Multi-tasking while on the phone
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381760)
Rockingham, Australia
June 1, 2020 9:06pm CST
Many of us have relied on phone calls while we’ve been in lockdown or social isolating. In her recent discussion, marguicha (@marguicha) talked about hanging out clothes and making a cheese sandwich while talking to her daughters on the phone.
Do you remember when our phone was connected to its base by a cord? This meant you could only get a certain distance from the base before you ran out of cord.
Now, however, with modern phones, you can wander all over the place while chatting. So – my question is: do you do other things while you’re chatting on the phone or do you concentrate only on the call? I tend to wander around maybe putting a few items away in drawers, etc. How about you?
Photo is of an old-fashioned call box in Beacon, Western Australia
37 people like this
36 responses
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
2 Jun 20
I don't wander, though I'm usually at my computer, so unless I need to concentrate on the call, I'll also work on the computer. That isn't easy to do, which means, I'm concentrating on the call so I don't miss what my friend is saying.
5 people like this
@changjiangzhibin89 (17239)
• China
2 Jun 20
I have a cordless telephone besides the smart phone.However I never do other things as I take a call.I find it hard to keep my mind on two things at the same time.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (381760)
• Rockingham, Australia
3 Jun 20
Thankfully that hasn't happened to me yet. I hope your comment isn't a sign of things to come.
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
2 Jun 20
Oh yes I remember the corded phone. No pacing whilst on the phone then. I do tend to do other things , smaller things while on the phone, I think it helps me listen better odd enough
3 people like this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
3 Jun 20
@JudyEv Interesting, I think I read something about this in introvert vs. extrovert or maybe it was learning styles
1 person likes this
@jobelbojel (36791)
• Philippines
2 Jun 20
I remember the corded phones. And yes, we can only do limited tasks and can go around within the area. But now, smartphones are really smart. We can multi task.
2 people like this
@jobelbojel (36791)
• Philippines
3 Jun 20
@JudyEv others buy bluetooth earphones. Activates it and go on with their chores while on the phone.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381760)
• Rockingham, Australia
3 Jun 20
@jobelbojel We should all have enough time in our lives that we don't need to do this.
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
2 Jun 20
OMG I do remember those "tethered" phones
2 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
3 Jun 20
@JudyEv I remember the cords just kept getting longer and longer lol
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
2 Jun 20
Ninety percent of the time I tend to multi-task when I'm talking on the phone. If I'm in one particular location, like cooking dinner in the kitchen, I will put my phone on speaker mode and set it down so I can talk and have both of my hands free to cook. If it's a very important call, then I'll focus solely on the call and nothing else. That's probably the remaining 10% of my calls.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (128824)
• Gainesville, Florida
4 Jun 20
@JudyEv I try my best not to clang things around too much when I'm on speaker mode, but sometimes you just can't help it. lol
1 person likes this
@DocAndersen (54399)
• United States
2 Jun 20
Interesting fact for you - in the US Mother's day is the top phone holiday, and the top phone usage day in the US normally.
Every Single Day since April 1, has had the same voice traffic as mother's day normally does.
2 people like this
@DocAndersen (54399)
• United States
3 Jun 20
@JudyEv it has been interesting sitting on the calls where we talk about that...
1 person likes this
@jayanth_77 (7179)
• India
2 Jun 20
With mobile phone you can move around and do your house erands but need to be careful it doesn't fall into the washing machine or the frying pan or the sink.
2 people like this
@jayanth_77 (7179)
• India
3 Jun 20
@JudyEv just wear a neck band/ strap for the mobile while you multitask so that it doesn't fall down
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169406)
• United States
2 Jun 20
In my first home in McPherson we had a wall phone with a 25 ft. coiled cord. It was a small kitchen and I could go all over and out to laundry area as well. I had friends that called me all the time. More than was helpful, really. I got to where I was eating all the time I was on the phone. It became Pavlovian, sound of phone ringing made me want to open the fridge and eat. Better to multitask. Now no one calls me hardly.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (381760)
• Rockingham, Australia
3 Jun 20
I can remember stretching out the coiled cord as far as it would go trying to reach something.
@snowy22315 (208746)
• United States
2 Jun 20
No, I usually concentrate on the call. I can wander around and put things in drawers when I am not on the phone. That is a cute phone booth.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (381760)
• Rockingham, Australia
3 Jun 20
The ring-dial telephone would be way before your time. lol
@jrlcentral (2605)
• Roxas, Philippines
2 Jun 20
Yeah, I remember that phone. And once I bought a 5-meter extension chord. hehehe
2 people like this
@arunima25 (93194)
• Bangalore, India
2 Jun 20
I tend to do things while talking on phone. Sometimes talking and doing things can cause a neck pain. So I put it on speaker and keep my hands free to work. Other times I walk around to add up to daily step count
2 people like this
@JudyEv (381760)
• Rockingham, Australia
3 Jun 20
Our son puts the phone on speaker and goes on with other things - using doing the dishes. 
