17 Manage the Telephone
SEVENTEEN
THE TELEPHONE CANbe an excellent servant or a terrible
master—especially if you feel compelled to answer whenever
it rings. To achieve maximum productivity, you must put the
telephone in its place so that you do not end up a slave to
anyone who dials your number.
The best way to get control of your telephone calls is to
have all of them screened by your administrative assistant;
otherwise, put your phone on silent and let calls go to your
voice mail. There are few calls or messages that cannot wait
until it is more convenient for you to turn your attention to
dealing with them.
One of the reasons that we are becoming slaves to the
attraction of distraction is curiosity. We can’t stop ourselves
from wondering who is sending us a message, or who is on