Undistracted
- Mira
- Oct 27
- 7 min read
Screentime.
Who would have thought that one little word could spark so much emotion? From fear, to excitement, to guilt....
Our generation is one of the firsts to grow up with technology constantly surrounding us. We don't remember a world before the internet. We don't remember a world where you had to create an instant messages account and then wait and chat with your friends-- but only if you were all online at the same time! We also don't remember a world where you had to tape a tv show you wanted to watch but were busy at the moment it aired. What a crazy world we narrowly avoided being born in.
Instead, we have always known a world where information and entertainment are constantly at our fingertips. Even if you grew up with parents who were mindful of screens and their effects (like mine), you probably still used the internet for school, or watched movies on weekends.
There's a lot of good things that have come from all of this crazy technology. We're more connected than ever, and able to stay in touch with our loved ones so much more easily. We can learn about whatever we want and do research on anything we're curious about. We can even run online businesses and manage our income without having to leave the house.
But there's also a lot of bad things we have to deal with.
We are constantly bombarded by information, both good and bad. Issues like comparison, jealousy, and anxiety are triggered by the online world. And we have to figure out how to navigate all of this, all while trying really hard not to get addicted to our phones or laptops...
And failing.
I think we all relate to the realization that we've been sitting in front of a screen for two hours when we only meant to scroll Pinterest for fifteen minutes. Or maybe it's the fact that you're constantly reaching for your phone even when you're out and about with friends. Perhaps you even feel frustrated by your family, school, hobbies, anything that takes away from screen time.
I'm not guilt-tripping you or even calling you out. I'm sharing this with you because I've been there.
I know all too well what it's like to barely be able to focus on anything happening around you because all you're thinking about is that meme your best friend just sent you. I've spent entire afternoons and evenings staring at a screen, pausing only to eat dinner and hurriedly shove dishes into the dishwasher.
By God's grace, He is slowly transforming my affections and desires each day, and I can finally take a deep breath and say that I am not that girl anymore.
But it's still an on-going struggle, which is why I wanted to share with you a couple things I've learned and some tips that have helped me as I go forward.
Even if you don't struggle with this, I hope this is encouraging and edifying for you, dear reader. So without further ado, we're heading into one of my favorite things on this blog: bold faced point lists (which isn't even what they're called but I kinda like it!).
1.) The real world has so much more magic than the fake one.
The longer you spend on screens, the more it begins to effect your brain. Scientifically, every time you receive an affirming message online, whether that's an actual message from someone, rewards in a game or just a reaction to a post, the chemical dopamine is released. Eventually, you begin receiving more dopamine from screens than you do in real life, because they're more frequent online. And slowly, the world begins to lose its color and vibrance for you.
But the truth is anything but what you start to believe.
No amount of likes on a post, or late night messaging marathons with your friends will ever compare to the breathtaking beauty of a sunset. Or a game night with your family. Or walking your dog down a street at 7 am and feeling the pound of your heartbeat and the rush of what it means to be alive.
The online world is shallow. It's fake, and ungenuine. Everyone can portray themselves however they want, and it's hard to distinguish between what's real and what's fake.
But God made us for so much more than that superficial fake sense of community. He made us to a part of a rich, vibrant family of fellow believers, laughing and sharing in His world together.
2.) We only have one life.
I know it might seem cliché, but it's absolutely true: we are not promised tomorrow.
That thought always makes me pause. I don't want my last day on earth to be completely meaningless.
We only get one chance to experience this life. How could we possibly just waste it away on screens?
And we may only have one chance to share the gospel. To go out and live boldly for Christ. I don't want to give that up because I was more worried about what people I don't even know think of me. 3.) Christ calls us to be undistracted.
Okay, maybe not in those words. But listen to what Paul says in Romans 8:5: "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit." (ESV)
I've always loved this verse, but especially when I'm thinking about screen time and my life. I don't want to live to please myself. I want to live to please Christ.
I want my mind to be transformed and gloriously transformed and renewed so that my thoughts and desires are truly fixed on my Lord.
"But don't you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God with your body." -1 Corinthians 6:19
These verses have been absolutely pivotal for me and screentime. Because everything that I do is for the Lord, and not for me.
And so, I want to go out and live FOR HIM. To shout and scream and sing for him and not for me! Because it's not about me, and it never was. My life isn't mine. It's His, and He gets to guide it however He wants. He made me for the real world, not the world that lives behind my phone.
If you're still with me, I'm so happy you made it this far! We're almost done, I promise. Go get a cookie, stretch, and take a sip of water, because I just have a couple more things to share with you. We're going to wrap this up with a couple practical tips.
As beautiful as all of these thoughts and mindsets are, the reality is that it's hard. It's going to be incredibly hard to start with. A screen detox is never easy, and so you need to be patient with yourself as you try to get back into real life. So here are a couple things I did that I found incredibly helpful. ♥
Make a daily list for yourself of things to do today. Start out small. Maybe only a couple things, and they can be as simple as "finish all my schoolwork" or as big as "deep clean my closet." Limit your screentime until you've met all of those goals.
Leave/take a break/delete all the apps that are causing you to struggle. I know, oh, I know how controversial this one is. But, here's the thing: if you're at all like me, self-control takes a while to build up. At first we just don't have what it takes, unless we remove the option for ourselves. It's not fun to begin with. But it's really, really important, and after a while it'll be your favorite thing. For me, this looked like leaving chats, and deleting a couple apps. If your kryptonite is Pinterest, delete the app. If it's YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram, do the same. I promise, your account will still be there when you come back. You can even leave it up on your laptop and access it occasionally. Just do whatever it takes it make it harder for you to access it.
Have accountability. Tell someone what you want to get done today. Have them check in with you every so often to make sure you're not spending too much time online. It's one of the best methods for encouragement yet!
Develop a "filler" habit. In those moments when you're craving your phone, pick something you've been wanting to do for a while and try that! For me, I started handwriting out passages of the bible. But for you? There's a ton to pick from! Crocheting, sketching, baking, gardening, learning an instrument, organizing... the possibilities are endless. If you make it second nature to default to that instead of a screen, before you know it you'll be living in the real world like a pro. ;)
Honor the sabbath. This is something that I just started doing recently and cannot even express how much I LOVE it. Basically, honoring the sabbath means taking a break from all screens for an entire day (usually Sunday). It takes some getting used to, but it's truly refreshing, wonderful, and is a much-needed chance to remind yourself who you worship and what your life is about.
Lastly, give yourself some grace. This is where the rubber meets the road. Because it's not going to be instantaneous. It's going to be a long and painful process. And we are all still sinful, flawed human beings. So when you mess up, or redownload an app, or whatever it is, don't beat yourself up over it. Pray, ask God for help and self-control, and He will answer you. He sees your struggle and loves you through it. ♥
That's all from me for now!
Until next time, stay undistracted, and keep an open heart. ♥
Love,
~Mira
P.S. Looking for some encouragement to do a screen detox?? Check out my playlist with songs geared specifically for this issue!
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