How to Practice Proper Text Etiquette

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Know when it's appropriate to send a text.

   Spur-of-the-moment texts can be nice, but not at 5am.
2. 2

   Step 2: Know when what you're trying to communicate is best sent in a text or an actual voice call.

   If you're pressed for time, you can't depend on the person to respond promptly.
   
   Call instead. , Keep your distance.
   
   Don't text the person every day, or worse, several times a day.
   
   It'll save yourself from seeming like an obsessed lunatic. , It's extremely difficult to judge someone's tone without their voice to help you out. , It's very rude, and might make your friends upset. , There's nothing more annoying than sitting by someone deep in text-conversation when their ring tone is a full-length song.
   
   Keep it on vibrate, or at least short beeps. , It's okay to use text language like BRB, TTYL, and OMG, just use them sparingly.
   
   If you overcrowd the text message with text language, it will probably be difficult for your friend to understand what you are texting. , It's frustrating to get a text message from someone saying "are you serious?"... when you can't remember what it was you said in the first place. , getting divorced, terminal illness, etc.
3. 3

   Step 3: Wait a while before texting a new crush/potential mate.

4. 4

   Step 4: Make sure your text-mate knows what you're trying to say.

5. 5

   Step 5: Don't text while you're with other friends.

6. 6

   Step 6: Keep your ringer short.

7. 7

   Step 7: Spell check your messages before sending them.

8. 8

   Step 8: Save your sent messages.

9. 9

   Step 9: Don't send awful news via text

Detailed Guide

About the Author