Set smarter defaults to steer your choices

When I got my new phone, I didn’t touch a single setting. Out of the box, each notification popped up like fireworks—buzzes, beeps, flashing banners. I thought, “Well, this is how it works.”

Within days, half my notifications were meaningless—group chats I’d forgotten, weather alerts for my old town. My focus shredded each time the screen lit up.

That Sunday I flipped the script: every non-urgent alert I turned off, and only my best five contacts could ring me. Suddenly my phone felt like a tool, not a tyrant.

The takeaway? Our devices, apps and bills all come with defaults that guide our behavior. If you don’t reset them, you’re signed up for distraction and waste. Default settings are more powerful than dozens of to-do lists.

Switch your defaults today and watch how quickly your life feels more intentional.

You can’t mastermind every choice—but you can design your life so that good decisions happen by default. First, audit your must-make decisions and note what you’re currently signed up for. Next, research a stronger alternative for each—whether it’s an energy plan, an app or a savings strategy—and flip that default. Finally, automate it with calendar reminders, auto-payments or app settings so you won’t revert by accident. Give it a try tonight and see how much friction just one swap can remove.