We start with a general article on How Much Entertainment Is Too Much? Tim Challies offers some guidance on how to strike the balance.

Entertainment is a good gift of God, designed to refresh us from the long labor gone by and to renew us for the long labor ahead. As Christians we do well to pursue it. We do well to create new forms of it, to invite others to participate in it with us. But always we must remember what J.R. Miller says so well: “Amusement is not an end, but a means. It is not life’s object, but a help along the way. It is not the goal, but the cool bower, or the bubbling spring on the stiff, steep mountain-side.”

The Gospel and Social Media Part 3 | For The Church (Part 1 and Part 2)
This article emphasizes some of the Gospel benefits of social media:

Though the negatives of social media seem to justify abstaining from using it (and for some, it should) there are some gospel positives that come along with our virtual societies. If social media users can press into these realities while straying from some of the pitfalls, social media can actually act as a gospel well we should drink from often.

A Spiritual IT Policy
Good tips on how to prune back our use of Apps, social media, podcasts, etc.

7 Questions to Ask Before Posting about Politics on Social Media
My own policy is  mostly “Don’t.” but if you want something more sophisticated, here are some good questions to run through before hitting “share.”

Facebook Dead At 12, A Victim Of 2016
Bethany Mandel writes an obituary for Facebook:

Since the end of the 2016 election, and especially since it resulted in the victory of Donald J. Trump as president, Facebook has become utterly intolerable. I took the application off my phone when I realized, a few days after the election, that I felt angry every time I scrolled through my newsfeed, and that this sour mood was affecting how I spoke with my co-workers, who happen to be my children (I’m a stay-at-home mother by profession). Deleting the application made me feel more disconnected from these online friends from all walks of my life, but also happier and more calm.

I’m 15 and Snapchat makes me feel awful about myself
Am I glad I’m not fifteen!

7 Tips to Stop Your Phone from Interrupting Your Life | Time Management Ninja
If you want to get more work done, you need to remember that your phone is a tool that is meant to help you, not constantly interrupt your day.

  1. Don’t Answer the Phone When You are Busy.
  2. Turn Your Phone Off.
  3. Use Do Not Disturb Mode.
  4. Let it Go to Voicemail.
  5. Block Unwanted Callers.
  6. Respond with a Text.
  7. Only Answer Callers That You Know.

Why Our Son Doesn’t Have a Smartphone | TGC
This is the article all teens have been hiding from their parents all week.

A Parable on the Reading of Blogs | A Small Work
Good motivation to prioritize books over blogs.

Thirty Seconds Alone with God | Desiring God
Tony Reinke analyzes the changes in our use of digital technology between 2015 and 2016. The clearest finding is “that our mobile devices, our tablets, and especially our smartphones are filling in more and more of life’s little gaps with perfectly sized bits of consumable media.” He warns us: “The worst of our compulsive social media habits in the empty spaces of our lives is corroding our prayer lives.”

More Digital Detox Resources.

  • Raphael

    “Don’t Answer the Phone When You are Busy.”
    This is something that goes on my nerves, you are talking with people, the phone rings and suddenly you are nobody anymore and the phone “needs” to get all the attention.
    It’s a terrible habit for yourself but also for the people around you.