Guided technique · Digital life · 10 min

Notification audit

Going through your phone’s notification settings and keeping only what genuinely needs to interrupt you.

Level: Beginner · Free — no account needed to read

Going through your phone’s notification settings and keeping only what genuinely needs to interrupt you.

Why it may help

Every notification is a designed interruption, and even ignored ones can cost attention. Cutting the unnecessary ones is one of the quickest changes with a noticeable effect.

When to use it

• your phone buzzes more than you can keep up with
• you feel jumpy or scattered
• setting up a new phone or app

Helps with

• Constant interruptions

How to do it

1. Open your phone’s notification settings.
2. Keep calls and messages from people, and anything genuinely time-sensitive.
3. Turn off or silence the rest — likes, suggestions, shopping, games, most news.
4. Set group chats to silent and check them when you choose.

What the evidence says

Emerging evidence: Early or mixed research looks promising, but it is too soon to be confident. Treat it as worth trying, not proven.

What was found

Experiments show notifications can disrupt attention even when ignored, and studies of batching notifications found improvements in stress and focus.

What is uncertain

These studies are relatively small and short, so the size of the benefit over months is uncertain.

Who it may not suit

If your job or caring role depends on alerts, keep those on and cut everything else.

Where this comes from: Attention and task-switching research; Research on digital media and wellbeing.

Afterwards, ask yourself

After the audit, what did you miss — and what didn’t you?