The Media Fast

 

I’m reading a new book where one of the challenges the author gives you is to have a 48 hour media fast. The media fast includes taking a 48 hour break from all these things: the internet, TV, magazines, newspapers, radio stations, video games, iPods, mp3 players and stereos. I thought to myself: “This should be quite easy, it’s only for 48 hours.” It turns out it was NOT easy! I tried to take a media break on Friday and Saturday last week and let’s just say I made many “exceptions”.

The number one thing I learned from my failed attempt at a media fast was that I might have a little bit of a problem with “media addiction”. It probably could do me some good to spend a little less time on the internet, watching TV and reading magazines. I sometimes feel like I don’t have enough time for all the things I want to fit into my daily life. Now I have found one of the things that steal a lot of my time.

I love social media, being able to shop online, having Netflix with tons of different TV shows to watch etc. The only problem is there is still only 24 hours in a day. When I spend more time on the internet than I really need, or watch more TV episodes in a row than I need to become relaxed, I end up having less time for other things. It’s unbelievable to me how addictive many forms of media are. Two years ago I decided to try taking a break from alcohol for one full year, I had no problems doing this so apparently alcohol consumption is not a problem of mine. Last Friday I tried taking a 48 hour break from media and I couldn’t even do it for one full day.

My little issue with spending time doing something else than being in front of a screen made me decide to do more work in this area of my life. I decided I would cut down the time I spend on media by 30%. The big question is: “How will I entertain myself if I can’t spend my free time on media? What will I do instead?” Luckily the book I’m reading has a few suggestions: play a board game, take a walk, go for coffee with friends, work out, read a book.

 

 

The point with this media fast is that it will make room in our lives for other influences than what the media pushes on us every day. If we spend all our free time on media we will become formed by it. As we take a break from media our minds will start to change and we will start to let go of false ideals. We stop letting media define how we should view ourselves and define what is important in life. This is an opportunity to free our minds and make space to renew our thoughts about ourselves and the world we live in.

 

I have now started reading books in the evenings instead of relaxing with TV shows or on social media, which is so easy to get stuck on for hours. Yesterday I spent my evening at a coffee shop, reading a new book and enjoying a piece of cheesecake for a couple of hours, and I left my phone at home. My husband and I decided to lit candles at dinnertime a few nights a week so that we can enjoy long conversations after we are done eating instead of watching TV. It has also become very obvious to me that if I spend less time on media I suddenly have no problems at all fitting in work outs. Small changes can go a long way!