I want you to think about something for a moment. Think about what a normal day looks like for you. When you wake up, if you go to work or school. Now, I want you to estimate how much of that day involves a screen. Does your job include them, or school, texting, social media, google, TV, all of it. Maybe it’s 50%? 75%? 100%?
Screens and technology are consuming our lives, but it’s not entirely our faults. They’re meant to. Their purpose is to take over our minds, take our time, filling whatever percentage of our day with all sorts of distractions. I recently did a little experiment with my sister. We didn’t completely cut out screens, but we a lot less in the whole day. During the first day, we already felt a difference. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no doctor or scientist. But I ran an experiment and got results. Our minds were clearer, we could come up with answers quicker, we were in better moods, we spent more time outside. We had significantly more energy, and we both slept better, actually waking up earlier than we had before.
We only did it for two days, but it was two of the best days I’ve had in a while. Now, I am not doing as little screen time as I was during those couple days, but I’m doing less than I was previously. It’s pretty hard to cut out screens, even just decreasing the time a bit. Technology has become a big part of our lives. But it is possible, and so worth it, to take a break. I know it’s harder if it’s part of your job, but you could cut it out in other places if you want to.
The Instagram account I have for this blog is my first social media account ever. I can see how people get addicted and can’t stop scrolling, but think about how much garbage you’re filling your brain with. All that useless stuff quickly piling up until there’s no room for anything important like God, family, friends, just life in general. There are so many distractions in our world that it’s easy to let them overcome you. We aren’t meant to have TVs and small screens we can bring with us. Calling, texting, posting, in my opinion, none of that is supposed to exist.
If you want to know why, you can ask. All those things, and more, pull us away from God’s creation. Now, I know that if you’re reading this, you are reading it on a screen, and if you look at my Instagram, it’s on a screen. My point is, too much of anything is bad, especially something like screens. They can be used to spread good, but all too often they are used to spread evil.
We were made to tend to Eden, living off it’s resources, taking care of the Garden and its animals. But then things got messy real quick and now, here we are, humanity drowning in the mess of technology, cars, big houses, money, all the stuff people want. Things we’ve been convinced that we need. It is possible to just step back from the world. You just have to be willing. I encourage you to give it a try, and I know that if you ask, God will help you. So, no matter what little video or picture might be waiting up ahead, I know we can learn to just put the phone down, and do something more productive and healthy.