Meaty Monday: Techno Sabbath

By Jim | March 3, 2008

As a result of my spiritual retreat last week, I decided that I needed to re-evaluate the place of technology in my life. I came away thinking that the time I’ve spent over the last several years on the computer has had a negative effect on various aspects of my life, and that it’s really time for me to change my relationship with technology.

Granted: Today in ministry more and more things are done on the computer. I do E-mail for just about everything. I blog (which is a visible ministry presence.) I stay connected with colleagues. I do research for sermons. I prepare and type sermons and other worship resources. I subscribe to a couple of on-line sermon/worship/ministry resources. I have a number of resources on CD Rom on the computer. I type minute meetings and agendas.

Put simply a good percentage of my day is spent on the computer and that is unavoidable. But when I am not at work, the computer is right there with me; it’s almost become another appendage.

Here are a few things I’ve noticed about my relationship to the computer:

1.) Some people watch TV – something I generally frown upon and think of as a complete waste of time – but when it comes down right to it I probably waste just as much time at home on the computer as any person who watches TV.

2.) Over the last several months, when I get home and get on the computer in the evening I have noticed that my eyes will begin to get really tired. They start to glaze over and tear up. Maybe its my ripe old age of 38, but maybe it’s also because all that screen time is just not physically good for my eyes.

3.) The amount I read has shriveled substantially over the last year. I have a pile of books on my desk. I have a few at home. I need to read them and want to read them. But I don’t. And it’s partly because I spend way too much time on the computer. The worst? I almost never read anything for fun now.

4.) I have a bit of an obsession with e-mail and some of the social networks. How many times a day do I really need to check my e-mail or everyone else’s ‘facebook’ status? Do I really need to check my e-mail the first thing when I wake up or at night before I go to bed. When I am away with limited access, I am reminded that if I check my e-mail once a day that is enough, so why am I obsessed by it when it’s right there sitting in front of me?

So what am I doing about it?

1.) I’m placing a moratorium on using the computer at home between 9pm and 9am (when I usually get to the office.) Of course this isn’t always going to be possible to strictly adhere too, but more often than not there is no good reason for me to be on the computer between those hours. Do I really need to start off my day at 6:30am by reading my e-mail??

2.) I’ve also declared a technology Sabbath on Sunday afternoon and evening. My computer will not be on during this time and I won’t check my e-mail (although I did go downstairs once yesterday to check the e-mail on the computer down there.)

3.) I’m also trying to discipline myself to close down my computer more often during the day in the office since I’m pretty sure that folks can wait a few hours for me to respond to their e-mail. This I think will give me more time in my day to read, study, and pray, and to make some of those phone calls and visits I generally have a tendency to avoid.

4.) I’m reading again! So hopefully I can get through that big stack of books and magazines on my desk.

What does your relationship to technology like? Have you changed or do you need to change your relationship with technology?

Bruce Reyes-Chow

Jim - Good post and challenge for folks to at least think through their relationship with Technology. I have found that part of the difficulty is that much of my "normal" life is also wrapped up in technology. I used to try and do a 24hr unplugged time, but then I had to find the address for somewhere I wanted to go and I can't for the life of me find a Yellow Pages Book. One time I wanted to see a movie, but since we don't get a paper, only the computer was there. For me, lifestyle and ministry are do inexplicable tied together that it is hard do be able to draw a line. I am not saying this is good.

I would look at is in the same way I use my car as part of my life, my credit cards, etc. There is responsible use and then there is frivolous use.

Just some thoughts.

Bruce

Jim

I agree and I think I've swung from responsible to irresponsible use...so for me I'm in a place where I'm trying to re-adjust and I hope I can do so while extending myself grace and not being legalistically bound to this contract!!!

On another note: I tore up all my credit cards at one time because I was irresponsible with them...that meant I didn't have one for quite some time, but now I'm a responsible one card user having learned my lesson.

Rev Kim

Wow. I feel like you've held up a mirror to me, especially with email. I check mine too, too often. You've given me alot to think about and reflect upon.

Adam Copeland

Great post, Jim. And thanks for the link (I popped one over this way too). I think your more stringent policy is probably a bit better than my gray work/play distinction, but to tell you the truth. While in a foreign country with few friends, bad weather, and really expensive everything, cutting out the internet one day a week would not be healthy. Sounds like it's the way for you to go, though and I wish you the best of luck.

jottingjoan

Actually, about a couple months ago, I committed to quit lounging around and watching mindless TV every evening and to pray instead. Well I prayed some, but I also found that I interacted with my husband more, did a lot more of the sewing projects I had on my TO DO list and checked up on family members more. We also listened to more audio books while I worked on sewing.
And I have also returned to my first love ... books, and Bible study. ... and sewing.

Because I work on a computer every day, all day and check e-mail for the office to get news drops, I rarely look at e-mail at home, even on the weekends.

Although I work at a newspaper, I don't, in general, watch the news. I see some when I go to the exercise place, but find myself excessively annoyed in this long-drawn-out political season that the stories vary little from day to day. I started taking a book to read while I exercise instead. I can still follow the news but I don't have to so. Funny how the world goes on without my knowing every little thing that happens in it.

But then, I found that out with an emphasis the summer of the OJ stuff. We were in a medical crisis and not watching anything except our sick loved one. So I never got caught up in the story ... and afterwards refused to follow it. The judge never called and asked my opinion about the guy's innocence or guilt, so I guess it wasn't essential news.

For working at a news office, I feel the least clued in about breaking news but the most aware of the in-depth subjects covered in magazines.

I hope your period of lent from techno overload brings you many insights.

Jim Moss

I've had similar thoughts about how computers and media in general can take over our lives. Here's an article I write on the subject called "Media Sabbath," which contains some ideas similar to yours:

http://disciplineforjustice.blogspot.com/2007/0...