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Ask HN: Does your productivity suffer because of too many phone notifications?

4 points by arey_abhishek 11y ago

arey_abhishek 11y ago
I just found this article as well http://venturebeat.com/2014/12/27/zombification-from-notifications-how-to-fix-the-problem-of-too-many-alerts/ http://venturebeat.com/2014/12/27/zombification-from-notific... Is there any app that can fix this?
awjr 11y ago
Put your phone on silent and leave it in your bag. Look at the notifications each app is broadcasting and turn them into silent notifications. Optionally have an override when somebody important tries to call you through your phone. You might as well ask, does Skype/Hangouts/Slack/Email etc on your work machine interfere with your productivity? Yes if you let it. One of the reasons I like Full Screen mode on OSX. It removes distractions.
- arey_abhishek 11y ago
  On the desktop there aren't more than a couple of apps which create notifications and the frequency is much lower than on a mobile phone. I would say there was a problem of too many email notifications and Slack is just compounding it. :/ I found this app on android called (Off Time) https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.offtime.kit https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.offtime.kit
mahringer_a 11y ago
Anyone got experience how this changes with a smartwatch? More or less distraction?
- logiclabs 11y ago
  I use a Pebble watch. Not sure if I find it to be that much less of a distraction, but it certainly allows you to be more responsive to the notifications with very little action, as you can quickly see the them in a near zero-touch way. I've found it better for me than my phone where I need a complete context switch to get my phone out to see the message (and unlock it, if neccessary). I also use Pushbullet when at my desktop, so phone notifications are displayed on my monitor and allows you to respond to things like SMS. I'd probably be happier and less distracted if I was "polling" for messages, but I don't trust myself to do that regularly enough so having low friction notifications suits me better.
benlaud 11y ago
sure. I won't allow any app send notification with sound / vibration, I will read it when I am free. If you have any urgent issue, please phone me. Asking me by instance messenger do not mean I will response instantly.
tmaly 11y ago
I deleted apps such as facebook from my phone. This solved most of my issues. I turned off notifications on twitter.
EnderMB 11y ago
Nope, not really. I usually check my phone if I get a notification, and once I'm done with my phone I get back to my work. If I'm swamped and I've not received a call I'll leave my phone until I'm at a natural break. Is it really that much of a problem for people?
kevinherron 11y ago
Nope... self control aside, I deny requests for notification privileges from all apps.
Gustomaximus 11y ago
I generally turn off non-calendar notifications. For work email I use the Nine app which has a nice VIP option so I only get notified for messages by a few key people. Otherwise I get to my email when I open it by choice. I also enable silent time so all non-alarm notifications are muted from 10pm to 7am.

4 points by arey_abhishek 11y ago

I just found this article as well http://venturebeat.com/2014/12/27/zombification-from-notifications-how-to-fix-the-problem-of-too-many-alerts/ http://venturebeat.com/2014/12/27/zombification-from-notific... Is there any app that can fix this?

awjr 11y ago

Put your phone on silent and leave it in your bag. Look at the notifications each app is broadcasting and turn them into silent notifications. Optionally have an override when somebody important tries to call you through your phone. You might as well ask, does Skype/Hangouts/Slack/Email etc on your work machine interfere with your productivity? Yes if you let it. One of the reasons I like Full Screen mode on OSX. It removes distractions.

arey_abhishek 11y ago
On the desktop there aren't more than a couple of apps which create notifications and the frequency is much lower than on a mobile phone. I would say there was a problem of too many email notifications and Slack is just compounding it. :/ I found this app on android called (Off Time) https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.offtime.kit https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.offtime.kit

mahringer_a 11y ago

Anyone got experience how this changes with a smartwatch? More or less distraction?

logiclabs 11y ago
I use a Pebble watch. Not sure if I find it to be that much less of a distraction, but it certainly allows you to be more responsive to the notifications with very little action, as you can quickly see the them in a near zero-touch way. I've found it better for me than my phone where I need a complete context switch to get my phone out to see the message (and unlock it, if neccessary). I also use Pushbullet when at my desktop, so phone notifications are displayed on my monitor and allows you to respond to things like SMS. I'd probably be happier and less distracted if I was "polling" for messages, but I don't trust myself to do that regularly enough so having low friction notifications suits me better.

benlaud 11y ago

sure. I won't allow any app send notification with sound / vibration, I will read it when I am free. If you have any urgent issue, please phone me. Asking me by instance messenger do not mean I will response instantly.

tmaly 11y ago

I deleted apps such as facebook from my phone. This solved most of my issues. I turned off notifications on twitter.

EnderMB 11y ago

Nope, not really. I usually check my phone if I get a notification, and once I'm done with my phone I get back to my work. If I'm swamped and I've not received a call I'll leave my phone until I'm at a natural break. Is it really that much of a problem for people?

kevinherron 11y ago

Nope... self control aside, I deny requests for notification privileges from all apps.

Gustomaximus 11y ago

I generally turn off non-calendar notifications. For work email I use the Nine app which has a nice VIP option so I only get notified for messages by a few key people. Otherwise I get to my email when I open it by choice. I also enable silent time so all non-alarm notifications are muted from 10pm to 7am.