C O M M U N I C A T I O N

Emailing and calling family or friends everyday truly changed my perspective. I used to avoid contacting people in my life. I would send the occasional email and would only call when returning a phone call. Even when I was home, I would allow calls to go to voicemail. (Which I still do, but now it is has a purpose.)

I have nine people that I want to keep in contact with weekly. I have another five or six that I wish to correspond with monthly. Monday through Friday, for one hour each day, I draft emails or make phone calls. I probably speak with my mother twice a week, 30 minutes each time. We have a scheduled call on Thursday evenings at 8pm and the other call happens on a morning when I am not too busy. I initiate the call. The others in my contact group get a brief update with a hello email or a brief phone call.

 

I communicate during my scheduled timeframe, when I am ready and available - otherwise, I will not give my attention towards the communication and I will need to "call back later" or send an email stating: "Got your message and will respond when I can." All of that takes precious time and it is sloppy. Call, email and meet in person when you are prepared to.

I probably make less than seven personal phone calls each week. Isn't that crazy? Because the emails and phone calls are intentional and planned, I do not find myself feeling guilty for not staying in touch, or playing some frantic phone tag game, or feeling that I do not have the time to communicate.

What? communication. Learn How and Why I started this practice >>