Texting is something that people do everyday and often we get caught forgetting about etiquette, so I thought I'd delve into what that means.
When you're amongst others, in a face-to-face conversation the phone shouldn't be coming out unless you excuse yourself or ask if it would be alright to check the phone or take the call.
Text messages are informal and because a lot of human communication is done through body language it isn't something that should be used for a lot of things.
It's casual and the meaning of the message can easily be misunderstood and discomfort between people can develop.
One big thing I think people sometimes forget about quite often is that text messages aren't instantaneous. People get to them when they get to them and if you're sending an important message, which you'd like answered right away, a text message is not the right forum to use.
I got a message one time early in the morning. I hadn't been feeling well and didn't have anything to get to that day, so was sleeping in. It was a time sensitive question to which they later texted back that they were disappointed I hadn't answered them in a timely manner. I got both messages at the same time, which was two-hours after the first one was sent.
So, if it is immediate make a voice call, although keep in mind you may not be able to get through. The phone could be dead, off, set to “do not disturb,” or it's possible the individual is unable to talk at that instance.
One thing I know I get caught doing, because I'm a bit of a night person, is that I'll get a message ready to send in the morning and accidentally send it right away or simply forget what time it is and send it.
I know I need to be better about this because you should respect other people's schedules. If you're awake, working, or not busy, the person you're messaging might not be.
Ultimately your phone does have an off-button and there are very few things in this world that cannot wait. What did we do before cell phones? We couldn't get a hold of people, so we would leave a message. It was never possible before to guarantee you could contact someone and it still isn't which is something we often forget about when using current technology.
The fact is, it's kind of nice to be away from your phone for a bit. Although with work it has developed into a main form of organization. However, it's pleasant to get out of cell service and be amongst the real world. Enjoy nature and hang out with friends in real life, it's better than chatting through a text message with them.
Having said that texting is a great way to keep in touch with people. I for one use it to keep in touch with friends who live far away.
But you shouldn't have to be tied to your phone. If you forget it at home, it's been forgotten, is it really necessary you go back and get it?
