# Notifications off by default

Practice ID: 1
Topic: `attention` (attention: Boundaries that protect focus, presence, and deliberate use from digital pull.)
Added: 2026-09-01
Journey entry point: `reset` (Reduce the strongest default pulls and regain enough space to choose deliberately.)
Start with: `quick-win` (quick win)
Supports: `sustained-attention` (sustained attention; group: `daily-life` / My attention and daily life), `protected-presence` (protected human presence; group: `daily-life` / My attention and daily life)

## Pattern

Every alert competes for attention, so interruption should be reserved for communication and events that genuinely require a timely response.

## Practice

Turn app notifications off by default, then enable only the people or channels that genuinely deserve immediate attention.

## Start small

Choose the app that interrupts you most and turn off its alerts.

## Watch out

Keep alerts that protect safety, accessibility, caregiving, or genuinely time-sensitive responsibilities.

## Related practices

- [Give your phone a narrow role](https://live.freewithtech.com/practices/give-your-phone-a-narrow-role.md)
- [Badges signal only priority](https://live.freewithtech.com/practices/badges-signal-only-priority.md)

## Concepts

- [phone dumbification](https://live.freewithtech.com/concepts/phone-dumbification.md): Deliberately reduce a smartphone to chosen roles so it behaves like a focused utility.

## Positions

See how these practices fit together: [Decide what may interrupt](https://live.freewithtech.com/by/deciding-what-may-interrupt.md).

## Related videos

- [how gaming and coding shaped my digital journey](https://fwt.wtf/years-inside-screens?utm_source=live.freewithtech.com)
- [what I discovered on my tech reset journey](https://fwt.wtf/digital-wellness-values?utm_source=live.freewithtech.com)
- [how I cut out notification spam without missing anything](https://fwt.wtf/cut-the-spam-video?utm_source=live.freewithtech.com)

## Continue

- [Browse attention as practices.](https://live.freewithtech.com/?topic=attention)
- [Journey](https://live.freewithtech.com/journey.md)
- [Concepts](https://live.freewithtech.com/concepts.md)
- [Complete agent-readable database](https://live.freewithtech.com/llms.txt)