Do You Return Messages?

I know you’re busy. Your colleagues know you’re busy. You know you’re too busy.

That being said, please return your messages. The rule is if you receive a call, you should return the call promptly. If you receive the message over the weekend or at night, you should return the call first thing the next business day.

For me, there seems to be an automatic dread that lingers over me if I don’t return a call promptly. It’s almost like I use more energy pushing that return call further through out the day than just quickly returning that call. Waiting to return a call also stresses me out. I know I have to do it so why don’t I do it now? Why add more stress to by busy and stressful schedule.

Further, perhaps returning that phone call might help you finish that project faster. That information from that phone call, that you’ve been waiting to return, may hold the answers you’ve been waiting for and thus reduce your stress and help you complete that project.

You can also think about you being on the other end. What if you called someone with a questions or information and it took them a week to return your call. How would you feel? I think I’d be a little upset particularly if I had a question I was hoping they would answer.

Always put yourself in the other person’s shoes and you’ll know what the right thing to do is.