How are you with phone calls?

[balladofthesadcafe]

I’m…not great. I used to have psych myself up to ring the doctors etc, but now it’s more being overheard. I didn’t realise how bad I had this until I started working in an open-plan office. It’s really affecting me tbh. I guess it’s a kind of social anxiety/phobia, a bit like a fear of public speaking.
I think the worst thing is I find being like this so embarrassing! It’s such an everyday task and taken for granted in all kinds of jobs.
Anyway, according to the internet this is apparently a lot more common than I’d realised. I wondered if anyone else is the same?

I love chatting on the phone and chat happily to strangers when out for a walk etc.

It's just calls to tradespeople I have to psych myself up for. I tried emailing for a while but they didn't look at emails, in spite of putting email address on their websites.

Having said that, it's rarely a problem for me now that I know very good people for most jobs and phoning them is fine.

It might sound ott but before you call, make a little bullet point list of things you want to cover on the call or questions you want to ask. Helpful for medical calls etc if you have it in front of you what you want to cover. Less helpful for incoming calls though!

I used to be awful at making and answering phones. Still not great now. I find standing up and walking around helps, almost as if it makes the phone call a secondary action. Once I’ve started talking I settle and can sit down.

I work in a call centre. I'm fine at work but actively avoid all phone conversations (friends, family, general admin) if at all possible. I would rather communicate in any other way. If I need to ring a utility company for an example I will spend half an hour getting together all my documents, write notes of things I need to say or check before I call and document the whole call in writing.

I worked for years in busy, open plan offices and I was like this! Fine talking to colleagues on other floors on the phone, but I defy anyone not to find calling a client when surrounded by about 10 silent colleagues listening to your every word super awkward.

I often used to sit on the stairs if they were prestigious clients and it was going to be a difficult call.

I cold sweat feel adrenaline for hours after reared I hate it. There are very few people I will happily speak to on the phone and only one of those is not immediate family.

Even things like booking dentist etc, I’m often behind with appointments because of having to phone to book them rather than fear of the appointments themselves. Ours removed the online booking system which was much easier.

I don’t like radio or audio books either, I like to see the person speaking.