Get the Motormouth Off the Phone

Caller identification and personal ring tones have changed the way we handle most of our phone calls. We have the ability to know who is calling most of the time and we can make an informed decision about answering the call.

Now the first step we use with a motormouth is avoidance. We simply see who it is, look at the time, and don't take the call. They can leave a message and eventually that runs out of time. It doesn't seem very polite, but then neither is being a motormouth.

If you happen to take the call you may want to try the three strike rule. You give the motor mouth three reasonable reasons to disconnect. If they refuse to accept your reasonable solutions you can take more drastic measures.

1. Ring your doorbell. Hang up and close the door.

2. If you are on a cell phone, simply hang up. You must have had a dropped call.

3. This is my personal favorite. You simply put the phone on the counter and continue on with your activities. That may sound extremely rude, but remember you have asked them politely three times to end the conversation. Real motormouths don't even seem to notice that you are gone for ten minutes or more.

You may be a person who is secure enough with the friendship and relationship that you can can have some frank discussions. Here are some contingency plans you may want to discuss.

~Set a Timer

Explain that this person is a very important part of your life and you are interested in what they have to say. You also have time restraints. You will be setting a timer and when the timer goes off you will be hanging up, period.

~Offer Alternatives

Perhaps you could suggest an e-mail instead of a phone call. There are several advantages you could explain to the motormouth. You would be able to focus 100% on what they were trying to communicate. You would be able to give a well thought out response, not just a knee jerk reaction. If there was an interruption, you wouldn't be wasting the time on the phone.

~Make a Phone Date

Arrange a time you really can talk once or twice a week. Set the time limit from the beginning. Be faithful to your commitment and give the motormouth your full attention during that time. Times outside those are emergencies only.

~Never Talk on the Phone When Driving

Once I made this rule and made it firm a lot of my time consuming calls ended. Those motormouths who were calling because they were driving and lonely were cut short. Don't talk to someone when they are driving or you are driving. Safety comes first.

Time is money. Don't waste too much of it with your motormouth.