Does instant messaging actually kill deep work for solo builders?

I used to keep my chat apps open all day replying to every ping within five minutes because I thought it showed dedication.

All it really did was chop my day into tiny useless pieces where I couldn't focus on anything meaningful. The day I started batching my replies to just twice a day my anxiety dropped and I actually finished things on time. Nobody got mad and the world didn't end.

How do you manage your communication loops without letting constant notifications wreck your focus?