Week 1 · Challenge 1
#1 Smart Phone Challenge
Quiet the noise and reclaim your meals.
This week's challenge
Turn OFF all notifications for social media apps and every other non-essential app
Strictly no phones during dinner and meal times
No more constant PING! PING! PING! while you're thinking, walking, driving, eating or sleeping. This week is about turning down the noise and being fully present, especially at the dinner table.
- Your phone should not be anywhere near you while having dinner or eating. This also applies to restaurants, cafes and anywhere else you eat.
- Most notifications, messages and phone calls can wait. If something is truly urgent, people will call multiple times.
- Unless something is an emergency, it does not need your immediate attention.
- You don't have to instantly know what someone needs, what they said, or reply to a message or call straight away unless it's urgent.
- During every meal, try to practise mindful eating by focusing solely on the food: the texture, the taste, the process of chewing.
- Enjoy and appreciate every bite. Don't let the phone distract you from your meal or the people around you.
Here's a few things you need to know about how notifications have been affecting you without you realising…
Psychological & Emotional Side Effects
1
Increased Anxiety
- Anticipating or hearing constant pings can create stress, often described as "notification anxiety".
- Fear of missing out (FOMO) can be triggered, especially by social media apps.
2
Mood Disruption
- Notifications can interrupt positive emotions or deepen negative moods, particularly with upsetting or stressful content like work emails or news alerts.
Cognitive Effects
1
Reduced Focus & Attention
- Even a single notification sound can disrupt concentration and task flow.
- This creates "attention residue", where part of your focus stays stuck on the interrupted task.
2
Memory Impairment
- Constant interruptions can affect working memory, making information harder to retain and process.
3
Increased Mental Fatigue
- Repeatedly switching attention leads to cognitive overload and tires the brain faster.
Sleep Disruption
1
Late-night interruptions
- Late-night notifications can interfere with melatonin production and sleep quality, even if you don't check the phone.
- Just anticipating notifications can increase alertness before bed.
Pavlovian Conditioning
1
Automatic responses
- Over time, your brain may start responding automatically to notification sounds.
- This can increase compulsive checking behaviour.
- It can even lead to phantom vibrations, feeling or hearing a notification that never happened.
How to reduce these effects
- Use Do Not Disturb or Focus modes.
- Turn off non-essential notifications.
- Schedule notification-free blocks for deep work or rest.
- Use silent or vibrate settings instead of sound for alerts.
Why eat without being interrupted by the phone?
Putting your phone away during dinner enhances enjoyment, emotional connection, attention, and well-being, both for yourself and the people at your table. It's a small change with big returns in presence, communication, and mindfulness.
1
Enhances Enjoyment & Social Connection
- Diners who leave phones off the table report more enjoyment and engagement in conversation than those with phones nearby.
- The mere presence of a smartphone, even face down, can diminish cognitive resources and make meaningful connection harder.
2
Improves Focus & Mindful Eating
- Checking a phone during meals disrupts focus and can lead to more mindless chewing and overeating.
- In some cases this may be around 15% more calories consumed.
- Being present enhances emotional satisfaction and physical digestion.
3
Strengthens Relationships & Communication
- Dinner is an important space for bonding.
- Without screens, families and friends can have deeper conversations, listen actively and feel more connected.
- Research suggests as many as 77% of families use phones at the table, and only about one-third eat together daily.
4
Promotes Respect & Manners
- Leaving your phone off the table signals that you prioritise the people around you.
- It reflects courtesy and good etiquette.
5
Reduces Stress & Digital Dependence
- Constant smartphone checking is linked to greater stress, lower mental well-being and social isolation.
- Taking breaks from the phone during dinner supports better mental health.
6
Supports Habit Building & Self-Control
- Making phone-free meals a routine helps you practise self-discipline.
- It lowers the impulse for constant checking and helps build healthier technology habits.
From a challenge participant
After the first challenge I stopped getting notifications from all my social media apps. Not having the constant ding was peaceful, and it cut my screen time in half.