To think talking to 15 sperate people in a day isn't really that many?

[orangesandlemonssaythebellsofstclements]

I've seen a meme going round Facebook three times now. Apparently the average number of different people a person talks out loud to in a day is 15.

The comment section is always full of people saying they don't speak to anywhere near that amount of people in a day and some quite horrified by the mere idea of it.

But on three separate occasions, I think I have had fairly quiet days and each time my number has been between 12-18. Is 15 really very much??!!

Today it has been:
My husband and both of my kids
my daughter's teacher
the lady in tesco express
Another mum I saw in tesco express
3 separate customers
my supplier
Two different people on the phone about a bill
A taxi driver

Total: 13

I've only left the house to do school runs and pop to tesco express while out.

So... how many people do you speak to in a day? For the purpose of the experiment, online or messages does not count. It needs to be spoken out loud.

I'm on 20 today so fairly average! It's been a boring job doing day.

1 x DH
1 x DD
2 x school mums at drop off
2 x Costa baristas
2 x handyman who came round
1 x delivery man
1 x IKEA person
1 x another IKEA person
1 x toy shop woman
2 x school dads at pick up
4 x school mums at pick up
1 x school kid in playground
1 x physio

Well over a hundred on a work day I couldn't even begin to count! Today

• students (loads)
• parents (maybe around 20 today but possibly more)
• colleagues - (have counted to 20 but there were more)

And then non work people - husband, children at uni, opticians and a few others.

And then loads more by email / Teams etc.

If I'm giving an assembly that's 250
At a time but that's really me talking at them.

Anyone in a school - especially secondary will talk to 100's just walking down at corridor at break can easily get to 20!

When I get home I need 30
Mins of quiet before I can talk to anyone.

Loads

Mr Monkey
Our building caretaker
11 colleagues on teams
4 colleagues face to face
The lady who works in our staff canteen
The two men on the security desk at work (twice)
The man in M&S

So about 20 and I am only just going home now.

7 for me today.

DH and two kids
A worker at a café
My neighbour
2 workers at nursery

It was a non-working day today so that’s my minimum, probably!

Today, DP, my newborn baby and my mother.

Oh and my dentist's receptionist. Twice.

I'm an academic with two big lecture courses on Friday, so technically probably around 400 students, plus various colleagues, DS, DH, my mother, one of the neighbours, the woman in the post office, a friend who came over for coffee, and another friend on the phone. Say 415 or so?

If I’m working then more people than I care to count as I work in a Supermarket on the checkout. Off today so spoke to DH, the checkout operator in Tesco, the checkout operator in CostCo, both my in-laws, a friend of my father in law and his son as they are helping my father in law build a garage and my mother so 8 people.

It’s not really that many to be honest but I can see how some would speak to significantly more, and some significantly less.
personally today;
my husband
my son
my mother in law
my next door neighbour
hospital receptionist
sonographer
Consultant
waitress
cashier in aldi
swim school receptionist
three other parents at son’s swimming lesson
asda delivery driver

thats it for today, so 14, pretty close to the average!

I’m on 0 so far today but will call my mum tonight so it’ll be 1.

WFH so got away with no phone calls at work, just emails. Did the self checkout at Co op.

Somedays it can be loads more, there are 12 people in my bootcamp, several people in my office etc.

Work days 100s (retail)
Days off probably about 10ish some days less somedays more

On days when I'm in the office, maybe 10-12, but they may just be hellos, not conversations.

On weekends, if I'm very lucky, one.

Today has been pretty average for a weekday and it's been:

• Dh
• 3 dc
• Teacher on the gate at school...2 minutes, told me a funny story about ds3 from yesterday
• 3 customers (on the phone). Detailed conversations about 30 mins each.
• Receptionist at a hotel (confirming booking)
• One of dc's football coaches in the coop
• A neighbour, just hello how are you doing, 2 minute chat after school run

Lots more in messages, WhatsApp and Teams (mix of work and personal)

So a total of 11 actually spoken

I’m a project manager so I would dread to think it could be 10 people in the space of an hour in a meeting

Interesting...today I talked to

3 DCs
2 teachers at school gate
1 teacher in DC's class
4 parents at other school gate
2 cashiers at supermarket
1 shopper who gave me a surprise compliment
4 employees at community centre
7 parents at community centre
Phone call with GP
5 parents at school gate
2 parents at other school gate
2 children at school gate
Phone calls with DF, MIL, and DP

= 37 people

My ExH
My DD
DDs best friend
DDs best friends mum
2 colleagues on a teams call
A secretary from my GP on the phone at lunchtime
Shop assistant in B+M
Shop assistant in Morrisons
Neighbour as I came into my block of flats
Best friend on the phone while I was making dinner

So 11 for me thats a pretty quiet day for me

Just totted up the number I spoke to yesterday as I went to the office, it was about 20.

Goodness, I think I’d have spoken to more than that by 10am most days!

DS and DH, and the dog if we are counting pets
DS‘s teacher and TA
The car park guy at work
the 3 ladies in the work cafe
the 2 receptionists
my 2 office mates
the work cleaner
my boss
1 patient’s mother
then I went to a meeting with 12 people in at 10…..

I was in the office today so quite a lot.

WFH maybe 2

Weekend days vary - between 2 and 29 Overall just ordering or buying something and thank you

I work in a school office so that would skew the figures. Outside of work I’ve spoken to DH, DS, neighbour, neighbours daughter, postman, hospital receptionist, three medical professionals, a lady in the car park, the lady in the chippy - so 11. I will probably have spoken to at least 15 people before lunchtime tomorrow if it goes like most Saturdays but on Sunday I’ll probably only speak to DH and DS.

At least 20.
2 family members
6 assistants in shops while running errands (all actual communication not just "thank you")
1 Tube staff who came over and pointed me to the right exit when I was looking in a baffled way at the map
At least 11 people at work: not counting the ones on Teams calls with whom I didn't interact one to one.

Exactly.. I'm out and about for my job so loads.
At weekends if not going anywhere then around 3.

I work in healthcare, so its a high number! This then means my "personal" number is low as I've no energy to interact and want to hide away. For example, I sat in the car until the latest possible moment to collect my child from school.

I no longer work so some days it could just be my DH, DD & DSS.
This week ...
Mon - 4. DD , DH, DSS, district nurse phoned
Tues - 8 DD, DH, DSS. And DM, DD, DD, DSiL, DG as out for lunch.
Wed - 18 - DD, DH, DSS. Receptionist at gp, nurse, receptionist at Marie Curie, OT, nurse, 10 teachers at parents evening (obv a rare event)
Thurs - 13 DH, DD, DSS. Receptionists x 2 at Marie Curie. Art therapist plus 6 others attending art therapy. Nurse doing Reiki.
Friday - 10. DH, DD, DSS. Vet receptionist, vet, hospital receptionist, 3 nurses, lady in seat next to me during treatment.

I've only just started doing all the stuff at Marie Curie. Before Christmas there were lots of days I'd only speak to the 3 people I live with. Before I had to stop working I was a teacher so it was much more then.

Do Teams calls count?
If so, I’ve spoken to 19.
If not, I’m 12:

9 clients / service users at work.
My mum
My friend
Lady in the garage.