Various embodiments of the present invention overcomes deficiencies in the art by providing an apparatus (e.g., a mobile device) and executable code for use on an apparatus that provide the ability to designate selected incoming message sources, such as calling telephone numbers or email/text sender addresses, with an override flag, which can also be used, if desired, with a time-of-day parameter setting. With this feature, the user can place the apparatus in a particular alert mode and designate which calling telephone numbers or email/text sender addresses will override the alert mode with a second alert mode that is more appropriate for alerting the user when an incoming message is received from one of the designated calling telephone numbers or email/text sender addresses.