Inspired Balance 
How to Tune Out Your Device and Clear the Clutter
Have you ever noticed that at nearly every moment of the day we are being alerted, emailed or sent some type of push notification? The concept of tuning out our devices and giving people our full attention requires us to be present in the moment at all times but how do we accomplish this when everything we do is moving towards a digital world? Change doesn’t happen overnight and we certainly can’t make changes in our life if we are unable to alter our patterns and behaviors. So, I challenged myself to go into every app and program that I currently own and turned off ALL push notifications and alerts.
Here’s what I found:
Discovery #1 – Peacefulness
After going into my social media platforms and turning the notifications off, slowly I began to notice how quiet the room was. No dings, no alerts, no chimes. Silence… There was an overwhelming sense of peace and tranquility that entered the room. I wasn’t sure how to receive it at first. At times, I found myself checking my phone for missed texts and emails. I was still receiving them, it just wasn’t taking me away from my priorities anymore allowing me to pay more attention to my daily activities.
Discovery #2 – Awareness
I also noticed when someone engaged in conversation, I was no longer being distracted by an alert and as a result I was able to communicate more effectively with people. I became much more aware of the environments that I was in and was making a conscious effort to give people my full attention and be mindful of their presence. We sometimes take it for granted because in some way, the thought of being beckoned or called shows a high level of importance and personal image. However, I have noticed when technology gets a hold of someone, at some point the individual loses integrity as they are constantly being distracted by their electronic device. It’s fair to say we can all be more aware of how we handle emails, phone calls, text messages and push notifications.
Discovery #3 – Quality of Life
The most significant change in my behavior was a boost in my quality of life and overall well-being. I realized after two weeks of decluttering, I was living much happier and took control of my life again which allowed me to focus on my family, my personal goals, and all the things I wanted to accomplish. My workflow improved significantly and I saw various advantages to adjusting the way I receive information.
To turn off your social media notifications and newsfeeds follow these easy steps:
Go into settings
Click on account settings
Scroll down to Notifications
Click on Facebook, email, mobile and text and turn off notifications
Linked In
Go into settings
Click on communications
Click on push notifications
Uncheck all notifications that you desire
(Consider keeping “When Someone Sends You a Message”)
Go to your homepage or “Me”
Go into settings
Click on settings and privacy
Click on Notifications
Click on Push Notifications
Turn off all notifications
Go into settings
Under options scroll down to push notification settings
Turn off all notifications
I phone News App
Go into settings
Scroll down to news
Click on notifications
Click to disallow / Allow
About the Author: Lou Figueroa is a writer and inspirational speaker based out of Southern California. He teaches principles of balance and wellness to business associations, chambers of commerce and nonprofit organizations across America. For more tips and to learn how to find your reset button visit www.InspiredBalance.org.
