It's your call

Cell phones:
"On the plus side, they've made us instantly available anyplace, anytime. On the the minus side, they've made us instantly available anyplace, anytime." says Nina Cooper of Las Vegas (Parade Magazine March 11, 2007)

So says Bill James of Austin Texas, from the same article: "They ruin our personal time. Both your boss and your client want you to be reachable. A quiet dinner with the family? A movie? Fuhgetaboutit!"

News flash Bill... Um, try turning the phone off. Is this guy one of those parents who doesn't say "No" to his 3 year old because "he doesn't understand what it means." Oy vey Bill! It IS in your control. It's just a phone. If I am in a meeting I turn the ringer off. If I'm at a lunch date where I don't want to be disturbed, I turn the ringer off. Even if I'm at lunch or in a meeting and I'm expecting an important call, out of respect for the people I'm with, I put the phone on vibrate so I can decide exactly when the call comes in, if it's appropriate to take it at that moment. It's a matter of tact Bill. Does your family rate in the number one position at all or is work always always in the forefront. Maybe because I'm a mom, I will always put my kids first. But then, I'm the boss of the company too, so I don't have to be worried about getting fired for not taking a call but please people, everything in moderation.

If it's a Saturday night and you get to sleep in Sunday morning, try turning off your phone. There will be a little button that allows you to do that. Consult the manual if you can't find it... I'll bet you a hundred bucks, whoever is calling can wait a minute or two to have their incredibly important issue addressed.

Take control of your life! And have a lovely day.