How do you overcome Phone-phobia?

[DN1967]

How do you get past this extreme dislike (hatred) of the phone when your job just changed you from doing face to face encounters, which i love to do, to having to call off a purchased call list?

[worthlesshuman]

The only way to overcome it is practice unfortunately. Sorry, I know that's not what you want to hear. It would seem impossible to get through life without having to use the phone. Better get good at it now.

[TabulaRasa]

Getting a job where it was required worked for me.

[catsmom21]

I changed careers about 2 years ago and the phone features heavily in my daily duties now. It was very difficult at first, but I was upfront with my boss about my troubles and discomfort and she helped me cope. I am much better, in fact have almost no trouble at all, at work, any more, with reaching for the phone when I need to make a call, or answering it, or telling someone I cannot understand him/her and asking them to repeat themselves. It was pretty awful the first few months though.

In my personal life nothing has changed. I still loathe the phone, I still put off anything that involves making a phone call for weeks or months or forever if possible. Making any kind of call, even to schedule an oil change for my car for example, creates so much stress it's almost unbearable. I'd rather drive out of my way, and invest the extra 15 minutes it takes, to go to the car shop and make the appointment in person.

I have a pile of things I need to take care of sitting right here, that involves making phone calls. Some things in the pile are almost 2 months overdue for attention. I still haven't taken care of any of it.

I have one friend who hates typing but understands my loathing of the phone. She calls me when I am at work and leaves newsy messages on my answering machine. I reply by email. It works for us.

[BOS2IAD]

Originally Posted by TabulaRasa

Getting a job where it was required worked for me.

^This +1

Ever since I was a kid, I hated making phone calls. The only times I didn't mind was when I would make a call and knew that the person I wanted to talk to would be answering the phone. For example, when I would call my grandmother, I knew that she would answer the phone.

When I got a job where I had to make phone calls, I knew that, like it or not, I would have to get used to making calls. While I never got to the point where I loved making calls, it did get easier for me in my work life and personal life. In fact, at one job my boss told me that people enjoyed talking to me on the phone because I was polite and helpful.

Later on, I had a job where I rarely had to make phone calls. Then, along came the internet and email. Plus, there is texting and chat rooms. Sadly, I've found myself back-sliding to the point where I once again dread phone calls---sigh! Here I go again---needing to psyche myself up before making that call...

[Raena77]

Do it more often.

[495neighbor]

If you are like me, the most stressful phone conversations are the ones where I have to talk to a person I have never met in person. I find it helps to have a photo of the person I am talking to in view, that is if there is one available on the internet. It just feels more like talking to someone not a phantom voice.