We’ve never had more ways to communicate at work.
Email. WhatsApp. Teams. Slack. Phone calls. Video meetings.
Yet, if you ask most professionals, they’ll tell you communication has become more exhausting than ever.
A few days ago, I experienced something that perfectly summed this up.
I was working on a client’s annual business roadmap when my phone rang.
“Rajeev Sir, I’ve emailed you the proposal for the annual meet.”
“Alright, Ramit. I’ll check it and get back to you.”
He paused for a moment before saying,
“But sir, I had also shared it on WhatsApp… about half an hour ago.”
Before I could respond, he added,
“And I thought I’d call just to make sure you’ve received it.”
I couldn’t help but smile.
For a second, I wondered if I should also expect a television bulletin announcing that the proposal had reached my inbox.
It was amusing, but it also highlighted a workplace habit that has quietly become very common.
Somewhere along the way, we’ve started believing that every message deserves immediate attention.
The result?
We interrupt people who are already working, break their concentration, and unknowingly create stress where none existed.
This isn’t really a technology problem.
It’s a communication problem.
When everything is urgent, nothing is.
Every notification competes for our attention.
Every phone call asks us to stop what we’re doing.
Every “Just checking…” message breaks our focus, even if it only takes a few seconds to read.
Now imagine this happening ten or fifteen times a day.
The cost isn’t just lost time.
It’s lost concentration.
Good communication isn’t only about getting your message across. It’s also about respecting the other person’s time.
Choosing the right channel matters.
One simple change can make workplace communication far more effective.
→ Use email for routine communication.
If you’re sharing a proposal, sending meeting notes, requesting information, or documenting a discussion, email is usually the right choice. It gives the other person the context they need and allows them to respond when they have the attention to do so.
→ Use WhatsApp when something needs attention, but isn’t an emergency.
A gentle reminder, a quick update, or asking someone to check an email is perfectly reasonable. But once you’ve sent the message, give the other person time to respond.
→ Pick up the phone only when it genuinely cannot wait.
A client has arrived unexpectedly. A meeting venue has changed. A critical issue needs an immediate decision.
Those are situations where a phone call adds value.
Everything else can usually wait.
Why do we overcommunicate?
In my experience, people rarely do it with bad intentions.
They’re trying to be responsible.
They don’t want to be blamed for delays.
They worry their email may go unnoticed.
Or they simply want reassurance that their message has been seen.
The intention is good.
The method isn’t always helpful.
Ironically, trying to speed things up often slows everyone down because constant interruptions reduce productivity for the entire team.
Communication is also about trust.
If you’ve sent me an email, trust that I’ll read it.
If something truly requires immediate action, tell me that clearly.
Not every document needs three reminders and two follow-up calls.
When teams trust one another, communication becomes calmer, clearer, and far more effective.
A simple rule that’s worked well for me
Over the years, I’ve followed a fairly simple approach.
📧 Email for information.
📱 WhatsApp for attention.
📞 Phone calls for urgency.
It isn’t a rigid rule, but it has prevented countless unnecessary interruptions.
One final thought
Technology has made communication faster.
That doesn’t always make it better.
As professionals, one of the most valuable habits we can develop is knowing how to communicate, not just what to communicate.
The next time you’re about to send an email, a WhatsApp message, and then make a phone call for the very same thing, pause for a moment.
Ask yourself:
“Does this really need all three?”
Most of the time, the answer is no.
And if we all respected each other’s attention a little more, work would become just a little less noisy, and a lot more productive.
About Rajeev Narang
Rajeev Narang is a sales trainer, leadership coach, and business transformation consultant with decades of experience helping organizations improve sales performance, develop leaders, and build high-performing teams.
