Unplugging For Lent- 50 Ideas For Giving Up Screens And Technology

When you’re thinking about what to give up for Lent this year, several categories come to mind. Foods and beverages are the most popular go-to, but the more ingrained technology becomes in our society, the more important it is to keep it in check.

*Don’t miss my ultimate list of Lenten sacrifice ideas, compiled from over 100 Catholic moms!

This is getting to be trickier and trickier to navigate by the year as our phones have become everything. Phones are our navigation system, our calculator, calendar, a flashlight, a communication device, an important tool for our work… as well as our time waster, personal computer, video games, music player, etc. etc. with literally no end to the list.

So… what can you do to limit screens and technology for yourself, your kids, and your family this year? Here are some ideas to get you started.

• Give up a favorite app, just 1.
• Give up selfies for Lent
• Give up video games (phone, consoles, tablets)
• Put the kid tablets away for the length of Lent
• Give up acronyms/abbreviations (Example: lol, brb, ikr, otw, eta)
• Give up the “like” button on Facebook and Instagram. Replace it with meaningful comments on your friend’s posts.
• Give up emojis for Lent 😛
• Give up Pinterest. We can’t argue that it’s essential like some of these others we use.
• Give up YouTube completely. Learn things from books.
• Limit picture and video taking- learn to live in the moment. Set a certain allowance number for each day or event you attend (like 1 or 2 pictures only)
• No screens in bed
• Give up screens in the bedrooms (including adults), or limit screens only to the living room.
• Give up Bluetooth or earbuds
• No screens in the car
• Give up using photo filters on Instagram or Snapchat.
• Give up tv/movies completely, or choose certain day(s) of the week to do so. Areas to consider could include YouTube, Netflix, Amazon TV, Redbox, or theater movies.
• Give up your favorite TV show
• No screens at mealtimes
• A certain time in the afternoon/evening when the family is home and everyone goes screen free
• Give up charging your phone during the day- you have to limit yourself to just the time your battery allows each day
• Give up your favorite music playing app. Listen to the radio.
• Give up music in the car completely. Ride in silence, and use the extra time for prayer and reflection. Or limit yourself to Christian music or talks in the car.
• Give up hashtags #canyouhackit
• Give up posting pictures onto your social media
• Give up reading non religious blogs (haha) 😉
• Give up Alexa or similar voice commanded devices
• Turn off notifications for social media devices for the duration of Lent
• Turn notifications off of non-essential apps for your smart watch
• Give up the smart watch
• Put your phone on “airplane mode” or “do not disturb” for certain times of the day
• Consider limiting social media. Give up a social media app such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp or Snapchat. If that’s too extreme for you, give it up for specific days of the week or certain time frames. Or limit them with a parental control app that sets time restraints on certain apps.
• Even if you continue to check social media, you can give up actually posting and/or sharing stuff. This could teach the discipline of listening instead of being heard.

When I was reflecting on the idea of giving up aspects of social media, and also selfies, the prayer of St. Francis came to my mind. I think it would be a good idea for all of us to keep this prayer in mind year round when it comes to social media.

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.

O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.

Times To Consider Going Completely Screen Free

• Ash Wednesday and/or Good Friday
• On all the Fridays
• For 1-3 hours per day. Set the times ahead of time
• From noon to 3:00 on Good Friday, when Jesus hung on the cross and died for our sins

Technology Can Also Be ADDED For Good

Consider adding in some more fruitful uses of technology during Lent, such as…

“Alexa… pray the rosary” 😉 Lol!

• Add in a prayer or inspirational app that you use daily, such as Laudate
• Add in a daily educational app, such as Duo Lingo if you’ve been wanting to learn a second language.
• Add in an app that tracks daily steps, sleeping patterns, eating habits, etc to encourage yourself towards good physical health
• Add a parental control app to your own phone to limit and/or track the time you spend on social media apps, etc.
• Add an app that tracks spending to limit yourself and save money during Lent that you can donate to the less fortunate
• Change your ringtone to a Christian song for Lent
• Switch your wallpaper to a religious image for Lent
• Use your calendar notifications to remind you to add a daily prayer, or weekly rosary into your life during Lent
• Choose a person to pray for each day of Lent and set a reminder on your phone to make it happen
• Make a Lenten accountability group with some of your friends to hold yourselves accountable for your Lenten resolutions and text daily to check in on each other

And be sure to check out my new Lenten Accountability pages for keeping track of your Lenten resolutions! 🙂

I hope some of these ideas got the cogs in your brain turning about how to limit technology in your home during Lent. What are your ideas? I would love to hear them in the comments!