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Is WhatsApp Affecting Work? How to Not Depend on WhatsApp.

Are You Over-Using WhatsApp?

Whatsapp, as Wikipedia puts it, is a:

 “Freeware, offering cross-platform instant messaging, voice-messaging and calling, owned by meta platforms.” It requires Wi-Fi or mobile data connection to work.

WhatsApp has taken the world by storm and holds the position of Nike in the world of virtual communication. Founded in 2009 with over 395 million users worldwide, the app changed the trajectory of communication forever, becoming the best communication tool for business over the years.

What does WhatsApp not offer? Instant text and voice messaging? Check. Audio and Video calls? Check. Media and File sharing? Check. Broadcasting? Check. WhatsApp lets you run all your operations through its platform. It has liberated users in many ways.

Unfortunately, everything seems great if used in moderation and the expression fits WhatsApp more than anything else. With so many amazing features, instant response, and ease of use, the app has made users increasingly dependent on it, keeping us on our tiptoes and stressing us out.

How does WhatsApp affect your life and work-life?

It doesn’t shut down

Whatsapp may have a lot of ground-breaking features to itself, but the biggest con of the app is, that you cannot shut it down. You receive a message as soon as it is sent (well, this is why it’s called an instant messaging app), but it forces you to reach out to your phone, and check who it is and what they want. You’re always thinking “it could be business-related”, or “it must be an emergency, I gotta look at the messages!”

We are always on a stand-by and it ultimately affects our sleep, health, and productivity at work.

You’re accessible 24/7 (not in a good way)

While it is endearing to say “Day or night, I’m just a text away.” to friends and family, there is a flip side to it.

As much as having access to your WhatsApp number is good for building relationships and momentary responses, it is just as invasive. People have the liberty of reaching out to you at their convenience because you’ve given them an open-house invitation to your life.

Imagine you’re sleeping and someone texts in at 2 am, saying “Hey! Nice display picture!”, and you cannot even get mad because you gave them your number. When someone has direct access to you, they can ping you anytime they like, very few people understand and respect boundaries.

Distracts you from work

If not while sleeping, someone might text you “Nice Picture” during finishing a high-priority task, it angers you more than flatters you.

Another message could be “hey could you send me the recipe of the pasta you made last week?” or “you should totally check out this song! It’s so catchy!

We receive tons of irrelevant messages during work hours that can otherwise wait for our acknowledgment, but thanks to the Instantaneous nature of the app, it succeeds in distracting us from work, wasting a significant amount of our time.

Invades your privacy

We all have a life outside of work, smartphones, and social media. But, WhatsApp sometimes acts as a nosy neighbor who has no qualms about privacy; always ringing, always seeking attention, and always looking for ways to get us to respond to it.

There are times when we want to be on our own, away from distractions, or we don’t want to appear online to hundreds of people on our contact list, but communication tools like WhatsApp have taken away that freedom.

There’s no time off

You could be sitting somewhere fancy, enjoying dinner with a loved one and a text pops up on WhatsApp, saying

“I didn’t receive that report in the email, could you resend it at your earliest?” Thanks for ruining my dinner, Mr. Client!

Weekends or holidays, a wedding or a health emergency, with WhatsApp, there is no time off; you’re always working.

How to limit WhatsApp dependency for your business?

Outsourcing WhatsApp query handling

Consider hiring someone for handling queries on WhatsApp while you look at other operations. A hired help will earn you time to focus on things that truly matter, and your messages would not go unacknowledged either.

Aside from outsourcing Whatsapp handling, incorporating a project management tool for business can help you track the progress of all your on-site and remote employees.

Specifying messaging hours

If WhatsApp is your business’s lifeline, specifying messaging hours is a great way to limit round-the-clock communication. It draws a healthy boundary between clients and the business and the contact hours become clear to them.

If time-setting is not working for you, you could shift your business communication away from Whatsapp altogether to a communication software for teams and businesses. The platform will bring unmatched professionalism and discipline to your digital operations. Your clients will be very specific not only with time but also with their requirements. The team will be more streamlined than ever, with increased accountability and work ethic.

Using a communication tool for business

Communication tools for business are the new need for digital businesses. Platforms like TeamingWay are a must-have for those businesses that want to shift their SOPs model from on-site to online. The corporate world is looking at opportunities to expand businesses regardless of borders and time zones. Collaboration tools and project management tools play a vital role in bringing more business and retaining the current clientele by streamlining work and keeping them updated on the latest progress on their projects.

When are you beginning to use TeamingWay?

Not sure if it is for you? Request a Demo to find out the amazing ways it can help you boost your business performance.

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