Drowning in Screen Time: A Lifeline for Adults, Parents, Teachers, and Ministers Who Want to Reclaim Their Real Lives

by David Murrow

Screens connect us 24/7 — and we’ve never been lonelier. Screens let us post, surf, text and shoot imaginary foes – but we’re losing our ability to function in the real world. As a result, young adults are experiencing an epidemic of anxiety, isolation and even suicide. Bestselling author David Murrow show us how to master our screen time – and return our focus to the things that really matter. The book explains and diagnoses the screen problem from a clinically sound, Christian perspective. It offers real solutions to the problem of screen addition and overuse.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Parenting, Audiobook

271 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 29, 2020

Reviews

[Lydia Curtis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has changed my screen time and device usage drastically — not just to convince me that being on my devices in certain ways is wasted time, but to show how the constant connection is unsatisfying and harmful to me physically and mentally.

[Kristen · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. The author is super judgmental about all forms of screen time. For me, a self-help book should be written in a factual and neutral way. The narrator was too aggressive and just intensified the feelings of guilt and shame.

[Tamara Younce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative but real common sense at the same time. I often yearn for simpler days when people met in real life, when they were not home they missed calls and when we wanted to know something we pulled out a dictionary or encyclopedia or asked someone. This book brings out the dangers of our screen addiction, and it is very serious! I am thankful there were no cell phones when I was raising my kids.

[Patina Malinalli · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is super informative! I loved it. It definitely provides time-saving advice I can put into practice! Highly recommend!

[Chuck Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just listened to this. Good length. Loved the parable approach. Murrow does a good job laying out the problem (and it's many facets), connecting his readers to resources, and providing a way out. DEFINITELY recommend this to ANYONE.

[Ryan Michaud · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since the introduction of the smart phone in 2007, some 15 years later we are now starting to see the dark sides of having easy access to screens 24/7. Good literature is coming out talking about it (Digital Minimalism, The Shallows, The Tech Wise Family) and now this work. I think the title is pretty apt. As to how we all feel regarding screen time.

This was a pretty good read with lots of cultural, societal, and neurological research and arguments against the overuse of screens in our life. It didn't nessecarily break any new ground from some of the other stuff that is out there already but did keen in on some really important issues (screens and young kids/babies, pornography, etc). He points to his website a lot where he has even more resources too.

Two things: I thought this book was coming from a more Christian worldview but it didn't really do that, which is fine. If your looking for something with a more Christian base , The Tech Wise Family is a good place to go.
Second , I don't think there was an adequate balance of some of the good things screens can do for us. I guess he was reacting to the obsession we have of screens.

This is a good book for anybody but especially parents and especially parents with young children trying to figure all this out.

[Martha Lennon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although this book was written on the cusp of the COVID shutdown and rise of virtual learning (as a necessity), what he shares is pertinent and challenging. In a readable format, he tracing the timeline of our screen fascination and addiction. Before reading the book, I felt pretty comfortable with my relationship with "the screen" but I was challenged to put apply some brakes.
Murrow's book is a good resource for parents or those who want to be parents - giving them real and usable guidelines and suggestions for lives with technology. It is a good resource for just about anyone who has a TV, tablet or smart phone. He has just enough research included to validate his position.
I read this book easily in two days but then again, I am in a season of life where this was possible. Just did not turn on the TV after dinner!

[Evie Mae J · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this for a self help book for a challenge, glad I did, I’m very fascinated by screen time and human habits, and I enjoy bettering myself and growing. So I have been wanting to read A book on screen time. I was hoping for more scripture and Christian based statements, there wasn’t a lot of that till the end. There was a big chunk on viewing sexual content so there’s a caution based on where you are In life. Some people say the audiobook voice is annoying, which I understand but didn’t mind much. I pretty much just listened to it like a podcast. I loved all the parables he had and images to help you understand. My fav thing he covered was how screens ruin our human connections with each other. Now I’m telling my family to read the book, and trying to put my phone down when we’re all together.

[Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for a great summary of supporting data that shows the negative impact of screen use as well as a Christian perspective of how screens can hurt us, then look no further. This book is very well organized and keeps your attention from start to finish. Murrow does a great job at taking data and using stories/parables to drive the main point of the book. The book just isn't about phones, but screen use in general. It's also just not about "kids these days" but touches all ages and most types of screen addiction. I would highly recommend this book as I have learned so much just going through it the first time. This is one I'll reference often and most definitely go through again.

[Dave Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really a 3.5

A mostly good book on the topic of social media and screen time. It gives a lot of information on why it’s a detriment, and provides some advice about leaving social media for you and your family, and how to minimize screen time.

Sometimes the information or advice seemed a bit weak, but mostly very good.

One big criticism I have is that the audiobook of this was strange. I thought the narrator was pretty annoying.

[Diana Torres · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enlightening and a great reminder to keep an eye on screen time, not only for your personal health and wellness but also for your relationships. The parables in this book really are unique ways at looking at the way technology changes our behavior. Since reading, I’ve been more mindful of how much screen time I am using, as well as the advertisements and messages I consume.

[Melody · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a timely book. Sobering, but also helpful.

[James Lloyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

A perfectly fine summary of the issues surrounding too much screen time. Includes some nice, simplistic parables to understand why too much screen time is bad.

[Stella Maren · Rating 4 out of 5]

aaðeins of mikill fókus á guð í lokinn en glósaði niður fullt og lærði fullt

[Emily Hoisington · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Sam likes to play table tennis, better known as ping-pong. He keeps his ping-pong balls in a glass fishbowl. One day, Sam notices that the balls are looking scuffed and dirty. So he fills a pitcher with water and pours it into the fish bowl. Two things happen.

All the empty spaces between the balls are filled with water.
Balls begin rising to the top and spilling out of the fishbowl.
The fishbowl represents your brains total capacity. And each ping pong ball represents a dream, thought, goal, emotion, your relationships, work, school, leisure activities, responsibilities, etc… Now back to ping-pong playing Sam. When he filled the fishbowl with water, what happened to that airspace between the balls? It was displaced, and the balls started popping out the top. In this parable, the water represents screen time. It’s filling every spare moment of our attention. Drowning out creativity. Pushing out thinking time. The water not only fills all the empty spaces between ping pong balls, it also pushes some balls out of the bowl altogether. Screen time is displacing things that are vitally important, leaving us with less time and energy to invest in the people and activities that make life worth living.”

Out of all the staggering statistics, real life stories, convicting bible verses and scientific data that “Drowning in Screen Time” includes, that one parable written at the beginning of the book was what really opened my eyes to the epidemic we are living in amid a world of screens.

This book is such a lifeline for our times. Pertinent, challenging, and eye opening, David Murrow shows what screens are doing to our families and relationships, why screen content is so addictive and how to find freedom and confidence in real life.

I would highly suggest this book to anyone who spends any time submerged in the screen world- even if you think that time is minimal!

[Amy Melina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. Great info, but the Christian perspective was not for me. Still a great read with some great information and advice.