Why notifications aren’t the real problem

You don’t mean to check your phone… but somehow, you’re doing it again.

📲 One quick email check.
📲 A fast scroll through Instagram.
📲 A glance at your messages.

Before you know it, you’ve lost 10 minutes—maybe more. And you don’t even remember why you picked up your phone in the first place.

Sound familiar?

Digital Snacks

Digital snacks are those quick, mindless phone check-ins throughout the day.

They often last just a few minutes but add up to hours of lost time.

They happen when:

🍿 You pull out your phone in line at the grocery store.
🍿 You check your messages just in case someone texted.
🍿 You open an app without realizing why.

They seem harmless, but over time, these habits rewire your brain for distraction.

And here’s something most people get wrong about phone addiction (yes, addiction)

Notifications Are NOT the Real Problem

Turning notifications off is very helpful, but definitely not the solution.

🚫 I’ve had notifications off since 2020, and I still fall into the digital snacking trap.

Why?

Because digital snacks aren’t just triggered by pings. It’s about habit.

📊 Research backs it up:

It’s automatic. Unconscious. A reflex.

Digital snacking is like food snacking.

It’s quick, mindless, and addictive—but over time, it takes a toll.

Just as snacking can drain your energy and weaken your health, frequent phone check-ins can:

❌ Weaken focus & attention – Even short interruptions can make tasks take 4x longer.
❌ Increase stress & anxiety – Constant scrolling overstimulates your brain.
❌ Lead to Digital burnout – Like junk food saps energy, excess phone time leaves you mentally drained.
❌ Lower productivity – Frequent distractions keep you stuck in shallow work.

So if turning off notifications isn’t the answer, what is?

How to Stop Digital Snacking

For me, the key to breaking the habit:

📵 Keeping my phone out of reach
📶 Limiting access (no service, Airplane Mode, etc.)
🤔 Raising awareness of when and why I reach for it

Here’s what you can do:

👉🏻 Keep your phone out of sight. If it’s nearby, you’ll grab it. Occasionally, put it in another room or in a bag/drawer.

👉🏻 Make Airplane Mode your default. It saves battery and forces you to pause before unlocking. Use it as a prompt: Do I actually need my phone right now?

👉🏻 Create tech-free zones. Establish phone-free areas like the bedroom.

👉🏻 Set phone-free times. Try not using your phone the first hour after waking up.

And when you start to build awareness of the habit, you can:

👉🏻 Find a replacement habit. Replace with deep breathing or stretching.

👉🏻 Swap for exercise snacks. Do 10 push-ups, 10 body squats, or some jumping jacks.

Digital snacking feels harmless in the moment, but over time, it rewires your brain for distraction.

By making small, intentional changes, you can reclaim focus, reduce stress, and boost productivity.

Until next Monday,
George