Proven: you are an annoying person if you send voice memos

That you send someone a message with a pretty simple question and then receive a 3.5-minute voice memo in response. Okay. But. Why?

I really understand that typing on your phone doesn't always go smoothly and that talking is simply faster, but come on, be honest with yourself: it's bloody annoying. Because the recipient is not always in a position to listen to your intense story in detail, for example because there are family members or colleagues around. Because they are not alone, are on the go, are busy. People who send voice memos instead of texting are quite annoying, just, in general.

Because: as a recipient, you really want to respond with a smile or an ‘oooooh’ to something that is being told, but you can't, because it's not a real conversation. It's listening to someone else's story and not being able to respond. Yes, when you're done listening, you can reply with a simple, quick, nice message. With a heart behind it, because then she at least understands that you are sweet. Because you are not really into voice memos. You text like normal people do: you don't start with that annoying fuss of recording something and forcing the other person to listen to it.

What do experts say about this battle between typing and talking? Research shows that today's millennials hate calling. And do you know why? Because it causes voicemails if you don't pick up. And these are the voicemails of 2020: leaving those memos. Not one, but just six messages in a row that you have to listen to and for which you have no time, but the other person is actually just asking for your time. According to experts, you should therefore pay attention when you send a voice memo:

1. Always pay attention to your audience. Who is receiving it and is that person, like you, in a quiet space, alone, so they have time to listen to ten minutes of your rambling? Or are they in a busy office, with many people around them and do they not have that privacy? Then an email or text is really smarter.
2. You send a signal that your time is more important than someone else's time, because you talk, the other person can only listen. And you determine how long you talk and that can come across as annoying. Additionally, an email or text is easier for the recipient because they can choose when to respond.
3. Only do it if you have something important to explain that you cannot possibly express well in writing.
4. Only do it if you can be understood and not while cycling in the full wind, so to speak.
5. Only do it if you know that the other person also sends them: does your recipient always text? Then it's smart to adapt to your conversation partner, because the chance is high that you will cause irritation if you start calling or sending voice memos.

About two trillion minutes are spent calling, speaking, or video calling via WhatsApp daily, worldwide. But... WhatsApp users text 65 trillion times a day. In short, texting is still more popular than anything else. Remember that. And feel free to email me if you have questions.