WhatsApp gave us a lot, don’t you think? It gave us an alternative way to text that somehow feels a lot more genuine than Instagram DMs and Messenger texts. There’s also one negative thing WhatsApp gave us. Voice notes, or more accurately, voice-note senders.
This is the worst kept secret but it’s true. Many of us just don’t have basic voice-note etiquette and it’s time that all changed. Just look, we’ve written them down for you.
Please, spare us all your time. Please.
Okay, here’s the thing. If you’re not particularly close with someone, do not send them a voice note that’s over three minutes long.
People have things to do and, frankly speaking, unless it’s the end of the world, we don’t need anyone to spend that much time on one voice-note.
Keep your focus.
You know when you’re listening to a voice note that’s particularly lengthy, so you hope it’d at least have some good information and it turns out 75% of it is just ‘um’s, ‘ah’s, and a lot of sighs?
Yeah, it’s draining for everyone involved, so here’s something that can help remedy this. Focus, gather up everything you want to say, and then start recording.
A voice note is still a form of one-on-one communication.
This tip might seem basic but sadly, it’s not quite followed. Keep your conversation to the person you’re recording to. Not to the janitor or to a friend you’ve just bumped into.
“So, but what if it’s urgent?”, you may ask. Well, in that case, you can always make another voice note, when you’re free.
Sometimes, you just have to go the extra mile.
If the voice note you’re dying to send is under five words, just a sound, or the actual sound of silence, then you don’t need to send it. Just type something and call that a day.
This is especially important if you know that the person you’re texting will in no way be able to listen to a voice-note because they’re in a meeting, a lecture hall, or somewhere else they cannot answer.
It’s not The Voice Arabia
Okay, we’re being a little biased writing this particular tip but you can’t blame us. Please, for the sake of everything you love, don’t send your friends (or anyone) your unreleased demo full of Amr Diab old hits. Spare everyone that experience.
