Author Cuts 186 Daily Phone Checks by Disabling Notifications for 1 Week
Updated
Updated · CNET · May 29
Author Cuts 186 Daily Phone Checks by Disabling Notifications for 1 Week
1 articles · Updated · CNET · May 29
Summary
A one-week shutdown of every phone notification left the author initially checking apps even more, but by days three and four the device felt less urgent and easier to ignore.
The experiment targeted alerts from messages, email, Slack, social media and shopping apps to test whether the phone was distracting the user or actively directing attention.
Reviews.org's 2026 survey found Americans check phones 186 times a day, while 41.3% feel panic when battery levels drop below 20%, underscoring how deeply alerts shape behavior.
Research cited in the piece linked notifications to worse attention, slower cognitive performance and lingering disruption, while psychologists said apps are designed to monetize attention through interruption.
The author ended the week by restoring only selected alerts—such as messages, calendar and banking—embracing what the piece calls intentional interruption rather than total silence.