Have you ever picked up your phone, unlocked it, and then paused because you suddenly could not remember what you wanted to do? Maybe you had a message to check. Maybe you wanted to make a call, look up some information, check your calendar or respond to an email. Or maybe there was no particular reason. You simply picked up your phone.
You may also have picked up your phone with a specific intention. Then you opened it, and before you knew it, you found yourself scrolling through something completely unrelated. You may have intended to check a message, respond to an email, look something up, or make a quick call. But somewhere along the way, your original intention disappeared. You were now scrolling, simply looking, and couldn’t even tell exactly what you were looking for.
Those small moments when you pick up the phone and can’t remember why, or find yourself doing something unrelated to your original intention, are worth paying attention to because they are everyday moments when we unwisely use the gift of sight.
Our phones have made it incredibly easy to see more, know more, connect more and consume more. But the fact that something is available to see does not mean it deserves our attention.
Digital wellness is often talked about in terms of screen time. How many hours did you spend on your phone today? How long were you on social media? How many times did you check your phone? These questions can be useful, but they don’t tell the whole story.
Two people can spend the same amount of time on their phones and have completely different experiences. One person may spend an hour learning, working, creating or connecting with people they care about. The other may spend the same hour moving from one piece of content to another without any particular purpose.
The issue, in my opinion, is not just about how much we look at a screen. It is about why we are looking at it, what we are looking at, and whether our use of the device is aligned with what we intended to do.
So, why did you pick up your phone?
It is a simple question, but one that we may not ask ourselves often enough.
Our phones have become such a normal part of everyday life that reaching for them can happen almost without thought. We pick them up while waiting, while eating, while watching television, between tasks, and sometimes even when we have only been away from them for a few minutes.
But not every time we reach for our phone is the same. Sometimes there is a clear purpose. Other times, we may be responding to a feeling.
- We may be bored.
- We may be curious.
- We may want a distraction.
- We may be avoiding something we need to do.
- We may simply want to see what is happening.
And this is where I believe we need to become more conscious of how we use the gift of sight. It is where we can become more intentional with the use of our digital devices.
Before You Pick Up Your Phone, Know Why
Whatever the reason, knowing your purpose changes the way you approach the device.
When you know why you picked up your device, you are more likely to remain connected to what you intended to accomplish. Without a purpose, there is no natural stopping point. You can keep looking at one thing, then another, because there is always something else available.
This is why one of the simple but beneficial things you can do for yourself whenever you reach for your phone in a digitally distracted world is to pause for a moment and ask: “Why did I pick up my phone?” Not as a way of judging yours. But as a way of becoming more aware.
Your intention matters
The Bible tells us: “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” – Ephesians 5:15–16 (NIV)
If you are going to make the most of every opportunity you have in a visually distracting world, you must embrace digital intentionality.
So, instead of opening your phone and allowing whatever appears on the screen to determine what happens next, begin with a clear intention. That way, you choose what to look at rather than simply responding to what the algorithm presents to you. Then, if by chance something pops up and you are tempted to drift, remind yourself why you picked up the phone in the first place.
Our lives are made up of small decisions that may not seem significant when considered individually. What we look at, what we listen to, what we give our time to, and what repeatedly receives our attention all become part of how we live.
The truth is that the phone itself is not the issue. The issue is whether we are using it purposefully or not. A phone can help us accomplish something important, connect with someone we love, learn something useful or carry out our work. But it can also be a distraction, a time waster and an energy drainer.
Having a purpose for its use protects you. It helps you remember why you picked up the phone in the first place and makes it easier to put it down when that purpose has been fulfilled.
Using the gift of sight wisely in a digitally distracted world requires digital intentionality, and it may sometimes begin with something as simple as asking yourself: “Why did I pick up my phone?“