Here people use WhatsApp, not Facebook messenger, but the idea is the same. I left WhatsApp last year. My dearest friends and family have installed Signal after I did. They haven’t left WhatsApp but they use it to contact me. We have group chats on Signal. If colleagues need to reach me I tell them they can sent me an SMS or join Signal. They mostly just send SMS. I used to be in a group chats from my 2 jobs. Luckily I don’t necessarily need to be in either of them, it’s mostly used for trading shifts and there are other ways to do that. Important communication goes through email.

When one method of communication is the norm it is obviously very difficult to move away from it, and for some people it will feel almost impossible. We shouldn’t deny that there is a choice, because there is, but obviously for some it will be a lot easier than for others. I was in the lucky position that it felt possible, and it worked out great. I am very relieved that I am part of fewer group chats now. They’re quite a burden actually. I hope in the future when things shift a little further from the current norm, it will be possible for you as well.