I don't understand how some people just refuse to get it.

Just because my cell phone rings does not mean I am obligated to check it. I am not going to stop what I am doing for someone else’s convenience.

Must be a Duval thing...

The ringer on my cell phone is always turned to "off." My phone will only vibrate on an incoming call. My watch is tethered to my phone, so when a call comes in, I can glance at my watch and decide if I want to answer it.

Any number I do not recognize (i.e., have in my address book) is automatically ignored and sent to voicemail limbo.

I have no problem with problem callers.

Houston is the western hub of the oil & gas industry. When I was in Alaska, there was 3 hours time difference from Houston. People who knew I was in Alaska would call my cell phone when they got to work knowing full well it was 3:30 to 5:00 AM.

That is when I discovered the Do Not Disturb setting on my phone where it doesn't ring or vibrate for calls or texts between the hours of my choosing (e.g. 11 PM and 7 AM). You can add people to favorites that will still ring/vibrate (e.g. someone who would only call for a real emergency) and you can enable a twice in a row setting so that it'll ring/vibrate if they call twice in a row.

How about the people who text you at 6:30 AM because they figure if they're up, you must be too.

I've long made it clear that (a) you're welcome to call or text or email 24/7, and (b) my phone is for my convenience, not anyone else. I'm not a rat who performs a task when the bell dings, and if I'm busy or asleep I'll get back to you when it's convenient for me.

An obligation to answer 24/7 will cost them, significantly.

I finally acquired a phone a few moths ago, and it astounds me how people will send a text and then wonder why I don't reply immediately.
Um, because I have a life and am not constantly checking for messages?

It also astounds me how many people will keep their phones right next to them at all times and drop whatever else they are doing every time they get a notification sound.

quote:

it astounds me how people will send a text and then wonder why I don't reply immediately.

My CPA office is in the daylight basement of my 3 story townhome. My cellphone rests beside my desk & I refuse to carry it around the home. I do not text as I must keep printable records of all client contacts. No matter how many time I explain all this to clients, they think I must answer the text/phone at 9pm on Sunday.

 
My iPhone kicks into Do Not Disturb at 18:00 until 06:00. I have a special group configured that is allowed to break through the Do Not Disturb. Currently only my wife and a close friend are in that group, and they each have a special ringtone that gets my attention.

Do not disturb is on 24/7. The phone works for me not the other way around.

My phone is powered off most of the day. It's not my master; I turn it on when I need it.

quote:

Originally posted by brecaidra:
I finally acquired a phone a few moths ago, and it astounds me how people will send a text and then wonder why I don't reply immediately.

I have had to explain several times that "Instant Message" does not mean "Instant Reply".

Unfortunately I am on call 24/7 so I do answer work calls at all hours.
The good news is I get paid 1 hour overtime rate 7 days a week for being available, whether work calls me or not.

Yup, Do Not Disturb 1800-0600, sometimes more. I can look at the screen if I want to catch up. I usually don't.

My wife would challenge the OP and bre are both using their phones wrong.

My wife is the one to ask, at 9pm, "who's that?" when my phone chirps with a text or phone call. She gives me the stink eye when I reply "don't know, I'm not a slave to my phone."

A colleague of mine walks into the office one morning bitching because our VP called him at 2am.

I asked him for his phone and turned on ‘Do Not Disturb’. “Problem solved” I told him.

I wanted to ask him why he answered the phone for our VP at 2am.

I have to keep my phone on 24/7 for emergencies. I've got 24 guys under me at work and I had to posts signs all over the place telling them to stop calling my cell phone when they call in sick!! Call the office phone instead and leave a voice mail (which get's emailed to me anyway).
Work starts at 8AM and these dumb M'er F'ers are calling waking me up at 5AM and earlier to tell me they're not coming in.

quote:

Originally posted by NK402:
How about the people who text you at 6:30 AM because they figure if they're up, you must be too.

I’m in the forestry business. You can back that up by two hours. Reason why I keep my ringer off.

Do Not Disturb is your friend

When I go to bed (shift work), my ringer is shut off, my phone is placed screen down on my night stand (so I can't see it light up if someone did call or text, or see the blinking notification light) and it is plugged into charge. My wife gets mad at me, says what would happen if I get in an accident and end up in the Hospital, I told her that she would be in good hands and that I would get the message when I woke up...