My prior email advice was well-received and triggered requests for advice about text messages. This is a pretty easy one!

Text messages provide instant communication. They are quick to compose and often delivered more readily than email. But they also essentially disappear just as instantly, especially when another message arrives. Generally speaking, there is no easy way to flag messages needing attention. No way to file them for future reference. No way to delete the unimportant ones within a thread. No way to attach a document.

To make matters worse, messages arrive in multiple apps. I find myself constantly wishing we only had one such service. I’ll note the arrival of several incoming messages and then when I go looking for them, I can’t find them because I have to look in several places. iMessages, WhatsApp, Messenger, Twitter Direct Messages, LinkedIn messages, Instagram messages. It’s enough to drive you crazy. Just this week, I got iMessages and Messenger messages alternately from the same person within minutes because incoming messages on her end were flipping her from app to app. It made for a ridiculous exchange. And if you have ever tried to retrieve information sent via message, perhaps a phone number someone sent you, you know how infuriating it is. As you scroll back for what seems like forever, you don’t even know if you are in the right app.

Group messages are even worse because it isn’t always easy to tell who is in the group and who isn’t. This, of course, makes retrieval even more difficult if you have to start searching for that phone number in any number of group threads. But why would you? It’s much easier just to interrupt someone and ask for the information again.

Oh, and then there is that problem of receiving a message in the midst of an exchange with someone else. This is when you inadvertently reply on the wrong thread. These mistakes can be quite embarrassing. I know. I’ve done it.

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m no Luddite. I use text messages all the time. But only for certain things.

Text messages are great for getting instant attention and that’s how they should be used. Here are some great examples of their usefulness:

• Do you have time to talk now?
• I’ve finished. Check your email.
• I’ll be there at 2:00.
• Don’t forget to bring that file we discussed.
• I’m running late. Be there in 10.
• Here is a link I think you might find interesting.
• Happy Birthday!

What do these examples have in common?

• They don’t include important information or requests that you would hate to see forgotten or buried instantly.
• They provide information that may be useful in that instant, but that is not critical.
• They don’t even assume the message will be received instantly.
• They aren’t part of an important conversation.
• They don’t require a response or any kind of follow up.
• They don’t ask questions that require thought or time. In other words, they don’t ask questions that can’t be answered instantly.

Get clear about what you are trying to accomplish before you act. Not only will you get better results, waste less time of all parties involved, and avoid problems, but you will also be able to choose the right tool for your task. Face-to-face, video calls, phone calls, email, public postings, letters, and text messages can all be used to advantage in the appropriate circumstances. Used badly, each can also have disastrous consequences.

Text message, as the relatively new tool in the corporate game, is undoubtedly the most abused at this point. Let’s speed up the learning curve of appropriate texting. Share this article and, as always, encourage everyone to get clear about what they are trying to accomplish before they act.