OkazuYuri

Among all the other bits of advice people are sharing about using #mastodon, let me give you the most important piece of advice from 30 years of being on online platforms.

**Turn off notifications.**

Turn them off for email, for your phone, for your toolbar.

Nothing is that important. It doesn't matter if your post went viral. You'll find out when you choose to look.

I promise you, it will vastly improve your day to not have "ping" from your phone all the time.

Dec 18, 2022 at 2:17pmWeb
Show threadGremrielDec 18, 2022
@EricaFriedman The main reason I do not have a single social media app on my phone.
Show threadInkDec 18, 2022
@EricaFriedman The only one I have on is replies, because I *will* forget to get back to people.
Show threadEniko (moved ➡ gamedev.place)Dec 18, 2022
@EricaFriedman I never have notifications for anything. Can't imagine letting software dictate to me when im supposed to look at it
Show threadOkazuYuriDec 18, 2022
@eniko Same. First thing I do on any platform or tool, is turn all the notifications and tracking off. It means that the site becomes something I want to be on, rather than something that demands my attention.
Show threadCassandrichDec 18, 2022
@EricaFriedman This. I have them blocked at 3 levels. 😈 Mastodon instance settings have browser notifications turned off, browser has notification permission for the site off (by default), and Android has notification permission for the browser off.
Show threadmsgbi Markus SagebielDec 18, 2022
@EricaFriedman @charles_ex @aloa5 @Ginger149 bad stuff twitter still bad here
Show threadtippenringDec 18, 2022
@EricaFriedman I've had all non -time-sensitive notifications off for years. I couldn't imagine getting notified of spam or every comment or vote on the socials. People do that?
Show threadKat RavenwolfDec 18, 2022
@EricaFriedman On one hand... I agree, but I know some people; I'm not one of these, but some people I know expect instant answers to their messages, and I was even raised that way; somebody sends you a mesage, you friggin' answer it.
Show threadOkazuYuriDec 18, 2022
@cambridgeport90 That would be weird on any other media, it's still weird online. The point of social media is the asymmetry.
Show threadKat RavenwolfDec 18, 2022
@EricaFriedman I also keep notifications enabled since I use social media sometimes as a communication method; I use direct messages on here like say, iMessage or Matrix.
Show threadMike WronskiDec 18, 2022
@EricaFriedman do this for all work coms as well. Nothing worse than reading an email or Slack before bed and then stewing over it all night.. disconnect at every opportunity
Show threadzeGolemDec 18, 2022

@EricaFriedman I have my notifications limited strictly to social interaction, and mute those that may be coming from people I don't wish to give my constant attention.

There are people who are important enough to me that having my constant attention is fine. But it's only possible if there are few of these people. So it's generally a good idea to cut out unimportant stuff!

Show threadKen BruckerDec 18, 2022

@EricaFriedman Would drive me nuts when Twitter would put up a prompt to turn on notifications. If I wanted them on, I’d turn them on. I don’t need it prompting me several times a month to enable notifications.

The other reason to turn off things like email notifications… If you are screen sharing or presenting, do you really want the beginning of incoming emails being displayed for all to see?

Show threadEmoluMentalDec 18, 2022
@EricaFriedman Thanks. After I absentmindedly clicked yes, just now, to turn on notifications. You're absolutely right. None of us needs any more pings than necessary.
Show threadOkazuYuriDec 18, 2022
@BidingMyThyme It's your time. No reason to be on demand.
Show threadTim Y.C 🌐🌍Dec 18, 2022
@EricaFriedman agreed, Im actually so perplexed there are people that still have any notifications on their phone.
Show threadAmiW Streetart ❄️Dec 18, 2022
@EricaFriedman One important piece of #advice is to use lots of Hashtags please. 😏😉 #newhere #mastodonbeginners #help
Show threadOkazuYuriDec 18, 2022
@AmiW Good #advice. I admit to being very bad at hashtags. It always seems self-serving, "look at me!" Too IG/influencer for me. I'm trying.
Show threadBruceMcFDec 18, 2022

@EricaFriedman @AmiW It helps that you can edit a toot after you have published it.

Don't look at it as influencer behavior, look on it like giving embedded index hints.

#advice #TwitterMigration

Show threadAmiW Streetart ❄️Dec 18, 2022
@EricaFriedman ❤️
Show threadPaul Nicholas  Dec 18, 2022
@EricaFriedman Wholeheartedly agree. I did the same after watching #TheSocialDilemma and feel much better (+relaxed) for it! 😊
Show threadNeave InteractiveDec 18, 2022
@EricaFriedman Thanks for this. Done.
Show threadMarkLIVEDec 18, 2022
@EricaFriedman yep. Been no social notifications for a few years now.
I even have my phone switched to silent.
Show threadlike jam or bootlacesDec 18, 2022

@EricaFriedman

great advice that I usually keep.

I usually use headphones on my laptop or have the volume muted, but last night I happened to have the volume up and was logged in after I made my own little contribution to the John Mastodon, uh, discourse. totally unplanned.

in its own modest fediverse way it "did numbers".

I couldn't help but cackle several times out loud to hear the little blip blip pause blip as it caught faves and a few boosts.

it's not going to change how I do things probably but it was a fun little exception

Show threadSionaDec 18, 2022
@EricaFriedman My phone has been on DND since 2016. :D
Show threadRev. Charles BrowningDec 19, 2022
@EricaFriedman Did this a few years ago and I’ve never regretted it.
Show threadSunflower Björnskalle 🌻Dec 19, 2022
@EricaFriedman Actually, I recommend turning them *on* for Mastodon for the people who are having a hard time breaking from Twitter. It helps forms the habit and you can turn them off later. Otherwise, yes, I agree, I have all other notifications off except for Mastodon (for now.)
Show threadPhil LandmeierDec 19, 2022
@EricaFriedman I leave them on but my phone is muted 24/7.
Show threadKee HinckleyDec 19, 2022

@EricaFriedman

Agreed. I had them off for twitter for several years now.
Today my stream became busy enough that I turned the off for all but direct messages.

Notifications get you to check the app. And then you get into a loop of refreshing for more. It’s not healthy.

Show threadDoc Edward Morbius ⭕​Dec 19, 2022

@nazgul #CalNewport's advice on time-boxing, and to set aside a specific time of day (later rather than earlier: #EatTheFrog First) for limited interactions, is highly sound.

@EricaFriedman

Show threadDoc Edward Morbius ⭕​Dec 19, 2022

@EricaFriedman Wholehearted endorsement of this.

My ONLY Mastodon / Fediverse notifications are through the Notifications panel itself, and I've got those downtuned as well. "All" is only mentions, faves, and boosts. I usually stick to mentions, though if those get tedious I'll close the panel entirely.

I've found that a very small level of interaction is more than sufficient for me.

(The past few weeks have been considerably above that, enough so that I'm noticing and feeling it.)

Show threadZenobiaVayneDec 19, 2022
@EricaFriedman I am an on call midwife so the only thing allowed to make noise on my phone is my actual phone ringer, and I have badges and notifications turned off for basically everything else. After living this way for like four years idk how people handle it any other way.
Show threadRod Van MeterDec 29, 2022
@EricaFriedman I have them off for most things most of the time. It's why I am baffled by smart watches, although one colleague of mine is researching how to minimize the interruptions to your thoughts that they cause.
Show threadSusanMMay 13, 2023
@EricaFriedman yes I’ve always done this. Get rid of that noise.