phone itself. As a nation, we simply don’t call each other anymore. We text or Facebook, and we make calls only when absolutely necessary. What’s with the phone phobia? It’s oftentimes better to actually speak with someone, yet we’re reluctant to do it. There are six people that you hardly ever call, but you really need to start. Call these people today.
Your Parents
Think about the last time you spoke to your parents. Who called whom? If you constantly find yourself listening to your mother’s voicemails, and if you realize that the only time you talk to your parents is when they call you, it’s time for a change. If you really love your parents, call them! It will make their day to know that you so sincerely wanted to talk to them that you called them yourself.
Your Teachers
If you’re in college, how do you communicate with your professors? You probably email them a lot, and you might occasionally stay back after class to ask them a question. But if you look on your syllabus, you’ll probably find a phone number. Use it. Your professors are important people, and you want to get to know them. Because no one calls anymore, you’ll stand out in their minds, which is a good thing.
Your Old Friends
When people get older and their lives change, their circle of friends usually does, too. If you don’t hang out with your best friends from your childhood, why not? If the reason is only that you’ve lost touch, pick up the phone and reach out. When you had a really close bond with someone, it can almost always be rekindled. There’s no reason you shouldn’t stay in touch with old friends like you did before.
Your Professional Contacts
If you have a stack of business cards or LinkedIn contacts, what are you doing about it? People network for a reason. When you make connections, you can get ahead. It’s a good idea to stay in touch with your professional contacts, and like your professors, if you call rather than email you’ll stand out. You should keep in touch with them even when you don’t need something, because one day you might.
Your Child’s Teachers
If you have children, you probably attend parent-teacher conferences to learn about their classroom and education. But do you keep up with it, or do you only find out news from handouts and little notes? Call your child’s teachers. When you stay in contact with them, you’ll become more involved in your child’s education, and your child will benefit from it greatly in the long run.
Your Doctor
When you’re concerned about a health issue, what do you do? Google it? WebMD it? If the Internet is the first place you consult for medical advice, you should reconsider. Call your primary doctor instead. You won’t always need to go in for an appointment. Most doctors will be happy to talk to you and answer your questions over the phone, and you’ll often get more reliable advice anyway.
Vanessa Jones is a cell phone professional and tech expert who works for Tru Phone. She is also a writer and loves giving advice to others on all things phone related.
Photo Credit: @Doug88888