Telephones can be aggravating critters. To manage them, I have two basic rules:

  1. I don’t answer calls from numbers I don’t recognize because they are usually either wrong numbers or telemarketers, neither of which do I want to be bothered with.
  2. I don’t answer when I’m busy doing other things. I keep in mind always that I control the interruptions in my life and I generally don’t like being interrupted when I’m working. So the phone rings.

Time management gurus all encourage you to manage your interruptions rather than letting them manage you. That’s what I try to do with the phone.

Sometimes these rules create even more aggravation because some people just don’t seem to get the message.

Which part of “I’m not who you’re looking for” did you not understand?

Several days ago while at work my cellphone rang. I didn’t recognize the number and since I was busy, I silenced the phone and went about my business.

Several minutes later, it rang again. Same number. I did the same thing.

Now, I have to point out here that I have voice mail that clearly states my name. If the caller had the wrong number they’d know that simply by listening. But, then again, maybe not.

After the fourth time in a span of less than four minutes, it was clear that the caller wasn’t getting the message so I answered. Now, I still don’t know who they were looking for, their responses were unintelligible. But it was clearly not me. I told them they had the wrong number and hung up.

Now this was apparently a really not-so-bright individual. A few minutes later the phone rang again. Same area code, different number. I guess the caller figured their phone was the problem so they’d try again from another.

I answered with “This is Kevin. If you’re not trying to get Kevin, then you have the wrong number. That will be true no matter how many times you call or what phone you call from".” Yeah, I know it was a bit rude, but then so, too, is repeatedly calling a wrong number.

They finally got the message:  They didn’t call back.

Dr. Phil likes to you the phrase: “How’s that working for ya?” This is, of course, rooted in the idea that if you keep doing the same thing the same way, you’ll always get the same result.

On another day we’ll talk about why this can be a good thing, but if what you’re doing isn’t getting the result you want, maybe your need to try something different.

And, maybe that’s what this caller thought they were doing by calling from a different phone; they were  doing something different. I guess I’ll never know.

This caller, of course, isn’t the only one to not get the message. Too often people will call and when the phone rolls over to voice mail will hang up and call again.

Why?

Clearly, if I didn’t answer I’m either not at home, or choose not to answer the phone right then. Calling right back doesn’t change anything. (well, it really does. It makes me very aggravated.)

I’m not going to answer.

It’s my choice; leave a message.

What interruptions fall into your pet-peeves list?