Here is Why I Mute 99% of my Notifications
Notifications are great to alarm us about some event or activity. There are many forms of notifications. Phones, computers, apps, alarms, and more. It can be useful to have notifications, and in this post, I’m not going to be biased on notifications — I’m going to list both pros and cons.
Getting to Know the Facts
Before going into why I choose to mute/disable almost all my notifications, let’s look into some studies about the “flow state.” According to Hungarian-American psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the psychological concept “flow” ¹ is:
“a highly focused mental state conducive to productivity.”
Working in the flow state is similar to doing the “one thing” and having a deep focus on the task in hand without switching between tasks — or what is called “Multitasking.” In another study that McKinsey did, they conducted a study in 5000 senior executives and saw that when they are in the flow state, they are — around — five times more productive ².
Technology is Good, but...
When it comes to technology and the available tools and services around us that promote productivity, one must remember that too much of everything is as bad as nothing. If you think that using all the technological advancements available to you will lead to more productivity, think again. The more we use new technologies that are getting the “hype” from many influencers and content creators — in this case, productivity gurus — the more we are killing our flow state.
Having your mind focus is super hard these days, given all the distractions available from social media, likes, comments, notifications, and so on. Achieving more does not mean that we are doing so in the most productive manner possible. I read and write about productivity because there can’t be a “One framework fits all” kind of path to more productivity. It all depends on the person, lifestyle, family, education, job, and many more elements involved.
Technology, including more apps, more services, and more hacks, ruins your flow state without you noticing. People think that when a new product is out in the market they follow, that product is built for them. So they invest time, money, and energy learning the new toy. Not knowing that they did not need it in the first place. We need to cut down on technology. Think of it as being a tech minimalist and use what you really need.
Flow with your One Thing
To achieve the task you set the time and purpose for, try to do the following and give it a shot for two weeks. If it did not increase your work productivity, I’ll buy you coffee — I’m serious:
- Schedule it, respect the task and make it a priority — no excuses. And remember that:
“What get’s scheduled gets done.” — Michael Hyatt
- Please turn off your notifications when you are doing a task, whether reading, writing, programming, or even doing laundry.
- Time Block the task and stick to it — here’s a great “in-depth” article by Dan Silvestre about time blocking: Time Blocking: How to Get The Most Out of Your Schedule.
- Don’t get interrupted by anyone. Ask your family or friends politely that you need to focus for an hour on something — they will understand.
- When you start the task, don’t think about anything else. It is like you are operating on one thing and one thing only — in case there is something on your mind, get it off before working.
- If you are the kind that gets distracted easily, try to use tools to prevent you from doing so. Tools like site blockers — if you are doing online research. If you are writing, use ColdTurkey to focus on nothing but writing. If you are reading, mute your phone, turn on “do not disturb” mode, and use a timer like Forest — read more about ColdTurkey & Forest in my article: Productivity tools every writer should try.
Getting Back to... Why
Why I mute my notifications? Simple:
- If you read the book “The One Thing” by the authors Gary Keller & Jay Papasan, you know that I get into the flow state when I’m working on my one task. I never switch, never. What if something went up? And I have to switch. I ask myself one simple question: Is it a financial loss situation, such that if I did not get it done in an hour, I lose money, client, relationship, life? If yes, end the current task and start the other — Don’t switch.
- I use the “6010 method” when doing work. This concept is explained in the book “The 5 AM Club” by Robin Sharma, where he explains the 6010 method and how it is great for increasing your work productivity by working for 60 minutes then taking a 10-minute break. During the sessions, I turn off notifications, so I don’t get distracted — You can listen to Robin Sharma explaining the method in his article: The 60/10 Method For Superhuman Productivity.
- Most chat messages and phone calls can wait. I always believe that if my family really needs me during my work, they would reach me regardless of my notifications being off — I have a whitelist on my iPhone to selectively allow calls to ring. The rest are logged in my recent calls list so I can call back.
- I value my time this way; I don’t mind not answering calls and texts. When people get used to the fact that you answer your phone all the time and it is always “Online” on chat apps, they will call/text you whenever they like. If they know that you value your time and wish not to get disturbed, they will understand and respect you.
- When working, I always do my very best. I believe that doing less is not worth it and wasting my time and the people reading my articles. Committing to focusing on the one thing that I’m doing increases my output and makes me deliver more in less time.
That’s all for this post; I hope you enjoyed it.
If you did, it would be great to share it with your friends and family. Also, if you want me to write about a particular topic/method in productivity, I would be more than happy, reach me @alounpro on social media — click my name at the bottom.
Have a lovely day!
— Ahmad
References:[1]: Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2009). Flow: The psychology of optimal experience. New York: Harper Row.[2]: Cranston, S. & Keller, S. (2013). Increasing the ‘meaning quotient’ of work. Retrieved from: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/increasing-the-meaning-quotient-of-work
