THE SEVEN SECOND RULE

In 2000 I made up The Seven Second Rule.

A friend of mine and I found ourselves separated from long term marraiges so we stuck together like glue to help each other get through the days. We were High School friends but had not seen each other since graduation. I learned from another High School friend that my other friend was going through the same thing I was, and she suggested I call her, so I took seven seconds out of my day to 'dial' her number and connect. It was seven seconds that would prove to give me hours/years of friendship.

And that's all about the Seven Second Rule . . . taking seven seconds out of your day/life to connect. (I may have to rename it The Ten Second Rule because now you have to include the area code when dialing someone on your cell phone.)

We began discussing the fact that, if someone really cared about you, was seven seconds too much to ask?

Our answer was always a resounding, “No!”

Yet some folks consider seven seconds to be too much.

Really?

Because we can take our phones with us wherever we go, then “I couldn't find the time/I have been so busy” becomes a non-issue. Just be honest and say, “I didn't want to talk to/with you”. That would be better than side-clicking someone, which is the new thing you can do to the caller, throwing them directly into voicemail, breaking their train of thought to the point they end up stuttering, “Hey . . .  um . . . ” and are left hanging in mid-air with the phone raised in front of their faces in confused silence.

Cell phones were still new to some people in 2000. But if your girlfriend/boyfriend had a cell phone, and gave that number to you, then it was deemed even more personal. “Yea, let me give you my cell phone number” and you were instantly special. Giving that number to someone implied you were there for that person 24/7. And you would return their calls as soon as possible, (no lie), if you truly were in a board meeting. And if they were super special, you could put them on speed dial.

Now we use our cell phones as our primary phones because some of us do not have a landline. Cell phones these days are so small that they can go silently into the movie theater with you, rest in your pants pocket while you tee up or, should I delicately say, go into the bathroom with you. So while you're sitting there (girls) or standing there (guys) for more than ten seconds off and on all day, you could use The Seven/Ten Second Rule. (I can hold the phone in one hand and punch in the numbers and, with practice, you can too, so there's no excuse). Remember to flush, but don't flush your friends down the commode. Call them.

Aren't they worth more than seven/ten seconds of your precious day?

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the answer.

(c) nancy 8.4.2009