In the name of Allah, the most Gracious, the most Merciful
We’re midway through our countdown… I am so excited to welcome in Ramadan in just a couple days. I hope you’ve been following along up till now but if not, I highly encourage you to go back through and check out the last 4 posts. We’ve talked about some cool stuff…and today we’re talking about going screen-free this Ramadan.
Growing up, we had a little family tradition of going screen-free for Ramadan…and that’s something I’ve brought into my own family. Going screen-free for Ramadan can be all-around beneficial for the entire family. It provides a great reset and it allows you to use your time for much more beneficial things, including simply being more present together as a family.
If this is your first time doing this sort of thing, it might be a bit difficult…especially the first couple days. Screens can be very addictive and the detox is very real. But with a little planning, a bit of intentionality and embracing the challenge in a holistic way – it is totally doable and I truly believe in you!! So let’s dive into my tips…
1. Involve the whole family.
Going screen-free is NOT just for the children. And if you’re asking the entire family to embrace the idea of being screen-free/limited screen-time during the month of Ramadan, it would be a good idea to have a discussion with everyone and really hear their input. This is a good time to figure out exactly what your intentions might be and figure out what everyone thinks might be their biggest obstacles. Maybe going completely screen-free is not really a desire for your family or maybe it doesn’t feel realistic for this year. As a part of this, I highly recommend you work through the next tips together as a group.
2. Decide exactly what your goals are and establish clear boundaries.
Again, before you can get started with accomplishing a challenge or goal, you have to figure out exactly what you’re trying to achieve. Remember that there’s no right or wrong way to do this. Are you going to be completely screen free? Will you be screen free from Maghrib until after Fajr? Maybe you’ll allow one hour every day. The gist of it, decide what you’re trying to achieve…and then set some solid rules that will help you be successful. What are your boundaries and how will you limit / manage the temptations?
3. Plan some activities ahead of time to replace your usual screen times.
When planning alternative options, think especially of your personal struggle zones. By that, we’re talking about specific devices, specific activities, as well as times of day. You also want to be more realistic than ideal with those activity replacements…and have plenty of options. Some options might be going for a hike, playing a board game, an artsy activity or reading / listening to a book. While you have some options planned out, you want to make sure everyone has a good bit of autonomy in implementing those activities and deciding how they’re spending their time.
4. Be prepared for some push-back.
Hopefully, having everyone involved in the whole process, your month will go pretty smoothly… but some days will definitely be better than others. You’ll have moments where you’ll really want to fall back into your normal habits, our children will want their television time..we have to prepare ahead of time for those extra tough times. This goes beyond just having activities planned, it’s also about diving deep within ourselves – remembering your ‘why’, observing the challenge and still continuing on with your goals.
5. Embrace boredom.
We use technology for a LOT of things…some being productive but much of it, if we’re honest, is not. As we choose to go screen-free or really keep it limited, when we push ourselves outside of our comfort zone, we have to not only expect challenges but be ready to embrace them. A big part of that is being prepared for boredom. With those activities you pre-planned, you’ll have some options to help you out..but at some point, you’ll definitely need to simply feel that feeling and just move through it.
Going screen-free is beneficial in the context of Ramadan, of course, as it allows you to really break free from such a big distraction and focus your time and attention on more important things. But it’s also great in so many other ways. Taking a break from screens can give your mental health a boost, it can help everyone get better sleep, and even help your family connect more deeply. Ramadan is a great opportunity to challenge ourselves in this way.
I hope these 5 tips helped you out…and I look forward to hearing if you and your family will join us in going screen-free this Ramadan?
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