We've all done it. You know that today you have to make those sales calls – the phone is going to be your friend. You make a cup of coffee, sit down, look at the phone and … open your email. An hour later you think about making those calls, reach for the phone and… remember you haven't picked up the post yet. And so on.

Procrastination. Excuses. Anything but make those dreaded calls.

Ever made any of these excuses?

30 excuses for not using the telephone in business:

1. I need to make the tea / fetch water
2. I'll just check /answer / compose and send Email
3. I ought to call my Mother / Spouse / non work related significant others
4. Ooh I'll just read about 'developments in the industry' …
5. … and catch up on the News
6. Maybe a quick chat to Colleagues
7. Or I could call a Meeting
8. Maybe empty The Trash
9. I'd better go to the toilet before I start (maybe even clean it too!)
10. And there's that report to write
11. Great, now it's lunchtime!
12. A spot of Social Media / Online Networking
13. I don't feel well (OK, that could sometimes be genuine)
14. I have PMT
15. A quick game of Scrabble on Facebook
16. It's Monday Morning / Friday Afternoon – no-one will be there so why bother?
17. It's too early / too late in the day to make calls
18. It's lunchtime
19. "The gatekeeper will blow me out"
20. "The decision maker will reject me"
21. I don't know what to say
22. They'll only say no
23. I can't decide who to contact first
24. Can I volunteer as health and Safety Officer / First Aider?
25. "That company is too big / small for us to even bother calling"
26. "My colleagues will already have called them"
27. "I'll get voicemail"
28. "They'll be out"
29. "That person is too junior / too senior"
30. I'll just feed the office hamster
31. It's against my religion to make phone calls before 2pm
32. I have a hangover
33. I'm clinically insane…

Sound familiar? What things do YOU do to put off having to make those phone calls?

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photo credit: helgasms!