I’ve been reading about notification setups for a few hours to get ideas on how to make notifications manageable. I have Apple Watch, iPad, iPhone, and a Macbook that can all notify me about the same things - reminders, meetings, text messages, and emails.
From my research, I think the best strategy is to:
Choose a primary notification device that is with you most of the time, like a watch or iPhone, and disable notifications completely on everything else.
Disable every notification on the primary device.
Selectively enable notifications on the primary device, one at a time, as needed.
(optional) 3rd step, configure focus modes to further filter out notifications in certain contexts like work, home, school, vacation, etc.
There are some exceptions where I want to see the notification pop up on the device I’m currently paying attention to, which might be different than the primary notification device.
For example, when writing code or researching a topic on my Macbook, I pretty much ignore everything else around me. You can bonk me on the head and I probably won’t notice as I’m very focused. So, if my Iphone is my primary device, I’m not going to notice notifications unless you shove the phone in front of my face. Even then, I might just grunt and push it away
So maybe add a 5th step:
Enable super duper important notifications on a secondary device.
What is the community’s thoughts on this plan? I’m tired of clearing 50 notifications off my phone or Macbook or watch, many of them being duplicates and/or obsolete messages.
I’m fortunate in that the only disruptive notifications I need to deal with are extremely rare calls from my wife or the vet. All other calls go to voicemail and iMessage & Signal notifications are delivered quietly to the notification center to be dealt with when I get around to checking. them. Email, both work and personal, is batch processed to inbox zero once a day.
The notifications I allow are from the iOS/iPadOS/Watch Health app, and Reminders for one class only namely medical ones be they physio and other exercises (which includes Stand Hours), and medication. Otherwise everything on every device is squelched. And the only badges permited are for Reminders.
I simply do not want to be interrupted unnecessarily.
My setup is similar to some others. My Mac, which is basically a server for local storage and backups, is silent. System alerts stay on screen until I deal with them. My iPad is also silent but widgets on the Home Screen show my Inbox, reminders, tasks, calendar events, etc. - everything else that I may need to attend to.
I get audible alerts from the Health app (medications), Messages, Due, calendar events, and calls from numbers in the contacts on my iPhone. I give businesses (amazon, etc.) and utilities (electric, etc) my Google Voice number. It only takes messages then sends me transcripts via email.
A widget on my iPhone home screen shows the emails in my Inbox. Widgets on the second screen shows today’s reminders, tasks, and events, and a calendar widget that when opened displays a schedule view listing of all three.
The lazier method I do is assessing notifications after they come in. So at the end of the day I’ll look at what notifications are still lingering and then go customize notifications for those specific apps. Example, I want the package delivery notification from amazon, but not random sales, and I found a way to customize the notifications on my amazon account/app to be just that.
I also don’t use badge notifications, in fact I got one of those “dumb phone” apps that makes your Home Screen a list of text links.
I do the lazy assessment as well for iPhone. Typically I’ll allow notifications but not display them anywhere in case the app uses them to background process. (If I hate the app for sending a notification, usually it’s a sign I should just delete it.) Watch has most apps disabled. iPad has zero notifications. I’m usually in a focus mode when using a Mac.
You reminded me that I haven’t reviewed my Apple Watch alerts . I think most of them mirrored my phone, which may not be what I want in all cases.
Another posted mention the silent delivery , which I need a refresher on what that means, but I probably want some notifications to do that.
Thank you for the thoughts so far. I’m ready to make a second pass over my alerts to fine tune them some more.
Note: I may be an outlier, but I’m always ordering things online, so shipment notifications are high priority for me. For activity, I tried turning on stand reminders but it went off at 12:30am this morning, so I turned it back off. lol.
My solution.
I have iPhone, MacMini, MacAir and iPad. No badges on anything. No notifications from 9pm until 7 am and no calls or anything allowed on any device not even from family. I will not be able to deal with any emergency until morning anyway so don’t bother me until then.
Normal hours I allow notifications for text messages, banking and credit card transactions that meet the criteria for specific accounts (on-line or international transactions, or ones over a certain limit but it varies by account) also by text, notifications from Upwork allowed via the Upwork app (my team working on AnimalTrakker is mostly on Upwork). I do not do email at all on anything but my MacMini (I use Pop mail where possible for that reason) so I don’t have any notifications for email at all. I deal with email twice a day, typically mid morning and late evening. I also do not try to share my calendar it’s also only on my MacMini. If I have to I will print a hard copy of a week at a time and carry it in my purse. I never use focus modes, too much of a PITA to set up and I see no need, I don’t have a problem focusing, I have a problem remembering to do things like eat, drink and get up and move occasionally. . I don’t use reminders except the occasional alarm for timing something I am cooking, my meetings are mostly standing meetings and I’ve got one where I’ve told folks to text me if I miss the start because I get focused on my work and lose all track of time. I don’t do social media except X formerly twitter but I handle that once every day or 2 at most. more during lambing less now.
