Are You Pushed Around By Push Notifications? | 3 Tips For Greater Productivity

Picture this…

You are working on a project and suddenly your phone beeps or lights up. You looked over to check. A few seconds later, another notification came and again, you checked. You get it, right?

How many times in a day do you actually do this? Of the N times you do, how many of those are both important and urgent?

Not only is it a waste of time, it also kills productivity because while it was only for a few seconds, it did break your momentum and got your mind drifting to another place and time.

Here are 3 easy tips to help you stand your ground on productivity and avoid being pushed around by push notifications.

Turn Off Notifications

This is really very easy. Simply go to settings>notifications>app>turn off notifications as shown below. It’s very similar whether you are using an iPhone or an Android device.

On iPhone/iOS

Turning off notification for Lazada, an online shopping app. Not only does it help me keep my finances in check, it also keeps me focused and more productive.

On Android

I must have signed up for too many sites and receive several correspondence. Sure, I want to read all updates. But I want to read them on my own time and not as soon as they send it, especially those that’s auto-emailed.

Keep Phone On Mute

Chance is, you will not turn off notifications for all your apps. You can still minimize the disruption by setting your phone on mute.

Assign Own Space or Time

Finally, while mobile phones are designed for greater mobility (as the name implies), it is also a tool to help us be more productive, not distracted. So, would be great to either assign its own place in your office or home, or assign a schedule or times in a day when you should check it.

I have not yet perfected this. But the many times I tried proved to be rewarding. I will keep doing it and surely will be a habit soon enough.

How about you? How do you stay productive?

Image and inspiration from this article by Ashish Bhalla, HR Executive, @HRBartender on Twitter.