Today, we live in a time where a smartphone screen never stays quiet for a second. Every minute, some app or the other pings! Messages, likes, comments, offers, reminders — all sorts of “important” information seem to be tearing our attention away. But have you ever wondered why so many notifications? What do apps really want?
Today, let’s try to find out the truth behind this notification-centric world.
🔔 Notifications: Beneficial or dangerous?
The notification system was originally designed to help us—to get urgent messages, calendar events, bank alerts, etc., on time. But over time, many app developers have turned this convenience into a business strategy.
According to statistics, an average smartphone user receives 80-120 notifications a day. Of these, 90% do nothing more than distract us.
📱 The main goal of the apps: your attention
Apps are free these days, but how do they survive? There is only one answer behind it—your attention. The more you use an app, the more they can collect your data, and earn money by showing you ads accordingly.
So they want you to enter the app as often as possible. That is why they create notifications—everything is a trap.
🎯 Notifications are designed based on psychology
These notifications are designed using behavioral science. Example:
- 🔁 Variable Rewards: Sometimes a notification will come, sometimes it won’t. This increases people’s curiosity.
- 🧠 FOMO: “You’ve been tagged”, “Your friends are waiting” — these types of notifications create panic in our minds, as if we’re missing out on something.
- 🔔 Sound and visual effects: A small ‘ding’ releases dopamine in our brain, and we suddenly look at the screen.
🕒 Attention Hijacking: Its Effects
This constant stream of notifications is creating various problems in our lives—
- Loss of focus
Our mind is repeatedly interrupted by regular notifications. If our attention is repeatedly interrupted while doing a task, the quality of that task also deteriorates and it takes twice as long. - Stress and anxiety
Many notifications create pressure in our mind—we have to respond to everything, we won’t miss anything, etc. This constantly tires our brain. - Sleep disruption
Before going to bed at night, a ping suddenly came—and you looked at the screen, and then couldn’t sleep again. Tell me how many times has this happened? - Social distancing
Even though many people are sitting together, everyone is immersed in their phones. Relationships are becoming digital-dependent, real contact is decreasing.
💰 So what do the apps want?
“Engagement” — how much time you spend on an app — is what matters most to them. Google, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and even news apps want you to stay with them as long as possible.
They know that the more you spend on an app, the more they:
- Get more information about your behavior
- Can show you more ads
- Can make money from those ads
This whole process happens silently, without you even knowing.
📉 Out of control? What to do now?
The good news is that you can free yourself from this trap if you want. Here are some effective tips:
✅ 1. Customize notification settings
Go to the settings of each app and decide which types of notifications you want to receive, and which ones you don’t. Turn off the ones you don’t need.
✅ 2. Use “Do Not Disturb” mode
Keeping your phone’s “Do Not Disturb” mode on at night or during work will not distract you.
✅ 3. Use the Screen Time app
You can track how much time you spend on an app. This will increase awareness of your usage.
✅ 4. Silence social media apps
Turn off all unnecessary notifications from apps like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.
✅ 5. Set a specific time to check
Check messages, emails, or social media at a specific time, not every now and then, but once or twice a day.
🌱 Refocusing: In search of a little peace
Attention is a commodity in today’s world. If you can control your attention, you can reap great rewards—creativity, peace, and the joy of real connection.
We use our smartphones — they are our helpers, not our masters. If technology controls us, we will become mere bots.
Apps work for their own gain, not for your benefit. They want you to log in once and come back again and again. They steal your time, your attention.
But if you are aware, you can take back control of your time and attention.
You have the power—the world goes on without notifications, but if you lose yourself, that is the biggest loss.
