JUST DON'T ANSWER IT!

I was watching a YouTube nature video and right in the middle of it, the film-maker answers his cell phone to tell the person he can't talk, but he'll call back.
If your cell phone rings and you can't talk right then, don't answer it in the first place!
If you answer the phone just to say, "I can't talk right now; I'll call you back," DON'T ANSWER IT!
If you let voice mail answer, the caller will know that you can't talk at that moment.
The cool thing about cell phones is they have voice mail, caller ID and texting as well.
Just to be clear, if your cell phone rings and you are going to say any of the following, train yourself to turn off the ringer and not answer instead:

• "I can't talk but I'll call you back in a minute."
• "I'm right in the middle of something; can I call you back?"
• "Hi. Can I call you later?"
• "Let me call you back."

To be even clearer, just don't answer your phone in the following situations:

• you're at a theater watching a movie.
  
• you're in a class.
  
• you're at a concert or other live performance (music, dance, drama, etc.)
• you're in the foyer of a restaurant waiting to be seated.
• you're at a friend's house.
• your friend is at your house.
• you're at a party.
• you're hosting a party.
• you're in a car with a friend.
• you're in a meeting.
• you're with your family for Thanksgiving (or Christmas, special dinner, Mom and Dad's anniversary party, just watching a movie at home, etc.)
• you're in the bathroom.

Obviously, there may be exceptions but there are ways to avoid that as well. For instance, if you're waiting to find out how your good friend's heart surgery went, then don't go to the movies (or wherever) until after the event. If all your calls are so important that you cannot shut off the cell for a couple of hours, or you will answer it regardless of the circumstance, then stay home "waiting by the phone"...but do you really want to do that?
The solution? Just don't answer it!

And most of the above goes for texting as well.

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