Our default notification settings weren’t designed for us. They were designed to serve tech companies.
Every “ding” pulls your attention toward their platform. More notifications mean more engagement. More engagement means more revenue.
For over a decade, I served their priorities instead of my own.
When I Realized I Wasn’t in Control
In 2018, I started using the Pomodoro method to study machine learning. I couldn’t manage 25 minutes without breaking focus for a notification.
That’s when it hit me: I wasn’t choosing when to give my attention. My phone was choosing for me.
Taking Back Control
I started with email notifications. Turned them off. Nothing caught fire.
So I kept going. Audio off. Push notifications off. One app at a time.
Each time, I was making a choice: What actually deserves to interrupt me?
Eventually, only a handful of things could interrupt me: calendar, task list, WhatsApp, Signal, SMS, and select phone calls.
I decided what gets my attention. Not tech companies.
Most messages can wait hours, even days. Personal emails? 1-2 days. Work emails? 3-4 checks per day. Slack? Every 30-90 minutes.
When I replied days later, people rarely cared. I was serving my priorities again, not theirs.
How to Take Back Control
Do an attention audit for a week. Count your push notifications. Then count how many genuinely needed immediate action.
Then ask: Is this percentage worth giving tech companies control over when I can think deeply?
Make a choice. Turn off notifications for one app. See what happens.
You’re either intentional about your attention, or someone else is deciding for you.
Stop letting tech companies set your priorities.
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