Remove Your Notifications
Whenever I conduct a workshop, I often label this section as “Remove your f*cking notifications.”
Yes, I’m aware of the language, but this is a serious issue. Sorry, not sorry.
Every time you get a notification, a call, a pop-up message, or anything similar, it takes your brain an average of 23 minutes to regain focus on the task at hand. That’s 23 minutes!
You see, you need to take better care of your time—and your employees’ time.
Notifications are a non-silent killer of productivity and growth.
Complexity score (and why)
Score: 2/10
Implementing this strategy is relatively straightforward but can face some resistance, especially if it requires a shift in company culture. The main challenge is ensuring that everyone consistently follows the new practices and understands the reasons behind them.
How to implement
1️⃣ Make It Part of Onboarding:
When new employees start, set their email system (e.g., Outlook) to remove pop-up notifications immediately. For company phones, make sure the default setting is silent and without notifications, except for essential roles like sales and customer service.
2️⃣ Rethink Email Notifications:
Ask yourself: Do you answer emails as they come in? If so, you’re disrupting your focus.
Or perhaps you glance at the email and mentally prepare to respond later? That’s even worse because you’re essentially handling the email twice—once mentally, which increases your stress, and then again when you actually reply.
An effective email strategy is crucial, and we’ll cover that in detail later.
3️⃣ Encourage Phone Management:
Ask your team to leave their personal phones in their bags while working. This isn’t about monitoring but about preventing those 23-minute distractions.
It’s easy to check your phone and—BOOM—23 minutes wasted.
This isn't just about you; it's about setting a standard. If you’re browsing Instagram at 10 a.m., don’t be surprised if your team follows suit. The last 1% are the rare exceptions who don’t use social media.
4️⃣ Lead by Example:
Numerous studies show that constantly checking your phone disrupts focus and decreases job satisfaction. Removing your phone from easy reach helps with concentration and boosts job happiness. Communicate this as a supportive suggestion rather than a mandate.
Your managers and middle managers need to lead by example. If they’re on social media or checking their phones during work hours, your team will likely do the same.
By putting these steps into practice, you’re not only boosting productivity but also demonstrating that you value your own time and that of your team.
How do you manage your notifications? Hit me up in the comments! :)
Talk to you soon 👋
Casper
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