The Modern Translation
Sun Tzu was talking about armies, but he could have been talking about your lock screen. Every app has learned that a red badge or a buzzing phone gets your attention, so they all compete for it at once, and you end up defending against a calendar reminder, a game you forgot you downloaded, and an actual text from your mother with equal urgency. The fix is the same one he gave generals: decide in advance which fronts matter. Turn off notifications for anything that is not a person or a true emergency, and check the rest on your own schedule. You will not miss the sale. You might actually notice when something real comes through, because it will not be buried under forty things pretending to matter just as much.
The Text-Message Version
Try It Today
Tonight, open your phone's notification settings and turn off alerts for every app except messages, calls, and one or two genuine priorities. Tomorrow, notice how many times you reach for your phone out of habit versus actual need, and how much quieter the real things feel.