Conference Calls: Do they cause (or result from) Brain Damage?

"NotUnlessRoundIsFunny" (notunlessroundisfunny) 07/31/2014 at 18:46 • Filed to: whinelopnik, office, business, dilbert, office space

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Sometimes as a group, we waste time more effectively than as individuals.

Racescort666 > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny 07/31/2014 at 18:48

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We had a guy call into a meeting one time, we couldn't hear a fucking word he said. I'm pretty sure he was in a convertible with the top down and refused to mute his phone.

whoarder is tellurium > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny 07/31/2014 at 18:54

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Mine usually goes...

*looks at clock*

Unspoken: Oh shit, its almost 5 and i'm still in a call.. oh shitshishis

(screams internally)

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > Racescort666 07/31/2014 at 18:54

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A particular favorite is when someone dials in from the restroom.

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > whoarder is tellurium 07/31/2014 at 18:55

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And if you're on a high floor and the window starts to look mighty appealing...

whoarder is tellurium > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny 07/31/2014 at 18:58

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Oh yeah.

No windows in my office, but noticing lights on the main floor turn off behind me.... ! halp.

Manuél Ferrari > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny 07/31/2014 at 19:07

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Being on any call is death

It being a conference call makes it even worse than a one on one call

Obama needs to ban phone calls for personal life and work

Phones should only be used for emergencies

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > Manuél Ferrari 07/31/2014 at 19:11

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Being on any call is death

It being a conference call makes it even worse than a one on one call

Obama needs to ban phone calls for personal life and work

Phones should only be used for emergencies

This is absolutely my Comment of the Day!

Manuél Ferrari > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny 07/31/2014 at 19:15

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I was on so many conference calls yesterday that my brain melted

I'm seriously considering doing narcotics to get me through calls

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > Manuél Ferrari 07/31/2014 at 19:16

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I think I'm going to change the headline to "Conference Calls: Cause or Effect of Brain Damage?"

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > Manuél Ferrari 07/31/2014 at 19:16

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Also some calls make me feel stupider as they go on.

Manuél Ferrari > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny 07/31/2014 at 19:17

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If you find a cure to conference callbola can you share it with me?

Any healthy coping mechanisms would be appreciated as well.

Only thing I know to do is check Oppo. But I have to do it on my phone because using my keyboard and mouse is noisy. And looking down at my phone for an hour hurts my neck.

Hmm maybe I should get a smartphone mount for my desk...

Manuél Ferrari > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny 07/31/2014 at 19:19

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And you know what really sucks?

It hurts your brain even when the people on the other end are smart and giving you good information.

There is just something about being on the phone that is terrible whether the call is useless, kind of useful but boring, or really important and informative.

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > Manuél Ferrari 07/31/2014 at 19:21

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Many, many stars for this.

Manuél Ferrari > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny 07/31/2014 at 19:29

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Thanks

This is my theory - modern life is giving everybody ADD. We're so used to doing everything through email, IM, text, iMessage, etc, etc. So actually talking to people over the phone or during a face to face or WebEx/GTM is just brutal to our brains.

We're now used to breaking up everything into thousands of small bits of digital writing per day. So when we talk to people for an hour or more our brains implode.

I bet if you brought someone from the 80s who was used to having meetings and calls all day and had them sit at a desk and do everything over email and IM their brain would literally explode. All the constant digital stimulus would be too much for them.

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > Manuél Ferrari 07/31/2014 at 19:33

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You're probably right, which helps make the calls even less productive, because you know there are people on the call who are just tuned out, checking texts, or the web or whatever, and you're going to have to circle back with them anyway.

Drucker wrote about these problems in the 1950s and 1960s—it's one case where he really saw the future.

Of course, I don't [SQUIRREL!] what? Oh yeah, I don't get distracted at all.

Manuél Ferrari > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny 07/31/2014 at 19:43

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I swear I had ZERO ADD as a kid. I was able to focus on studying and papers.

It wasn't until college that my attention span started going out the window.

ly2v8-Brian > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny 07/31/2014 at 19:50

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While I still can laugh about it...

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > ly2v8-Brian 07/31/2014 at 19:55

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Funny that you posted this while I'm on a conference call . :-)

In which I'm totally 100% engaged, needless to say.

ly2v8-Brian > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny 07/31/2014 at 19:56

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That's funny indeed.

ranwhenparked > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny 07/31/2014 at 20:19

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Both. Speaking of which, guess what I have to look forward to at 7:30am?

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny 07/31/2014 at 20:22

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The bathrooms at work are annoying as most are on the East side and most of the cubes/offices are on the west side. although its not a big deal most of the time, after a spicy triple bean burrito it becomes a big deal. So when I hear someone talking on their phone, I always make sure to give a courtesy flush.

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > ranwhenparked 07/31/2014 at 20:37

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You have my sympathies. But my next one is at 3am.

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas 07/31/2014 at 20:39

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I do enjoy the courtesy flush when someone is on the phone in there.

Racescort666 > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny 07/31/2014 at 21:39

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I should try that sometime