Notifications—those reminders on our smartphones about "important events"—are something we encounter daily. Personally, I believe the intention behind notifications is great, as we all occasionally forget important matters. With proper settings, our phones faithfully remind us of these events.
However, after using smartphones for several years, I've gradually realized that notification functionality has become somewhat out of control.
Recently, I took the time to thoroughly review my notifications, reorganizing the settings and would like to share some insights.
Overwhelming Notification Messages
Typically, after installing and launching a new app, the first prompt we see is whether we'd like to enable notifications. Initially, I was open to this since installing an app usually meant I intended to use it, so allowing notifications made sense.
However, granting every app permission to send notifications eventually leads to overwhelming alerts. Notifications lose their effectiveness because our human capacity for absorbing and reading information is limited, yet smartphones can effortlessly exceed this capacity.
Start by Turning Off All Notifications
Before reorganizing my notification management, my phone was exploding with notifications. It reached the point where I wouldn't even read them anymore—I’d simply clear all notifications.
If you're like me, and you clear your notifications without even reading them, that's a clear sign that your notification system is out of control. It's time to adjust settings to truly see important information.
Open Settings, then select "Apps & Notifications" => "App Notifications."
↪︎Change "Recent" in the top-left corner to "All Apps" to see a list of all apps with notification permissions.
My approach was first to disable notifications for every app, then selectively re-enable them according to my preferences—keeping around ten notifications active.
Check Notification Counts for Individual Apps
On the "App Notifications" page, selecting an individual app reveals detailed notification categories. The system typically calculates notification counts daily; if the count is lower, it may track them weekly.
↪︎I find notification count statistics to be quite thoughtful.
If you notice certain notifications occurring frequently—10 or even 20 times a day—consider disabling or reducing their frequency. Receiving notifications every hour or half-hour from a specific app is akin to bombardment.
To genuinely benefit from notifications, I strongly recommend limiting the number of alerts to a manageable level.
Monitor Social Media Notifications
Social media apps typically generate the most notifications, given their interactive nature. If you follow many accounts or have many followers, your notification volume might become overwhelming, making selective management necessary.
Using my YouTube as an example, it generates frequent notifications. For my favorite channels or programs, I ensure I receive updates promptly. For channels primarily featuring live streams, I enable "personalized notifications," or "all notifications" for those I particularly enjoy.
For communication apps like LINE, I've chosen to disable notifications entirely except for immediate voice calls. As long as I’m awake and active, I regularly check messages, thus eliminating the need for constant alerts.
Utilize "Do Not Disturb" Mode to Block All Notifications
Under "Apps & Notifications," there's a "Do Not Disturb" setting—an unbeatable method for silencing all notifications.
↪︎Under "Schedules," you can set specific times to activate "Do Not Disturb." I schedule it to include sleep and morning commute times.
You can also set exceptions within "Do Not Disturb" for critical notifications. Alarms and media sounds are exceptions by default, so there's no need to worry about missing alarms or audio playback issues.
Moderately Manage Notification Volume
When notifications exceed our capacity to handle them, their value diminishes significantly. Reorganizing my notifications took considerable time, partly because I reflected on which notifications were truly essential. Time is limited, and we rarely have enough to check all notifications, messages, or videos.
My current goal with smartphone notifications is prioritizing what I should view first when I have time. I'm confident that each of you can find your own optimal balance.
