Ask HN: How to Manage Group Texts?
I'm in about 20-30 group texts on both Signal and Messenger. Some of them I don't even want to be in, others are family/friends mega groups, and then there's the huge permutation/combination of all the different friend and family combinations.
How do you all keep track of these? How do you manage them so they don't waste your attention?
Comments
Long story, short: I don't keep track of them.
I felt the need to protect myself from these sources of FOMO.
When it is necessary to set up a group chat, I like them short-lived. You organize an event with friends. The event is over. I delete the chat for all. Sometimes I lack the ability to do so. So I just leave, usually leaving a see-you-soon note. You know, ruthlessly prioritizing where I am spending my attention, while not acting like a d*ck.
I keep less than a handful of evergreen group chats with family and close friends. All of them with notifications on mute. No read, played, delivered ticks as well. If I need confirmation I'll just call them on the phone!
I leave notifications on for a few folks like my dad. He can get my attention anytime, anywhere. A good old phone call will definitely catch my attention too.
In return, I get to spend real good quality time, when they are not around, with my partner, family, close friends, and acquaintances. And hopefully they do too. :)
Can you not unsubscribe from the ones you don’t care about? And, with iOS at least, you should be able to disable or group notifications to only show up once a day. Does this not solve your problem enough?