Improve Performance by Turning Off App Notifications
A familiar notification pops up whenever I install a new app on my phone or log into Slack on a new computer. “Want to turn on notifications on this device?” he is asking. The answer is almost always negative. If you’re short on time and focus (like most of us), turning off nonessential, intrusive app notifications is the first step to breaking the mindless habit of picking up your phone.
To be honest, I don’t really believe that your phone addiction is ruining your life and relationships. I love my phone and think my life is immeasurably better with it, whether I average two hours this week or four (if context is helpful, my average screen time is about three hours and 40 shots per day) ). But I do believe that notifications often interrupt the more important things I do, and that most of them are useful to turn off. Without those interruptions, I check my phone when I really want to give my attention to the application, rather than react when its developers think I should.
Of course, this does not apply to everything. The timer app is based on the use of notifications, and everything important – medications and other reminders – needs them too. But most of the apps we use on our devices, from social media posts to news, aren’t really time sensitive. Is this Lyft 5% discount notice enough to claim my time right away, or will it still be there if I open the app until I need a ride?
If you’re interested in reducing the number of notifications on your devices, I recommend just two steps. Apply Mari Kondo’s method to each service first, but instead of asking if it is fun to do, ask yourself if you think the service’s notifications are urgent and important. And second, when uploading a new application, consider this introductory question. “Want to turn on notifications on this device?” As you get used to having fewer notifications, your response is likely to be no.