For many people, work doesn’t end when you leave the office. Whether you’re in charge and need to be available to answer questions, or a medical professional on call, it may be necessary to answer the phone after hours. Two phones may seem like an unnecessary indulgence, but that extra piece of technology can go a long way towards making your life easier.
Turning It Off
Keeping a second phone gives you a very important option a single phone does not: closing up shop. Of course you can turn off your personal line whenever you feel like it (and unplugging is good sometimes). However, you can’t keep business calls, texts, and emails out without keeping everything else out too.
A second phone gives you the pleasure of being able to say “enough” and press the power button. When you go out, you can leave the business phone at home. If you’re worried about someone coming home late, but not about the people staying late at the office, you have the choice between them.
Damage Control
The more you use something, the faster it is going to fall apart. If your personal phone seems to always be on the fritz, using it for business may not be your best option. If you’re waiting for an important communication having your phone die can be a real deal breaker. A simple phone used for work is going to last longer than a phone that gets used for everything from navigation to checking Facebook on the toilet.
Privatizing
Depending on the kind of work you do, there may be sensitive information that shouldn’t be going through your personal phone (just ask Hillary). While you can have separate emails at your fingertips even with one phone, keeping two phones gives you the opportunity to keep everything separate, everything organized, and everything confidential.
Always Online
Other important aspects to consider is how much you travel? How well does your personal carrier keep up with that? Do you have international calling on your phone? Even if you can call internationally, can you call from a different country? Depending on which carrier you use, you may be paying a personal arm and a leg to make some of your calls. Plus you may have trouble making any calls in an area where your personal phone doesn’t get service.
A Bird in the Hand
Depending on your position, your work phone may not be as fancy as your personal phone. There’s just not as much need to play Game of War when you’re waiting for a call from China, as opposed to waiting in the car for your wife. Some phones, however, have the option for not one but two sim cards. This gives you the freedom of the extra line for work without having to worry about being able to keep up with two phones—an especially difficult feat for those who have trouble keeping up with just one. So as you consider how many phones you need, bear in mind that you have that option as well.
