How is “true cost” calculated?

Each notification costs about 30 seconds to notice and dismiss, plus an estimated 4.5 minutes to refocus — 5 minutes total per interruption.

Is 5 minutes per notification realistic?

UC Irvine research found ~23 minutes to fully resume deep work after some interruptions. We use 5 minutes as a conservative daily-life average.

It's illustrative only: lost hours × $35/hr (rough US median). Multiply lost hours by your own rate for a personal estimate.

Focus

Calculate the real cost of phone notifications — interruptions per year, hours lost to refocusing, and what that means for productivity and earnings.

Enter your daily notification count to see the true cost of interruptions.

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How is “true cost” calculated?: Each notification costs about 30 seconds to notice and dismiss, plus an estimated 4.5 minutes to refocus — 5 minutes total per interruption.
Is 5 minutes per notification realistic?: UC Irvine research found ~23 minutes to fully resume deep work after some interruptions. We use 5 minutes as a conservative daily-life average.
Where does the earnings figure come from?: It's illustrative only: lost hours × $35/hr (rough US median). Multiply lost hours by your own rate for a personal estimate.

Focus

Calculate the real cost of phone notifications — interruptions per year, hours lost to refocusing, and what that means for productivity and earnings.

Enter your daily notification count to see the true cost of interruptions.

Get new tools and productivity tips in your inbox. No spam, ever.

How is “true cost” calculated?: Each notification costs about 30 seconds to notice and dismiss, plus an estimated 4.5 minutes to refocus — 5 minutes total per interruption.
Is 5 minutes per notification realistic?: UC Irvine research found ~23 minutes to fully resume deep work after some interruptions. We use 5 minutes as a conservative daily-life average.
Where does the earnings figure come from?: It's illustrative only: lost hours × $35/hr (rough US median). Multiply lost hours by your own rate for a personal estimate.