Imperfect

notification-free life

I don't receive social media notifications on my phone. In fact, I barely receive any notifications at all.

I open and read emails via the provider's website or an email client. I access social media websites (Twitter, Reddit, YouTube, etc.) directly, with alternative frontends, or with third-party clients. The latter manages my platform subscriptions where applicable. I visit blogs, forums, feeds, and similar websites through my browser's address bar or history. Most of the notifications I get on my phone relate to inbound communications (calls, texts, or messages) or updates to my system, apps, or battery.

I could always minimize the amount of notifications I receive, though I'm not sure I see the point given my above admissions. The thought only arises upon seeing others lament doomscrolling, Dead Internet Theory, or being bombarded with notifications in the first place. I don't feel like I struggle with any of those afflictions.

I see myself having adapted my phone use for the better instead of detoxing from the bad. Has unintentionally decoupling myself from notifications that way supported my optimistic view toward healthy, beneficial phone use? Possibly.

It's not all sunshine and roses though. Accumulating too many curated subscriptions can dig up too many rabbit holes for comfort. Accessing websites in such a manual way can come with a severe mental capacity burden. You might even rely on notifications for various work, play, and life aspects that I don't partake in. The list continues...

Even so, I have a great time surfing the web and other virtual spaces on my phone, largely on my own terms. I believe you can too with as many notifications that work for you.

Want to reach out? Connect with me however you prefer: