I was never really the type to spend hours on every social media app out there, but I’ve definitely had my fair share of mindless scrolling. You know the kind—hours gone in a blink, followed by that sinking feeling of regret. A few months today, I decided to turn off all notifications for the social media apps I used most often. No pins, no banners, no red badges reminding me of messages, likes, or someone going live. Just quiet.

And you know what? I didn’t miss a thing.

This wasn’t a planned digital detox or some grand act of rebellion agains technology. It started small. I was having one of those days where my phone just wouldn’t stop buzzing—an Instagram alert when someone I follow went live, chat memes, someone tagged me to like a random Facebook page. By midday, I felt completely overstimulated by the unintentional content I was consuming. My focus was gone, and I was constantly getting pulled out of whatever I was trying to do.

So, almost without thinking, I went into my settings and toggled off my notifications. A quiet calm settled in. Days passed and I found myself starting to like the quiet—not having to know anything what’s certain someone I follow is up to. That one decision turned into the next day, then a week, and now it’s been months.

The Noise We Don’t Notice

Before I turned them off, I hadn’t realised how much noise social media notifications created in my daily life. They had become part of the background hum—something I tolerated, even depended on, without ever really questioning it.

Push notifications are designed to pull us back in. A like here, a DM there—it’s all engineered to keep us checking, scrolling, staying engaged, and glued to our phones. But somewhere along the way, I realised I was constantly reacting to my phone rather than interacting with it on my own terms.

While I tried to maintain my presence in social settings, I didn’t feel present in my own life. Conversations were paused by glances at my screen. Blog writing sessions got derailed by “just checking real quick” moments that turned into 30-minute scroll fests. Even downtime didn’t feel restful because I was never fully disconnected.

What Turning Off Notifications Did for Me

After I turned off notifications, one of the first things I noticed was how much better I could focus. Without the constant interruptions, I could actually get into a state of flow—whether I was designing at work, writing a blog post, or just watching a movie.

Instead of multitasking, I found myself single-tasking. I was no longer mentally jumping between apps, updates, and conversations. My brain felt less cluttered. It was as if I had unknowingly subscribed to a 24/7 newsletter of everyone else’s lives—and I had finally unsubscribed.

This newfound clarity wasn’t just limited to productivity. I also became more intentional with how I used social media. When I opened Instagram, it was because I wanted to, not because a notification told me to. This may seem like a tiny shift at first but it made a big difference in how I consumed content and how it made me feel.

Quality Over Quantity

Without notifications nudging me back to check constantly, naturally I stopped using social media as much. And interestingly, my experience actually improved. I engaged more meaningful with posts, replied to messages with more thought and began training my algorithm to show content that was genuinely useful or resonated with me. I started marking “not interested” to posts that I don’t like that appeared in my feed and I was pleasantly surprised by the result.

This switch from passive consumption to active engagement made social media feel more like a tool and less like a habit. I no longer felt behind if I missed someone’s story or took a while to respond to a comment. Things could wait—and they usually did.

It also changed how I viewed my relationship with people online. I used to feel a subtle pressure to respond immediately or “keep up” with everything. Turning off notifications helped me dissolve that pressure. Real friendship don’t depend on instant replies, and likes or shared reels don’t expired if you see them a few hours later.

I’ve written more about how my perspective on friendship has evolved over time in this post—because honestly, that shift deserves its own space.

Social Media Isn’t the Problem—Our Boundaries Are

To be clear, I am not anti-social media. I enjoy connecting with people, finding inspiration, and having a little good laugh at funny memes. But I’ve learned that how we use it matters just as much as why we use it.

Turning off notifications helped me set healthier boundaries. I stopped giving my phone permission to interrupt me whenever it wanted. I began reclaiming the space in my day that had been slowly eaten away by alerts and reminders.

Now, I choose when to check in. I decide when I want to scroll, browse, or catch up. It’s not a reflex—it’s a choice. This small shift has made me feel more in control of my time and energy.

Mental Space and Emotional Clarity

Another unexpected benefit of turning off notifications was the emotional clarity that came with it. When I used to scroll mindlessly, I often came across posts that made it seem like everyone else was thriving in ways I wasn’t. That subtle comparison hit hard—followed by a string questions:

“Should I have achieved that by now?”
“Am I behind?”
“Wouldn’t it be nice to have a fully remote job and work from anywhere?”

Even when the content was harmless, there was this constant anticipation to react, compare, or process something new.

But once that noise was gone, I had more emotional space. I felt calmer, less rushed, and more grounded. I started to reconnect with the quiet moments in my day—the ones that used to get filled with scrolling.

Waiting in line at the grocery store became a time to observe and breathe instead of checking Instagram. Morning coffee became a peaceful ritual rather than a content catch-up. I started noticing things again—the way light filters through my living room, the birds flying past my window. I felt more present in my own life, rather than distracted by everyone else’s.

Want to Try It for Yourself?

If your phone has been feeling a little too loud lately—like it’s always pulling you in when you are trying to be still—maybe it’s time to experiment with some quiet.

Start small—it really doesn’t need to be a big move. Turn off notifications for just one day. That’s it. No need to delete anything, no need to announce a digital detox. Just gently mute the noise. The point isn’t restriction; it’s intention.

Personally, here’s what I did:

• Go to your phone’s settings and disable notifications for Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X, Shopping apps—really whatever apps tend to distract you most.
• Keep the apps, but give yourself a window each day to check them—I did 30 minutes for the entire day.
• Notice how you feel. Are you less distracted? More relaxed? What are you thoughts when you stop reaching your phone out of habit?

Chances are, you’ll find a bit more mental space than you expected.

And if a day feels good, extend it. Try a week and then maybe even a month. There’s no need to rush. Let yourself settle into a new rhythm—one where your attention belongs to you, not your notifications.

The Simple Start to Feeling Present

Turning off notifications for my social media didn’t change my life in some dramatic, Hollywood-montage kind of way. But it did give me back something I didn’t realise I was missing: my attention, my peace, my ability to just be. 

Social media can be a beautiful tool, but it’s meant to be part of life—not the background noise of every moment. If you’ve been craving more quietness or just want to feel a bit more present, start with something small.

Turn off the ping. See what happens next.