Dear Parents & Carers of Good Samaritan,

Last week we focused on our ‘Screen Aware’ Week. We take an opportunity each term to review our expectations and to be aware of the screen use across the school.

I recently read an article which spoke about a ‘Technology Sabbath’. A time that adults use  as a way of reducing, what can be, our addiction to technology and our personal devices. The author, Tiffany Shlain, writes:

How often have you looked up from your screen, eyes dazed, and realized you’ve just wasted thirty minutes or an hour or more? You look around and see everyone else with their heads down staring at their screens, too. You worry about how this is affecting you as an individual and society at large. You think you should do something about it, then your phone buzzes, you respond to the text, and you’re pulled back to the screen again. We’ve become ostriches, burying our heads in silicon sand.

Researchers have compared the sense of technological dependency—the feeling that we must be accessible and responsive at any time—to that of drugs and alcohol. It’s all because of the hormone dopamine, which is related to mood, attention, and desire. When you find something that feels good, dopamine makes you want more of it.

Shlain has creatively adapted the Jewish practice of Sabbath to reduce our dependence on technology. She makes several suggestions for individuals and families to prepare for a day with no devices:

What brings you joy?

Think about all the (screen-free) activities you enjoy doing that you just don’t do enough. . . .

Consider your own tradition or history.

What foods or practices from your childhood, family, faith, or culture would make the day more meaningful for you?

Consider your intentions

What qualities do you want to develop? . . .

What habits do you want to break?

How do you want to feel when the day is over?

Shlain offers a list of practical suggestions to get ready for what she calls ‘24/6,’ based on her own decade of practice:

How to prepare for 24/6

A little thinking ahead will help you get more out of the day.

Plan your first Tech Shabbat

• Look at your calendar and determine what weekend day (or weekday) you’re going to start. Mark down several weeks in a row. The power and beauty of this practice come with its regularity. In time you will look forward to it each week.
   
• Look at the list of things you want to do more of. Plan to fill your screen-free day with activities from that list. You can even print the list, post it on your fridge, and reference it throughout the day. Or fill the day with doing nothing, if that’s what you need and want.
   
• Invite anyone you want to join you for a meal, an activity, or the whole day. . . 
   
• Tell people in your life (family, friends, coworkers, boss) you’re planning to do this. Don’t come from a place of apology, but a place of strength and excitement. If they express concern or curiosity, invite them to a Tech Shabbat dinner so they can experience it with you.

Thinking like this would certainly involve a lot of willpower as so much of what I do involves a screen - however it’s the small steps that could make a difference to the way that I approach my use of screens. Meditating with this short video may be one way to start - ironic that it involves a screen! But it does raise the consciousness as to how much screen time takes up the day.

As we journey through the week, together, with Jesus,

Toni Sillis

Principal