This past summer I had to travel for some independent contracting work. I spent a fair amount of time in airport lobbies. No matter what city I was in, the size of the airport, or the amount of people there – I kept seeing the same thing. The majority of adults and children were on some kind of electronic device. There was minimal reading of a book, talking to those nearby, or quiet reflection.

“Hmm . . . that’s interesting . . .” I thought as I reached for my phone to pass the time. Wait a minute – I’m no different. I’m continually on my device! But wait – I’m checking my flight status, digital ticket, and the weather. True, but that takes 2 minutes. I brought books to read and work to complete – but that would take too much effort at this time. As we boarded and were seated waiting for departure – it didn’t change. The majority of us were still on devices. I was squeezing in as much news, sports, social media, and conspiracy theories as quickly as possible before we had to go into “airplane mode” with no internet access for an hour or two (I hope I can make it!). Finally we arrived, I got the rental car, and drove to the hotel. Phew . . . I need to relax a little. I think I’ll sit in a comfy chair with my phone and get caught up on all I missed . . .

Is this a problem? For others, maybe not. For me – yes! If I take a deep look inside, I know I’m on my devices too much. I waste the gift of time. I use it to avoid what I should be doing. I have a hard time breaking away from it for those quick dopamine hits. What about you?

In his book Resilience, author John Eldredge describes the result of what I just mentioned:

The fruit of media consumption is stress, escapism, materialism, anger, depression, rage, time wasted, sleep problems, and addiction.

This quote also caught my attention during one of many scrolling sessions:

Distraction is the new addiction. mindfulnesskris

Wow, that hits pretty hard. Makes sense though. If I stay distracted – then I don’t do what I’m supposed to be doing. Distraction helps me discover things to purchase that I didn’t realize I “needed”. Distraction keeps me digging for truth in all the wrong places. Distraction keeps me away from God and his plans for my life.

Sometimes (especially recently), I’m able to be self-aware and reflect on the outcomes of overextended stays online: I can never reach the end of a scroll on social media (duh, you’re thinking). Rarely have I walked away from a digital session saying, “I feel better and greater satisfaction now that I’ve consumed all of that.” Have we ever finished viewing the news and proclaimed: “All is good in the world according to the news – there’s nothing negative or catastrophic to report – finally!” What if I read as much as I can about my sports teams, deep dive for insider information, and make disgruntled and angry remarks in the comments section – will they now finally start winning??? Phew . . the conspiracy theories have been resolved and neatly tied up with a pretty bow – I don’t need to go down those rabbit holes anymore. Oh goody – both political parties have decided to get along and work for the betterment of our country and the people who elected them . . .

I think you understand where this is leading.

Where do we go from here? How do you get better in a world dependent on digital devices? I feel elimination is impossible. But what about moderation? Here are some quotes I discovered online (it’s not all bad) that give practical advice to bettering our lives:

Create more than you consume. Practice silence and stillness daily. Replace dopamine spikes with real nourishment: nature, books, movement, and intimacy. Neuroplasticity (brain cell growth) works both ways, your brain can heal if you re-train it with BOREDOM, focus, and love. mindfulnesskris (again!)

Studies show that short, novel experiences – a day trip, an unplanned hike, exploring a new street – boost dopamine and reset our mood. You don’t need a grand vacation. You need INTERRUPTION. The brain thrives on small doses of novelty. Routine keeps you alive. Novelty makes you feel alive. genuinely.healthy

Do more things that make you forget to check your phone. Toby Mac

These remedies can all be simplified to fit our busy lifestyles. Creating doesn’t have to be a masterpiece of art that we spend 3 months on. It might be a list, a doodle, a different way to drive home, a new recipe, repairing something in the house, visiting a store you’ve never been in, volunteering, trying to learn an instrument, starting a new hobby, journaling . . . . .

What if we embraced boredom instead of doing everything possible to avoid it? Boredom can lead to creativity, deep thinking, new ideas, relaxation, renewed concentration, improved focus, and action.

I had read several reports that so-called “dumb phones” are making a comeback. Phones that only feature calling, texting, and GPS. What if a generation of young people grew up with those instead?

In conclusion, here is a practice that has helped me: I dedicate one social media platform to only following people, places, and things that are positive, life-giving, encouraging, and inspirational (like Golden Retrievers). This platform has a tight filter for admittance into my starting lineup. No news, sports, politics, arrogant celebrities, or negative people. I know what sets me off – so I intentionally avoid it on at least one site. When I spend a limited amount of time there – I can truly walk away feeling better.

Oops . . . I almost forgot a Bible verse in this devotional! See – too much time on my phone!!! 🙂 Thinking about time – it is one of our most precious commodities. I believe someday we will be held accountable for this fantastic life we’ve had a chance to live. What did we do with the unique skillsets we’ve been given? Were we faithful? The apostle Paul summarizes these questions describing what his prayer life consists of:

So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live, and you will be honored along with him. This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1: 11,12)

Blessings,

Dave 🙂

https://www.amazon.com/author/davidrische