We’re in a collective moment of digital saturation. Zoom calls, social media scrolling, Netflix binging and round the clock news cycles might make it easy to feel overwhelmed and generally have our outlook on the world shaped by what we consume through our screens.
We want to create space in our days and weeks to be transformed by the renewing of our mind, so here’s a few ideas that might help.
DIGITAL SABBATH
How about spending one whole day a week with no screens at all? Turn off all your devices and spend time recovering and resting with God, read a book, engage in a hobby, spend time with friends.
ON/OFF TIME FOR SCREENS
For a regular day of the week, why not try turning your phone on and off at specific times at the beginning and end of your day. Choosing not to engage with your phone outside of boundaries, for instance before 9am and after 9pm, might start to help you begin and end your day well.
NO NEWS AFTER…
If you’re finding the news cycle and live feeds a bit overwhelming, consider setting a rhythm of not engaging with news apps or channels after a certain time of day. Shutting off after 8pm to allow your mind to settle down at the end of the day might help you find peace before going to sleep.
NO SCREENS IN BED
In order to switch off at the end of the day and create time for other ways to unwind and relax, you might want to commit to not having any screens in bed. This will almost certainly help you sleep better and find space to pray. Charging your phone or other devices in a separate room will help resist the temptation to take a peek. You might need to buy a good old fashioned alarm clock in order to still wake up on time!
LESS NETFLIX, MORE…
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with Netflix, but how about creating space for more creativity or to pursue a hobby that you used to love? Perhaps it’s a time to trade escapist screen time for a book that feeds your mind and soul?
You might find it helpful to think about the rhythms of sabbath or fasting in relation to these mind practices.
