Two years ago Olle told me that I should turn off the “ding” sound in my email program that rang every time a new message came in. I did, and it’s changed my life for the better. Redirecting my phone to voicemail is a sister action that’s had a similar positive effect whenever I’ve done it. Merlin Mann’s Time and Attention story is as good an overview of why these were good ideas as I’ve yet come across: