Got the same problem with Slack pings derailing my whole afternoon. My team used to send "quick question" DMs that always turned into a 30 minute back and forth. Started putting my status as "focusing" and only checking messages at the top of the hour. Saved me from missing a 3 PM deadline just last week because someone needed "real time" feedback on a draft.

Man, my buddy's dad had this ancient 70s stereo that just started blasting static. My friend was ready to trash it, but I remembered what @fiona_henderson said about checking connections first. He opened it up and just reseated this one loose ground wire on the amplifier board. Thing fired up perfect, no more noise at all.

Actually your colleague is missing the key point. Calling them "essential" is where the trap is, because it makes you think you can't build a business without them. They're just one tool, and a pretty bad one long term because of the fees and race to the bottom on price. I used them for a bit to get my first few clients, but the real work is getting those clients off the platform so you keep all the money next time. They're a stepping stone at best, not a real foundation.