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Most workplaces do not appreciate if you use your cell phone while you are supposed to be working. Many companies have implemented rules prohibiting cell phone use in work areas. If you are a person who cannot stand to be without your cell phone, there are some simple rules to ensure that your cell phone use does not interfere with your job, your supervisor, or your co-workers.

The first rule that you should follow if you are bringing your cell phone to work is to shut your ringer off. Leave the phone on vibrate if you must have it on. This will keep your cell phone ringtone from bothering the employees around you. It can also prevent your boss from knowing how many calls you get at the workplace.

When you do get a call at work, it may be prudent to let the call be picked up by voice mail. This prevents other workers from complaining to the boss about the calls that you are receiving. It also eliminates any temptation that you may have to begin a conversation that you really should not be having.

While at work, you should only answer important calls. These include calls from your child, calls from his school, and emergencies that must be taken care of immediately. Chatting with your sister or checking on a doctor's appointment that you have next week are not emergencies.

When you need to make cell phone calls, you should find an isolated place to do it. In the break room during lunch when there are twenty other employees sitting around is not a private place. Having a conversation in front of your co-workers that they are not included in is rude. If you chose a place out in the work place during your break time, it may distract the people who are still working as they try to overhear your conversation.

You should never ever use your phone in the public restroom. If one of your co-workers is going to the bathroom and the person on the other end of your call can hear them that is an invasion of your coworkers' privacy. You might also consider that many bathrooms in the work place are large and echo so that any co-worker who is present may be able to hear the entire conversation.

You should not bring your cell phone to any meetings. Your concentration should be on your job and your boss will notice if you are paying attention. Even if you have your cell phone set on vibrate, if it rings it can disrupt the entire meeting as well as gain you some unwelcomed attention by your supervisor. You should also never check your cell phone to identify who is calling. Your boss will think that you do not care about your job.

While some companies have stopped the use of cell phones during work hours, the businesses that allow them encourage their employees to only use them in case of emergency. Otherwise, you should only make calls on your own time, such as during breaks and lunchtime. This gesture is just a common courtesy that you can extend to your bosses and co-workers.