The Art of Ignoring Calls – And What It Cost Me

It started as a productivity hack. I used to have these rare but powerful moments of deep focus—where my productivity would increase multifold in just a few minutes. I never knew when these “flow states” would hit, so I kept my phone on Do Not Disturb to protect them. No distractions, no interruptions—just pure, efficient work.

But over time, this habit became my default mode. I started ignoring calls even outside of work. Being an introvert only reinforced it—I didn’t mind the silence. At first, it felt like I was just optimizing my time, but I didn’t realize what I was losing in the process.

I missed potential opportunities, business connections, and those casual, feel-good conversations with friends that don’t seem important at the time but actually are. The network I built in my early entrepreneurial days slowly faded, and some friendships, though not completely lost (I hope), became distant.

I still prefer meeting people in person rather than talking on the phone. But I’ve come to realization that staying connected isn’t about how we communicate—it’s about making the effort to stay in touch.

So maybe, just maybe, it’s time I start answering a few more calls.