Each time you hear a telephone ring, chime, or buzz, stop what you are doing and take three mindful breaths to settle the mind before answering. (If you are a receptionist, you may need to shorten this to one or two breaths. The point is to pause and take at least one deep, cleansing breath before answering the call of the bell.)

If you get very few calls a day on your telephone, set an alarm to ring several times a day, using a long but unusual interval, such as every fifty-three minutes. When the alarm rings, stop and breathe.

Jan Chozen Bays in How to Train a Wild Elephant and Other Adventures in Mindfulness