What time do you turn your work phone off and on?

[lashed11]

Hey peeps,

Working as a mobile therapist, I have taken some great advice of some geeks and bought myself a separate work phone! I was just wondering, out of interest, what time does everyone switch their phone off and on?

I always switch mine on in the morning, after I have had breakfast and showered- so I feel "ready" to start the day. Normally around 9am.

I thought i would ask because It's now 11pm and my phone is now switched off, but I keep checking it because I have a client who still hasn't confirmed her appointment for 12 mid day tomorrow! And I feel like I can't sleep properly unless I know! Tomorrow was meant to be my day off, but I had someone ask for a full set of lashes and shellac so I offered her the slot tomorrow and she hasn't said a definite yes or no...:-/

I also have a client who left me a voicemail asking for appointment this weekend, I text him telling him I'm fully booked but could do next week...the next thing I know he is calling me at 9pm...I found it kinda invasive for some reason... I feel like I need a routine with my phone so I can allow myself to properly switch off, but I just wondered what you geeks would believe to be a reasonable time...?

I have also scheduled in a Sunday as my day off... Now I know in a salon, if the salon is closed there is an answering machine for clients to leave messages.... Do you think it's "ok" if on a Sunday I actually leave my phone off and reply to clients on a Monday? Or would you think that because I'm mobile, I need to be "more flexible"?

I feel so random asking these questions, but I would be intrigued to know how everyone else operates, especially mobile therapists.

 

[emlouise_87]

I turn my phone on at 9am and turn it off at 8pm. Record your own voicemail answerphone message stating that all calls/texts will be replied to within them hours

 

[lashed11]

I turn my phone on at 9am and turn it off at 8pm. Record your own voicemail answerphone message stating that all calls/texts will be replied to within them hours

Hey, that's a good idea thank you! I hate the sound of my own voice but I need to get over that lol. It would be so good if when someone text you when your phone is off they received an automated reply saying you will get back to them...

I'm a bit worried about when I go on holiday, last time I came back to a £800 data roaming bill because I had my phone on every day just to reply to clients! I will change my voicemail to say I'm on hols, but most of my contact is via text and I would panic so much at the thought off not having my phone on to reply! I just can't switch off. I mean its 11.30pm and I'm lying here typing about it lool xx

 

[rachael204]

I have a separate phone and turn it off on Sunday and Monday when I don't work. I tend to leave it on in the evenings but won't answer it after my set hours xx

 

[emlouise_87]

My god!! Whenever im on holiday i send a text to my whole phonebook letting them know there will be no reply that week. You need to set guidelines, otherwise people will take advantage and message u at ridiculous times. Better than a £800 phone bill! Lol

 

[lashed11]

I have a separate phone and turn it off on Sunday and Monday when I don't work. I tend to leave it on in the evenings but won't answer it after my set hours xx

That's the thing I need to keep myself to set hours, and I'm sure my clients will get used to it and maybe start respecting me a bit more. That's the thing about being self employed, it merges a lot more into your personal life. I actually feel bad when I turn off the phone if a client hasn't got back to me! I need to just suck it up I know...I don't want to send out the message that I'm contactable at all times because I'm mobile, like its ok to text at 11pm for an app because I will happily reply...

The earliest I have turned off my phone has been 9pm even then, I will turn it on and check at least twice before bed! I have only had it for a couple of weeks, before I was using one number for my personal and work (major fail), so I suppose I'm just getting used to the whole separating work / private life !

 

[lashed11]

My god!! Whenever im on holiday i send a text to my whole phonebook letting them know there will be no reply that week. You need to set guidelines, otherwise people will take advantage and message u at ridiculous times. Better than a £800 phone bill! Lol

I know, completely ridiculous! That's exactly what I done before, but I just had this itching feeling when I was away that they would be trying to contact me, so I turned it on and I kept receiving texts then I thought, maybe I should text them all telling them to email me and I will check my emails a couple times... But it's like I will never get a break from them lool

 

['chelle]

I never turn my phone off. I know we all work in different ways but personally I think that being self employed is a different ball game altogether to having a job and it's not so easy to set working hours and clock on and off in the same way you would if you have a job. If its my day off and someone rings to enquire about a service or book an appointment I'm more than happy to speak to them, it's my business and if I want it to grow I need to be available to my customers as much as possible, also it's no big deal just to take a phonecall on your day off, you can still kick back on the sofa in your p.j's while doing it!!

It's a personal choice and we all set our business hours to suit our lifestyle, that's the beauty of being self employed, so I totally understand those of you who prefer to set your working hours and only operate within those hours. I also appreciate that there are clients who dont respect boundaries and will call you at ridiculous times of night, but if like me you work from a mobile number then you can see who's calling and choose whether to answer it or whether to let it go to voicemail. I have recorded my own voicemail with a business greeting.

 

[pinkeedee]

I never turn my phone off. I know we all work in different ways but personally I think that being self employed is a different ball game altogether to having a job and it's not so easy to set working hours and clock on and off in the same way you would if you have a job. If its my day off and someone rings to enquire about a service or book an appointment I'm more than happy to speak to them, it's my business and if I want it to grow I need to be available to my customers as much as possible, also it's no big deal just to take a phonecall on your day off, you can still kick back on the sofa in your p.j's while doing it!!

It's a personal choice and we all set our business hours to suit our lifestyle, that's the beauty of being self employed, so I totally understand those of you who prefer to set your working hours and only operate within those hours. I also appreciate that there are clients who dont respect boundaries and will call you at ridiculous times of night, but if like me you work from a mobile number then you can see who's calling and choose whether to answer it or whether to let it go to voicemail. I have recorded my own voicemail with a business greeting.

I completely agree, my work phone is always on and i have a recorded message asking peeps to leave a message and i call them back asap

 

[AWilde]

I have a separate phone too for business and im always checking it, i never turn my phone off i just put it on silent of a night, i have recorded a personal voicemail and shall be changing it next week when i am on holiday. My phone is staying at home, it will kill me but this a 6 year wait for a holiday for a week and i want it distraction free haha.

 

[Tomme]

On at 9am off at 6 or 7. I don't text on it, if I get one I just call them back. It would have stopped you having to stay up for a confirmation text as she would have said yes or no on the phone x

 

[lashed11]

I never turn my phone off. I know we all work in different ways but personally I think that being self employed is a different ball game altogether to having a job and it's not so easy to set working hours and clock on and off in the same way you would if you have a job. If its my day off and someone rings to enquire about a service or book an appointment I'm more than happy to speak to them, it's my business and if I want it to grow I need to be available to my customers as much as possible, also it's no big deal just to take a phonecall on your day off, you can still kick back on the sofa in your p.j's while doing it!!

It's a personal choice and we all set our business hours to suit our lifestyle, that's the beauty of being self employed, so I totally understand those of you who prefer to set your working hours and only operate within those hours. I also appreciate that there are clients who dont respect boundaries and will call you at ridiculous times of night, but if like me you work from a mobile number then you can see who's calling and choose whether to answer it or whether to let it go to voicemail. I have recorded my own voicemail with a business greeting.

Your totally right, being self employed is completely different, it's non stop! I have to admit, I actually used to feel the same as you feel now... I used to be happy returning calls etc on days off or when I had finished work, and I felt like I needed to be available when they needed to book in, and I would feel really pleased with myself with each booking and I would actually look forward to hearing from other clients to book in and watching my diary full up.

But something changed for me...after 4 years I started to feel almost suffocated by my work. I feel like I made myself so available that it took over my life in a way that it shouldn't have. I would answer calls on my odd day off (I never ever scheduled days off), I would book clients in everywhere just to please them, sometimes wouldn't get home till 12 midnight, and i would work a 7 day week most weeks, and it actually made me ill. I started getting stressed and having panic attacks, and stopped sleeping properly. I felt like i wanted to run away! I feel bad saying it because I am grateful that I have clients who book in, but I started to get stressed and If I'm completely honest almost resentful. My work became a chore instead of something I actually enjoyed.

That's when I knew something had to change and I bought myself a separate work phone... And I have to say its made a difference already. I feel more in control of my clients, and as a result I feel like when I'm not working I can actually relax a wee bit more, and then when I do work I feel like I am starting to actually enjoy it again! I feel like I will only enjoy my mobile work if I allow myself days off, if I set myself working hours and allow myself that down time or I do get really stressed...

The next thing I need to do it record my voicemail, cringing at the thought to be honest but I need to do it!

 

[NailsXpress]

Mine is on 24/7. I mainly gets texts coz clients can then let me reply when I am ready. It is at all hours though. I just think that if they have called/texted me late then they can have a text reply late too. I have suddenly gone quiet though so will accept anything right now.

 

[Zoe lambourne]

I have been a beauty therapist for 20 years, 10 of those as self employed. I give my clients my home and mobile number. I want to be as accessible and reliable as possible to my clients, and in return I find the majority are considerate when contacting me. I really don't find it a problem and if I can't get the phone right away, my ladies know ill get back as soon as possible.

 

[lashed11]

Mine is on 24/7. I mainly gets texts coz clients can then let me reply when I am ready. It is at all hours though. I just think that if they have called/texted me late then they can have a text reply late too. I have suddenly gone quiet though so will accept anything right now.

I know what you mean, I mostly receive texts too. I know some people think its best to call, but quite a few of my clients have actually said to me that texting is a lot more convenient, for them because its quick and direct and a lot of them do it when they are at work and I find it a lot easier too because its so quick and they can read and then reply when they figure out their schedule. I would say that the only calls I receive are from new clients, which is understandable because I would much rather call and speak to someone for my first appointment to gather a first impression.

I also set my reminder every morning to send my clients a reminder text for their appointment the next day, which My clients say is really helpful too...

With my work phone I find myself replying up until 9ish in the evening, and then the phone goes in the drawer until the next again morning. Anyway, sorry I'm totally procrastinating here! I get carried away typing!

Thank you everyone for your input its really interesting to see how you all work

 

[Vetty]

During the week my phone is on most of the time but I do switch it off at weekends - that is my time. My regulars appreciate that I have a life, and new clients work it out!! I have a business voicemail message that tells people they have reached me and that I'll get back to them soon.

My work phone does not come on holiday, end of! I set my voicemail with the date I am back and disable the facility to leve messages - the time I left the message recorder on I came back from 10 days away and everyone that I rang back had either sorted something else out or it was too late...... Waste of my time.

I try to be as available as possible during the week, but I am not on call 24/7 and most people respect that.

 

[TMH]

I never turn my phone off but if I don't want to answer it at night/ early morning then I won't, same as my landline, I just let the answer machine kick in.

One lady text me at 11.45 one Sunday night to see if I'd go round the next morning before 8am to cut her little boys hair as his uncle had botched it up and it needed to be put right before he went to school, needless to say, I didn't answer it!

 

[lashed11]

See that's the thing, a lot of my clients are respectful and will only contact me in "normal" working hours, but some of them do tend to take the p a wee bit.

I had a similar situation (but not as extreme), last night a client text me at 11.30pm asking me for an infill today at 12. I get that some people can be desperate and decide to chance it, but you wouldn't contact a salon at 11.30pm expecting an appointment for the next morning (at least I wouldn't?)

But hey, each to their own!