15 Reasons
Yesterday's post prompted Mom to challenge me to give her 15 reasons she should consider adding texting to her skill set. She indicated she didn't like the concept of texting because it interferes with people socializing with each other and she hates the poor spelling and grammar she's seen online. So... Here's my attempt to answer her challenge.
Reasons Mom should consider texting.
1. Speed - she could quickly text me to bring something to my attention. Perhaps she wants me to distract Lyn with a phone call. A text is a quick way to get the request to me without having to go through the effort to call or email me.
2. Active vs. Passive Communication - Texting is an active form of communication. Email is a passive form of communication. While both engage the sender actively, the recipient is not directly engaged with the email until or unless the recipient checks for a recently received email. Email is useful, but I can ignore email during evenings and weekends.
3. Discretion - Sitting down to send me an email or picking up the phone to call me will alert Lyn that you're conveying a message to me or someone else. a text on the phone is discreet and can be done less publicly and more quickly. If Lyn needs a distraction, a quick text can result in the need for that distraction being conveyed without Lyn being made are of the request.
4. Speed #2 - Depending on the nature of the text and the recipient's current situation, the recipient may be able to quickly respond. A response could be a quick text back to answer a question or even a call to provide Lyn a distraction.
5. Prioritization - texting allows the sender to decide the priority of the message. Some messages are not high priority and can be relegated to email. Some are urgent and need an immediate phone call. There is a middle ground. Some messages need a quick response without the delay or overhead of an email or the full interruption of the phone call.
6. Minimal Interruption - Texts can be minimally invasive. They are great when you need a quick response and the message's recipient is at work. The text can be sent without being a significant interruption into the person's work time and still allowing the sender to move forward.
7. Less Overhead - Emails require that you identify the sender, urge you to provide a subject and have a structure which includes much of the same formality as a letter. Text doesn't have this overhead. They allow you to have informal, rapid exchanges which allows you to reduce your keystrokes. If you type as much as I do, saving keystrokes is a good thing. In an email, I feel obligated to use opening and closing salutations. Without them, I feel like I'm being rude. I don't experience that with a text. I can get a text which is a single question and I can respond with one or two words. Both parties are happy with the exchange.
8. Communication Across Generations - Kids these days view email as Old School. They'll respond to texts from Grandma as well as texts from their friends.
9. Brevity - Along the lines of less overhead, sometimes all you need to convey is a single question or statement. This is particularly handy when volume of noise around you is an issue. It's easier to text "My plane has landed" than to try to share that alert via a phone call when the noise of the plane may interfere with the conversation. Additionally, phone calls invite more conversation which may not always be timely or possible.
10. Pictures! - Pictures can be easily sent via text. Personally, I find this easier than sharing them via email. Granted, a phone upgrade would be needed for this one.
11. Immediacy - Speaking of sharing pictures, a picture sent via text is shared immediately and you don't have to wait for an email to be checked for it to be seen.
12. Confirmation of Delivery - You can tell that a text has been delivered and read. You can also tell if someone is composing a response to you.
13. Grammar - Texting using proper spelling and grammar is appreciated. Even the younger generation know that one audience is not the came as another. The texts I get from my eldest are not structured the same way that the texts he sends to his friends are structured.
14. Greater Communication Frequency - Because of many of the reasons above, communication between people is actually increased.
15. Because I said so!
Reasons Mom should consider texting.
1. Speed - she could quickly text me to bring something to my attention. Perhaps she wants me to distract Lyn with a phone call. A text is a quick way to get the request to me without having to go through the effort to call or email me.
2. Active vs. Passive Communication - Texting is an active form of communication. Email is a passive form of communication. While both engage the sender actively, the recipient is not directly engaged with the email until or unless the recipient checks for a recently received email. Email is useful, but I can ignore email during evenings and weekends.
3. Discretion - Sitting down to send me an email or picking up the phone to call me will alert Lyn that you're conveying a message to me or someone else. a text on the phone is discreet and can be done less publicly and more quickly. If Lyn needs a distraction, a quick text can result in the need for that distraction being conveyed without Lyn being made are of the request.
4. Speed #2 - Depending on the nature of the text and the recipient's current situation, the recipient may be able to quickly respond. A response could be a quick text back to answer a question or even a call to provide Lyn a distraction.
5. Prioritization - texting allows the sender to decide the priority of the message. Some messages are not high priority and can be relegated to email. Some are urgent and need an immediate phone call. There is a middle ground. Some messages need a quick response without the delay or overhead of an email or the full interruption of the phone call.
6. Minimal Interruption - Texts can be minimally invasive. They are great when you need a quick response and the message's recipient is at work. The text can be sent without being a significant interruption into the person's work time and still allowing the sender to move forward.
7. Less Overhead - Emails require that you identify the sender, urge you to provide a subject and have a structure which includes much of the same formality as a letter. Text doesn't have this overhead. They allow you to have informal, rapid exchanges which allows you to reduce your keystrokes. If you type as much as I do, saving keystrokes is a good thing. In an email, I feel obligated to use opening and closing salutations. Without them, I feel like I'm being rude. I don't experience that with a text. I can get a text which is a single question and I can respond with one or two words. Both parties are happy with the exchange.
8. Communication Across Generations - Kids these days view email as Old School. They'll respond to texts from Grandma as well as texts from their friends.
9. Brevity - Along the lines of less overhead, sometimes all you need to convey is a single question or statement. This is particularly handy when volume of noise around you is an issue. It's easier to text "My plane has landed" than to try to share that alert via a phone call when the noise of the plane may interfere with the conversation. Additionally, phone calls invite more conversation which may not always be timely or possible.
10. Pictures! - Pictures can be easily sent via text. Personally, I find this easier than sharing them via email. Granted, a phone upgrade would be needed for this one.
11. Immediacy - Speaking of sharing pictures, a picture sent via text is shared immediately and you don't have to wait for an email to be checked for it to be seen.
12. Confirmation of Delivery - You can tell that a text has been delivered and read. You can also tell if someone is composing a response to you.
13. Grammar - Texting using proper spelling and grammar is appreciated. Even the younger generation know that one audience is not the came as another. The texts I get from my eldest are not structured the same way that the texts he sends to his friends are structured.
14. Greater Communication Frequency - Because of many of the reasons above, communication between people is actually increased.
15. Because I said so!
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