Radio Headspace Who’s in Charge — You or Your Phone?
Feb 25, 2026
Dr. Sahar Yousef, a cognitive neuroscientist studying attention and habit formation, explains why phones hijack our focus. Short, actionable topics include auditing and silencing notifications, when interruptions are justified, setting VIP rules for real emergencies, and using grayscale and other tweaks to make phones less tempting.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Phone Interruptions Double Your Work Time
- Smartphones are engineered to hijack attention, making brief checks costly to productivity.
- Sahar Yousef explains each interruption can double the time to finish tasks and increases end-of-day exhaustion.
Turn Off Notifications And Set VIPs
- Do an audit and turn off almost all notifications so only truly urgent interruptions get through.
- Configure VIP contacts, email settings, and double-call rules so only emergencies bypass your focus.
Enable Double Call For True Emergencies
- Use the double-call feature so repeated calls signal true emergencies and override Do Not Disturb.
- This simple rule keeps routine calls silent while ensuring urgent callers can reach you by calling twice.