Worrying about Too Much "Screen Time"

There is much consternation that people are too absorbed with "screen time," glued to their iPhones, Netbooks, laptops, or some other screen, as they text, write blog posts, peruse pictures, watch videos, or engage in some other occupation that involves a screen. Yes, these screens are ubiquitous. We have them in our pockets, our purses, on our desks at home and at work, and in our living rooms. We have them in our hands as we walk down the street. We even have them on our dashboards, in the form of a talking GPS, guiding us to the desired location. Even president Obama, our first "Blackberry" president (as he himself confessed that he was addicted to it), has recently openly criticized our screen addictions. One pundit even claims that "...we've become so fascinated with the means of transmission that we've lost sight of what's actually passing along over the wires and airwaves."

When I read about all this fretting, I keep going back to old adage: "moderation in all things."

Surely, "too much" screen time is potentially damaging. But just what is "too much"? And how might "too much screen time" harm us?

In my mind, "too much" screen time is simply when such screen time impinges on other healthy activities. This will vary, from person to person. For a person who is disabled and thus has impaired mobility, screen time may be a lifeline to other folks. For another person, say, a teenager, "too much" screen time is happening if homework suffers or if physical activity is sacrificed in favor of screen time.

It amuses me when people express horror or outrage about screen time, as if before such screen devices existed, people spent every minute of every hour of every day on constructive and healthy activities. Take away all the ubiquitous screens, and what happens? A vacuum gets created, that has to be filled in some way. It is not that screens and our occupation with them are inherently unhealthy or damaging; the screens themselves are neutral. Instead, it is a matter of how we choose to engage in screen activity; and what sacrifices we make to engage in screen activity.

Another adage I think of when I think of screen activity: "know thyself." To get a reality check on your screen engagement, take inventory; how much time per day, per week, do you spend engaged with the screen? What exactly are you doing as you engage with the screen? Then, seriously evaluate your screen engagement. Does your screen engagement feed your soul? Or starve it? Be honest; only a serious and honest assessment will help you determine whether you need to alter your screen engagement patterns.