3 years ago I turned off all notifications on my phone. It rings only for calls and alarms, not even for WhatsApp messages. My phone does not tell me what has happened in the world until I open any app, which normally happens once a day.
6 months ago I turned off email notifications on my laptop. Now I read emails only when I want to read them, two to four times a day at regular intervals.
I read a couple of offline newspapers every day and check online when not at home. But during my last 10-day trip, I didn’t open any news site. And I realized it doesn’t make any difference if you don’t follow the news they print and publish on sites.
All of these:
- Help me remain focused on my work
- Allow me to spend my break time on things I want to and not on things other people want me to
- Made me realize that I can avoid a few misunderstandings and relationship issues just by responding in time and not immediately
- Have helped me make better and more frequent phone calls with people I care about, instead of having passive chats
If I summarize it in one phrase:
Ignorance is bliss.