For today's challenge, turn off notifications!
Why turn off your notifications?
Regardless of what the notifications say or if you opted to receive them, the cumulative effect can be overwhelming. Over the course of a day, notifications are an interruption, affecting your focus and performance.
(Hunt, 2020)
Why does turning off notifications fuel positive feelings?
Studies have shown that we are distracted by every ping and pop up notification. Even when we don't respond, smartphone push notifications produced a decline in task performance. Since the average person receives over 50 alerts per day, you can imagine the cumulative affect on your focus through the day. Therefore, by turning off your notifications, you are able to focus and have more peace of mind. When you make the decision when to take action, instead of having your phone continually interrupting you, you feel more in control and peaceful.
Today most phones make it easier for you to turn off notifications. You can simply put your phone in 'do not disturb' mode, or you can individually control how each app notifies you so that you only see the red button for notifications rather than pings or pop up windows that interrupt you. You can try just turning off notifications for one day and see how you feel. Perhaps try just turning on one notification at a time so you can limit the number of interruptions you have in the day and can focus on what is important.
Go ahead, I dare you to turn off all your notifications today!
Hunt, E. (2020, January 27). One ping after another: why everyone needs a notification detox. The Guardian; The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/jan/27/one-ping-after-another-how-constant-notifications-are-driving-us-to-distraction