Breaking free from digital chains
It’s easier than you might think. And with time, you’ll find increasing satisfaction in being the alpha in your relationship with your device.
Sounds, notifications, badges, red dots – these are all carefully crafted attention-grabbing systems. They’re designed not just to alert you, but to create a sense of urgency, making you feel that immediate reaction is required or something terrible will happen. (Spoiler alert: in most cases, it won’t.)
There are several stages that have helped me take control over my smartphone. I’ve reached a point where I actually enjoy moments when it’s not around more than when it’s with me. Turns out there is so much beauty around to pay attention to!
Breaking free from digital chains
So let’s begin slowly and with ease: no sound notifications.
To understand better their impact on you, let me introduce you to something called “notification fatigue.” This phenomenon has been carefully studied in hospitals, where its effects are particularly striking.
In hospital settings, excessive sound notifications, particularly from medical alarms, significantly impact healthcare providers’ responses to critical events. When clinicians become desensitized to the overwhelming number of alarms – many of which are false – their ability to respond to genuine emergencies diminishes.
Studies show that between 80% to 99% of hospital alarms don’t actually require immediate intervention, yet they contribute to a noisy environment that distracts healthcare professionals from urgent situations.
Your body on high altert
How does this relate to smartphones?
When all your apps have sound alerts, you risk developing alarm fatigue, exposing yourself to sudden sounds that aren’t natural for humans.
In nature, sounds play a crucial role in warning us about danger. They’re designed to activate our nervous system’s “fight or flight” response, leading to the release of adrenaline and noradrenaline. These hormones increase heart rate, blood pressure, and energy availability, enhancing our alertness and readiness to react.
Now imagine your body and mind constantly exposed to this type of signal. Madness, right?
While you might get used to it, you risk losing the ability to distinguish truly important incoming information. Also, your body stays in a constant state of low-level alert, which isn’t healthy or natural.
A moment of awakening
I experienced this impact profoundly during meditation once.
I was in a deep state of concentration and relaxation – that beautiful moment when you feel connected to everything – when suddenly, a messenger notification from the next room pierced through the silence. It startled me, and I felt the tension surge through my entire body.
I was shocked to realize there was a period in my life when I had these notifications constantly turned on, essentially keeping myself on a digital leash, ready to immediately respond to other people’s pokes.
That’s why, for my own peace of mind, I’ve completely turned off all sound notifications on my phone. I refuse to put myself in a constant state of alert, waiting for my device to warn me about something. The silence has been liberating.
Reclaiming boundaries
Also, consider this: when was the last time someone asked for your permission before calling you? It’s become surprisingly rare, hasn’t it?
I find the current culture of constant accessibility, especially through phone calls, rather oppressive – particularly when people call repeatedly expecting an immediate response. I firmly believe we each have the right to manage our time and private space, including setting boundaries on how and when others can enter it.
The “always connected” culture has stripped us of true intimacy and those precious moments of solitude. Instead, we find ourselves apologizing for making personal decisions about our availability, as if protecting our mental space is somehow wrong.
It’s no wonder so many of us feel overwhelmed. Given the sheer volume of information we’re expected to process daily, combined with the implicit demand to be perpetually available, our minds rarely get the quiet moments they need.
Perhaps it’s time to normalize saying NO to constant connectivity and reclaim our right to disconnect without guilt.
Your first step toward digital freedom
So here’s your first step, and remember: take time to let this sink in.
Open each application and thoughtfully adjust its notification settings, starting with sound. Consider which apps, if any (like SMS), truly require immediate attention.
You have options. You might choose to keep your phone completely silent but allow selected people to reach you. Some phones offer settings where specific contacts can “break through” even when the phone is on silent mode.
Either way, remember – it’s your smartphone and your life. Set it up according to your own needs.
I’m on the extreme end, preferring complete silence because I cherish those moments of deep concentration during the day. I’ve found I’m incredibly efficient during these focused periods, and smartphone notifications only pull me out of this state.
Embracing the silence
Take your time with this. There’s no rush - just slowly get used to the quiet version of your phone. Trust me, you’ll grow to love this peaceful feeling. It might feel strange at first, but that’s okay – any change does.
I’ll share my next steps for smartphone control once you’ve had time to embrace the silence. After all, good things come to those who wait.
Stay tuned for the next part of this journey!
JO ✮⋆