Why are millennials scared to talk on the phone?
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Millennials are known for being dependent on their phones for just about everything – except when it comes to talking on the phone.
According to a 2013 Wall Street Journal article, millennials see talking on the phone as an interruption.
The article said millennials feel picking up the phone without emailing is prioritizing your needs over theirs.
Heidi Grant Halvorson, a social psychologist and author of “No One Understands You and What To Do About It,” said millennials aren’t wrong – there is something intimidating about the phone.
She said millennials do not have the experience to just pick up the phone and make a phone call first, due to having grown up with email, text and AIM.
“If your dominant form of communication with people hasn’t been the phone then you’re going to naturally be more anxious using that form of communication,” she said.
Halvorson said regardless if you’ve talked on the phone a lot, you still have to respond in the moment.
Psychologist Ron Friedman and Halvorson gave tips on how to overcome fear of the phone:
- Consider the benefits
- Commit to making the call in advance
- Open with a question
- Don’t over think it
- Embrace authenticity
- Keep your eye on the big pictures
- Know you will survive
Are you afraid to talk on the phone? Do you think these tips will help you overcome the fear?
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