Mobile phone serves as modern-day butler

My mother, an accomplished businesswoman, used to get frustrated if I didn’t answer the phone every time it rang. It drove her bonkers – always thinking I would miss out on something.

I pondered this for a while … then I decided that unless the incoming call could clearly be important or a potential emergency (e.g., a doctor, your child’s school, law enforcement, a job interview), it was not always necessary to answer it. And of course, I was always answering those types of calls.

I consider my cell phone the modern-day butler. Butler you say? For some of you, that might conjure up images of Mr. French on Family Affair or more recently Agnes van Rhijn’s butler, Bannister, on The Gilded Age. But the truth is, as technology evolves, it can help make our lives less stressful and more efficient. Surprise!  You probably already have a butler!

Some of my screening guidelines for sending mobile phone calls directly to voicemail include:

• Unknown callers
• Calls flagged as, “Possible SPAM”
• Political and other soliciting callers
• Not a good time to talk (e.g., illness, caring for a family member, etc.)
• Currently on another call
• Not appropriate (e.g., attending church, theater, etc.)
• Working
• Just don’t feel like talking right now (e.g., on vacation, time of day, focusing on something important)

These guidelines serve me well, and you might consider trying a few out too. At the same time, if you want this modern butler to work well, you should also consider some best practices:

• Keeping your voicemail message up-to-date
• Returning phone calls or sending a response to messages in a timely manner 
• Deleting old messages to ensure new callers can leave new ones
• Blocking annoying callers (e.g., sales, politicians, etc,)
• Investing in scam prevention software or taking advantage of free apps to add another layer of protection to your phone

In addition, your mobile phone may have helpful apps to assist you. Check out the following:

• Calendar – Schedule appointments or meetings and consider including reminders.
• Clock – Set your alarm time for each day of the week. It also includes a stopwatch, which is convenient for presentations or exercises.
• Tickets – Order tickets or reserve a seat for your favorite events using apps like Seat Geek, StubHub or Eventbrite.
• Invitations – Use apps like Evite to create and send party invitations.
• Rides – Schedule a ride with Uber or Lyft.

Oh and there is so much more you can do! Technology can reduce stress and help you manage your everyday life more efficiently if you let it. Begin with treating your mobile phone as the modern day butler!