Find Balance, Regain Focus

When it comes to screen time are you finding that your life is out of balance and you’re losing focus? If you need help, then this new online course, Screen Time 101, is for you.

Okay, you may be thinking to yourself, “Ha-ha, an online course about screen time? Isn’t that contradictory?” It’s a fair question. It’s similar to the one I heard many times after producing and directing the award-winning documentary Captivated: Finding Freedom in a Media Captive Culture. So let me explain.

Not all screen time is created equal. This course was created to help you find balance and regain focus. Educational screen time can be beneficial. In 2020 I started taking some online courses with my teens and we really enjoyed them and learned a lot. But it also got me thinking, “Why don’t I create an online course to help teens and their parents?”

Tada! There you have it, that’s one of the big reasons I did this. But there’s another reason. I used to travel the country teaching these classes to teens and parents, but my traveling days are very limited now. I wanted to make sure these lessons were available to others.

To start the course CLICK HERE

WHAT IS IN THE COURSE?

  • 19 Short Video Lessons
  • Printable Follow-Along Notes
  • Lesson Quizzes
  • A Christian Worldview
  • 9 Bonus Videos
  • A Certificate of Completion

COMPLETING THIS COURSE WILL HELP YOU…

  • Identify common problems
  • Discover helpful solutions
  • Find balance and regain focus
  • Handle technology with wisdom
  • Grow closer to Christ

WHO IS IT FOR?

This course is geared for middle school and high school students but the material can be beneficial to young adults, parents, youth workers, or teachers

WHAT DOES IT COST?

This course is FREE due to the donations of others who are paying it forward. This will cost you some well-spent time, some soul searching, and some good discussions with your family or friends.

If you are a parent or a grandparent, or maybe a youth worker, you are going to want the teens in your life to take this course. Help them sign up and make it part of their education. Or sit down as a family and take this course together.

I HAVE ONE FAVOR TO ASK

Please visit the website www.screentime101.com and watch the 7-minute introduction to the course. If you are not interested, maybe you know someone else who needs the help.

COURSE LESSONS

Lesson 1: What Fuels Your Life? Media and entertainment are like combustible fuel that needs to be handled carefully (17min)

Lesson 2: What’s the Goal and Motivation? Why it is important to have value-based goals that will motivate you to make wise decisions about media, entertainment, and your use of technology. (13min)

Lesson 3: The All-You-Can-Eat Media Buffet: We live in an all-you-can-eat media buffet culture, and we are piling a lot of content on our plates. Learn the importance of having a balanced media diet. (18min)

Lesson 4: Technology is not Evil, it is Powerful: New technologies are both a blessing and a burden. It is easy to lose focus on what is important. (18min)

Lesson 5: The Dripping Faucet and Losing Focus: What does a dripping faucet and a smartphone have in common? What are some common problems that have become evident in our tech driven society? (20min)

Lesson 6: Who Needs Sleep? How does our use of technology negatively affect our sleep and what are the consequences? Find out in this informative lesson. (16min)

Lesson 7: Tools or Toys? This generation has access to some of the most powerful digital tools of any generation but what you do with these tools is up to you. Will you merely be a passive consumer or an active producer of good? (11min)

Lesson 8: The Suffocation of Social Media, Part 1: Social media can be a wonderful tool when handled with wisdom but unfortunately it has become problematic for many teens. (18min)

Lesson 9: The Suffocation of Social Media, Part 2: One of the growing challenges with social media is being chained to your device and constantly distracted in order to stay digitally connected. (15min)

Lesson 10: The Great Digital Migration: Learn about the difference between digital natives and digital immigrants. You’ll also learn about the inventions that led to the digital revolution and how quickly things have been changing. (22min)

Lesson 11: Why Worldview Matters: A right worldview is important for making sense of the world. Unfortunately, one of the greatest influences on the worldviews of most teens is from media and entertainment which has resulted in a generation with blurry vision. (17min)

Lesson 12: Desensitized and Numb: Poor entertainment choices can lead to becoming desensitized and numb. This causes you to be less discerning when it comes to content, which leads to increasing numbness. It’s a difficult cycle to break but there is hope of becoming re-sensitized. (12min)

Lesson 13: Taking Every Thought Captive: In this lesson you’ll learn about the subject of media literacy and why it is important to understand the influence media and entertainment can have in your thoughts and actions. (20min)

Lesson 14: The Battle is Not Against Hollywood: You are faced with a personal battle that you may not be aware of. It is a spiritual battle, and you cannot afford to be ignorant of the tactics and weapons of the enemy. (21min)

Lesson 15: Wisdom vs. Rules: Why is it important to gain wisdom and what does it have to do with media and entertainment? In this lesson you’ll learn how gain wisdom and the difference between knowledge and wisdom. (22min)

Lesson 16: Battling Boredom: What is our default when we are bored? We tend to gravitate towards screen-based entertainment. Learn how you can battle boredom and the importance of understanding purpose in life. (22min)

Lesson 17: Redeeming the Time: Time is more valuable than tangible wealth. What does it mean when the Bible says we should redeem time? Learn about making the most of your elective time. (18min)

Lesson 18: Following Your Heart: From the time we began our immersion into entertainment as toddlers, we have been bombarded with messages teaching us to “follow your heart.” Should we follow our heart? What does the Bible say about this subject? (18min)

Lesson 19: Finding Freedom: Today, many people are escaping from reality to a life of virtual captivity, instead of escaping from bondage to freedom. Learn how to find freedom and stay free. (23min)