Their WhatsApp: Hi, have sent you an email.
Your response: Thanks, will get back to you ASAP!
Your real response: Yes Vinay, I know, my anxiety makes me enable push notifications for emails too. You don’t have to text me to tell me you’ve emailed.
Their WhatsApp: Hi……
Your response: Hey, how are you?
Your real response: Please don’t text just to say ‘hi’ and leave it ominously at that.
Their WhatsApp at 8.50 PM: Hey, I’m a part of a Facebook group for development sector professionals. A researcher on the group, Hema, wanted to know if I could connect her with you.
Their WhatsApp at 8.52 PM: Would you prefer that I share your email or WhatsApp number with Hema?
Their WhatsApp at 9.00 PM: I’ve shared your WhatsApp number for now and asked her to move to email if you prefer.
Your response: Hey, it’s great to hear from you, would be happy to get connected with Hema. If you’ve already given her my number, I’ll keep an eye out for a message.
Your real response: Why, why, why did you ask me for my preferences if you were just going to share my WhatsApp details with her anyway?!
Their WhatsApp: Hi, thanks for sending across the documents, we’ll get back to you soon. Also, what a lovely display picture! Was this with your family at Diwali? Are those your children? They’re so cute! How old are they? I have a five-year-old and seven-year-old myself. Rascals, aren’t they?
Your response: Thanks, Leena. Yes, it was at Diwali and it was great to spend time with the family. My kids are four and five years old, and yes, they’re very mischievous!
*Changes display picture to generic scenery five minutes after the conversation ends*
Your real response: No, Leena. They’re not my kids. I just found them and decided to take pictures with them for Diwali. Could you please just send me the documents?

Picture courtesy: HDWallSource
Their WhatsApp: Hello, my name is Amir. I found your name on a WhatsApp group for people passionate about social impact. I work at a nonprofit and we’re looking to raise CSR funding—I thought you might be able to help us identify who we could reach out to. Sharing a PDF with more information about our programmes and the impact we’ve had. Please circulate it among your networks!
Your response: Hi Amir, thanks for reaching out. The work you do sounds very interesting and will definitely keep an eye out for opportunities.
Your real response: I work freelance in digital marketing. I haven’t the foggiest idea about where to even start looking for CSR funding.
Their WhatsApp at 1.00 AM: Hey Mansi, would you have some time to discuss the presentation I just sent you? It’s our pitch to that international donor I was telling you about. Our meeting with them is at 9.00 AM tomorrow. I know you’re not staffed on this, but just wanted an external perspective!
*You see the message in preview mode and ignore it till 8.55 AM the next day*
Your response: Hi, I’m SO sorry, I just saw this. Best of luck for the presentation though, hope it goes well 🙂
Your real response: No.
Their WhatsApp: Hi Anjali, I just received your email. Here are my thoughts on how we can move forward with the project:
*Long spiel on project details that should have been in an email*
Your response: Thanks for such a detailed response. Will discuss this with the team and get back to you.
Your real response: This could have, and should have, been an email. I had to scroll seven times to read through your entire message.