Playing tag as a child was fun. Telephone tag is not!

For sure, playing telephone tag is a time-waster. So why play? Make a change by setting telephone appointments and honoring them. If you can’t take the time to talk with somebody who just called you, say so and set an appointment to call him or her back, rather than just say, “I’ll call you back.”

When responding in voicemail, don’t just leave a message—leave some best times to reach you. And above all, avoid irritating others by saying your number so fast it’s hard to understand, forcing them to waste time by replaying your message over and over to get your number.

These simple tips not only save time, they are good manners.