What Happens When You Silence Your Notifications for Good? (Muslim Perspective)

As-salamu alaykum - A few years ago, before smartphones took over, people had simpler ways to pass idle time: sit with their thoughts or read the paper. For our minds that was actually a blessing. Back then many of us were used to sticking with one train of thought, like reading a book or watching a long play, and that strengthened our ability to concentrate. That habit helped people develop better memory, sharper conversations, and the patience to focus on important things for longer stretches. Then smartphones arrived and everything shifted. A tiny notification tone would yank us out of whatever we were thinking about. A quick message or the flood of likes would keep our brains chasing quick hits of dopamine, and before we knew it we were never fully present or content with real life. I reached a point where I always felt like I was thinking but never quite sure what - like a constant noisy background in my head. I realized I needed to step back and make some changes rooted in simple discipline and reliance on Allah. What I did: 1. Read five pages of a beneficial book (religious or otherwise respectful) every morning before leaving for work. 2. Spent five minutes in morning dhikr/mindfulness, remembering Allah and grounding my thoughts. 3. Turned off notifications for all non-essential apps and kept only what I truly needed for family, work, or community. The change was immediate. The constant mental chatter started to fade, and I could form clearer, more useful thoughts. The things I read and listened to had time to settle in my mind and become useful in daily life. I learned more slowly, but I learned it fully - alhamdulillah. If you’re feeling scattered, try small disciplined steps like these and see how your attention and gratitude improve.