5 Simple Ways to Make Your Tech Less Distracting

We spend most of our day with a screen in arm’s reach—if not directly in our hands. And while tech has made everything from ordering groceries to remembering birthdays easier, it’s also quietly training our brains to never stop pinging. If you’ve ever picked up your phone to check the time and found yourself on Instagram 12 minutes later—this one’s for you. These five changes won’t turn you into a digital minimalist overnight, but they will help you reclaim a little mental space without going completely off-grid.

1. Turn Off All Non-Essential Notifications

Start here. Most of your stress doesn’t come from the apps you use—it comes from the ones that shout at you all day. That news alert? That random app update? That email that didn’t need to be urgent?

What to do:
Go into your notification settings and turn off anything that isn’t a direct message from a human you know. That includes social media likes, shopping apps, and news pings. You’ll still get to them—on your time.

2. Move Your Most Addictive Apps Off Your Home Screen

Your brain loves convenience. That’s why tapping TikTok out of habit is so easy—it’s right there. But out of sight really can mean out of mind.