In the business world the lack of anything to talk about is a good thing.
It means you can cancel that meeting and get some time back.
But I fear, in the personal world, calls get cancelled for the same thing.
“My life is really boring and routine right now. I don’t have any exciting updates and I fear awkward silences so maybe I should just tell them I’m busy”
Social media has led us to believe only the highlights are worth sharing.
But I think that hinders conversations.
Sometimes the mundane or the frustrations of the world make the best bonding material.
It reeks of perfectionism.
“The only news I’ll tell them about is engagements and the birth of my children and come to think of it, that could be conveyed with a text”
Mild irritations at work or trivial arguments with neighbours don’t feel good enough to mention so we cancel the call.
But all the while that feeling of loneliness and separation grows.
So, screw the highlight reel and take the call!
If it was in person, you’d find something to talk about.
The same can be true for phone calls.
Thomas Duggan 