 How to make the perfect phone call
The perfect phone call should last nine minutes, 36 seconds and contain a mix of chat about family news, current affairs, personal problems and the weather.
Experts studied the anatomy of a call and discovered the perfect blend of subject matter and timings needed to create the ideal phone conversation.
Three minutes should be spent catching up with news about family and friends, one minute on personal problems, a minute on work/school, 42 seconds on current affairs and 24 seconds on the weather.
Chat about the opposite sex should last 24 seconds. One in five people said they spent most time on the phone to their mother.
The research, by the Post Office, revealed that the phrase “I’ll get your mother” is common.
Only three per cent of people named their father as the person they spent most time on the phone with – because dads hand over the phone to their wives.
Catherine Blyth, author of The Art of Conversation, says anyone can conduct a good chat. She adds: “Conversation can slip along with little more than a friendly smile and an open mind.”
Hugh Stacey, head of telephony at the Post Office, said: “It was surprising that celebrity gossip only occupied 12 per cent of the perfect telephone call.”
“The biggest surprise is that silence is golden – with 12 seconds of every call set aside for a little quiet contemplation.”
Psychotherapist Christine Webber said: “Regular contact with friends or family brings down blood pressure, lowers cholesterol and may stave off dementia.” | 
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