Time-sensitive messages should be answered as soon as possible, while you have more time for nonurgent ones. But not that long. Gottsman, speaking "from a polite factor" believes you should respond within a day.
While waiting for 1 – 3 days is definitely good advice. It's not the only way to deal with an unresponsive lady. More important than timing is the content of your text. Say the right thing, and the conversation is back on track.
A General Rule of Thumb
A text should be answered within a couple of hours when there is not a time restraint. Keep in mind that if someone is working or exercising or basically out in the field, it may take longer for them to respond.
Generally, it's best to reply to texts within a few hours unless you have a good reason not to. If you're busy or don't want to seem too eager, you can wait a little longer to reply. Ensure you don't leave someone hanging for too long, as that can be rude and off-putting.
Waiting 2–3 days or up to a week before reaching out gives him a chance to text you first once he realizes what he's missing. If you've waited more than a week and still haven't heard back from him, it might be time to move on.
If it has been less than a couple of days then try to not let his lack of contact bother you. There is a good chance he is busy and this is nothing to worry about. Get home from work, put your phone on aeroplane mode and avoid checking your WhatsApp status or social media activity.
Sending Long Conversations
Generally speaking, your texts shouldn't be too long. Ideally, you want to keep their length to about that of a tweet. Sending long texts can be annoying to the people on the receiving end, especially if they're busy at work or trying to complete a project.
Caption Options. Close Settings. As a phrase, “dry texting” is relatively recent in the grand scheme of things. It refers to people who reply with one word, or don't carry the conversation and just say things like “lmao” and “wyd” until the receiver wants to tear their hair out in frustration or boredom.
Most of the time, when a guy doesn't respond to a text immediately, he's just busy. Either he is busy with work, or maybe he's visiting family. He could also be running some household errands. Give him some time, and he'll get back to you.
But you shouldn't take it personally as there could be many reasons behind your guy not texting you back for extended periods. For instance, he might be busy at work or in the personal sphere, hoping that you would text him first, doesn't want to sound needy, or is simply not good with virtual communication.
Ignoring messages is frowned upon in these always-on times. At its most egregious, dropping out of communication is condemned as “ghosting,” which, in the years since the term became widespread, has become a deadly sin of digital communications.
In general, it's best to avoid texting someone after 9 p.m. or first thing in the morning. Both can be seen as an invasion of privacy, especially for non-urgent situations. With coworkers, a good rule of thumb is to only text during the hours that you would expect that person to be at work.
Wait a few minutes before you text him back.
There's no set time to make him wait, but waiting at least 10-15 minutes is a good start. Feel free to hold off on your reply until the following day, especially if he texts you late at night! It's okay if he sees that you read his text and didn't respond.
If you have given them the time to respond (at least 24 hours) and still hear nothing, sending a follow-up text can help clarify things.
It is easy to wonder, should I text him back after he ignored me? Yes, he ignored you, which is hurtful enough. But don't return the favor if you still hope to build something out of the relationship. Playing mind games or ignoring his texts could backfire and ruin your chance of coming together.
Double-texting, or messaging two times before someone responds, is viewed as taboo in modern dating. While double-texting can feel bad, therapists say there is no rule for how much you should text. If you feel bad about double-texting, put your phone down and let the other person reply at their own pace.
Many guys hate failing and feeling inadequate. They often don't have the speed of words to compete with their partner in a conflict. Men's emotional processing capacity is often much slower than their partner. Whilst being silent is a sign of a man's need to process it is also a way to avoid the feelings of defeat.
There are many reasons why a guy might stop texting. If he is busy with work, or personal matters, he might just be distracted. Check in with him in a few days to see where his head is at. There is also the possibility that he is not interested, or he is not ready for a relationship.
Reply within 30–60 minutes to play it a little cool.
While it's okay to reply later if you're actually busy, purposefully waiting to text somebody might feel disrespectful if you're available. If you had to make the person wait for more than an hour, offer them an apology and explain what kept you from messaging them.
A text exchange with no emotion could be a red flag, she notes. If the texts are flat, with no smiling in the language and little energy, this might be an indication the date is emotionally aloof. Some people manage the anxiety of attachment by trying to control their environment, Winsberg points out.
Cold texting is reaching out via SMS to a contact without their prior consent or permission. It's similar to cold calling and cold emailing. Some examples that would lead to cold texting include: Purchasing a contact list from a third party. Finding customers' phone information online.
He might be busy, he might not like texting, or he might not be into you. Dry texting is incredibly frustrating, but try to be patient for the first couple of short texts or long response times. If he starts the conversation up again or starts sending more detailed messages, he was probably just busy.
Going overboard with the emoji.
1/3 of men think more than 3 emojis in a text is too many emojis. Only 21 percent of men use emojis themselves. 3. Making vague suggestions that he entertain you, such as: "I'm bored," "What r u up to?," and "Heyy hows it goin?" (This is for those of you in the dating world.)
One study published by infographic designers Venngage found that sharing intimate details over text is easier than sharing them in person. Though it may be easier, the study also found that these texting interactions didn't foster as deep a connection as in-person conversations.
Don't text anything confidential, private, or potentially embarrassing. Don't be upset if your text doesn't get an immediate response—you can't know for sure when the recipient will read the message. Think of texting as a conversation: If you would respond in the conversation, then respond in the text.