Turning off all visible and audible notifications (unless from your spouse and kids) is the first step for anyone wanting to spend less time on their phone, argues Log Off: How to Stay Connected after Disconnecting. It’s the antidote to FOMO.

Even Tim Cook, CEO of Apple and the most addictive phone ever invented, knows this. In a recent interview, Cook said, “We’re all using [our phones] too much, especially parents.”

He added, “It is clear that there are certain apps that people can get in the mindset of just scrolling through mindlessly and continuously picking up their phones and looking to see what is happening this second. Do I really need to be getting thousands of notifications a day?”

In light of this, Cook “gutted” the number of notifications on his phone. “I recommend you do this if you haven’t already.”

“Every time you pick up the phone, it means you are taking your eyes off the person you are dealing with. If you are looking at your phone more than you are looking at someone’s eyes, you’re doing the wrong thing!”

Turning off all alerts (even ones from demanding bosses) is the first step in getting a handle on your phone and FOMO addiction. The world, that app, and your email can wait. Your happiness, sanity, focus, and productivity shouldn’t.

I’m going on almost 10 years sans notifications and wouldn’t have it any other way. It is literally how we can stop today’s world and melt with the things that matter most us.