As you already know, by working in a cam studio, efficiency is the key, as you have to work smart, not only hard. But this could also apply in your personal life, once you understand how time-consuming phone conversations can be. First of all, when you talk on the phone, you are blocked, both literally and figuratively, from doing something else. Even though we are using mobile phones now, and not landlines anymore, and you could wear headphones instead of holding the phone in your hand, it’s still not an effective means of communication.
Of course, some will say that, by engaging your full attention, you show respect to the person at the other end of the line, just like you do in your professional activity with the members. This is only partially true since your spare time is limited and you should be the only one deciding how to spend it best. A 10 to 15 minutes daily conversation with your mother or best friend is normal, but if you start talking for hours on the phone every day, it’s clear that there is a problem. After all, sometimes you need a break from communication so that you can recharge your batteries for the next day in the studio.
In these conditions, we would suggest switching from hour-long phone conversations to hour-long instant messaging with your female friends. The main difference will be immediately noticeable: you could do other stuff while typing! You can browse the web and read the news or the weather forecast, you can watch your favorite TV show or a new movie, and, most importantly, you can talk to more people at the same time! In other words, instant messaging is a discontinuous activity, meaning you could put your phone down for a couple of minutes and then get back to it, while talking on the phone is a continuous activity.
Just imagine the following scenario: you need to pay the groceries at the local store, or you have to use the bathroom for a couple of minutes. If you are instant messaging, you could take a small break, but if you were talking on the phone, you would have to end the conversation altogether. In these conditions, we would suggest switching to IM, rather than calling your friends via phone, especially if you are good at multitasking. However, short phone calls and instant messages are just ways of catching up. If you really want to give your friends and family your full attention, you have to bless them with your presence!
Last but not least, if you cut the time spent talking on the phone, the “face to face” conversations with your members, via webcam of course, will seem much more interesting. But if you start a private session after a two-hour phone call with your bestie, you could become bored and disinterested much faster.
