The Art of Phone Management – Some Tips

Article is written by Dr. P. Ilango

Dr. P. Ilango

Of late, I have been facing the problem of being interrupted almost incessantly by phone calls during my work and study or even leisure. On many occasions (becoming rather too frequent these days), I feel that my mind is losing ‘focus’ and as a result, I am unable to do quality work or give quality time to people who need it the most. This feeling nags me all the time and makes me feel guilty and frustrated. In this modern hi-tech era, telephones (all types) have become almost a ‘necessary evil’. But, I have learnt certain things over a period of time based on my experiences, both pleasant and unpleasant. I would like to advocate a strategy which I may call as ‘Phone Management’ and this is quite different from what we normally mean by the same terms. While phone management is generally believed to be concerned with the technical aspects of using a telephone as a device more efficiently and to its full potential, I am referring to the aspects relating to how we use the phone, particularly how we handle calls, alerts and text messages.  After all, when we have so much of hype about ‘management’ with so many variations of the concept such as time management, tourism management, stress management, anger management etc, I think we can justify the idea of phone management. I pity my friends who struggle with two or three cell phones or a phone with dual SIM system. I almost get annoyed to see people taking phone calls during meetings and even when they are addressing a gathering which I consider as a lack of etiquette and disrespect to others.

While there is no doubt about the wide range of benefits of telephones, I strongly feel that one needs to have absolute control over it and see that it does not come in the way of work, study or even leisure. These days I see people being controlled by the phone. I myself have felt rather irritated at times when I feel that the phone is gaining control over my life and work. There is no doubt, when you try to control the phone, people may not like it and some may even get annoyed (especially some bosses). When I see someone using a cell phone while driving, I literally shudder to think of the possible consequences. Talking and driving are mutually exclusive because focusing on both the conversation and the road uses the same part of the brain. As a result, people generally become more concerned with their phone conversations and do not concentrate on their immediate surroundings. A 2006 study published in the Human Factors journal showed that drivers talking on cell phones were more involved in rear-end collisions. When talking, people must withdraw their attention from the road in order to formulate responses. Because the brain cannot focus on two sources of input at one time, driving and listening or talking, constantly changing input provided by cell phones distracts the brain and increases the likelihood of accidents. According to studies by the Kaiser Family Foundation, in 1999 only 16 percent of time spent using media such as internet, television, video games, telephones, text-messaging, or e-mail was combined. In 2005, 26 percent of the time this media was used together.

I think we should manage our phones more effectively by switching off while driving or when involved in risky operations. Recently I saw a video of a man triggering off a major fire accident in a Gas Station and getting burnt alive just because he tried to use the mobile phone’s display as a source of light while he was working atop an oil tanker. Besides, I am also of the strong opinion that people should switch off or use silent mode while at work or during meetings in order to avoid distractions and to show respect to others. We need to create awareness about this kind of ‘phone management’ first among school children and youth attending colleges and Universities. We also need to sensitize the public at large regarding the uses and abuses or misuses of phone besides learning etiquette. 

The writer is Professor & Head, Department of Social Work, Bharathidasan University, Khajamalai Campus, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu.