My dear young friends, I thank God for yet another week. Thank you for your responses over the weeks. I was glad to read your thoughts on our last topic- giving.
This week I want to begin a conversation on a problem that is ravaging you my young friends and families not just in Uganda but across the globe.
The problem of digital addiction. The problem of social media or digital addiction is relatively new, but it has really reached all over the world. It has been called the modern day addictive drug – like tobacco or alcohol. It leads to poor school performance, breakdown of family communication and delinquent behaviors. Studies show that, youth worldwide spend an average of 7 hours every day online. This is simply too much and help to break this addiction is urgently needed.
Please get me right, Social media can be a blessing, as you all know, the fact that we are using it right now to dialogue is testament to that, but it can have a very destructive effect on our lives, our relationships, our families and the nation at large.
As you, my young friends devote all your time on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Tik Tok and all other social media platforms, it is very easy for your academic work to suffer. As parents spend lots of time on the same platforms, communication in families breaks down and before you know it, family members are living as strangers under the same roof. As the saying goes, “too much of anything is always bad”.
Time is one of the greatest resources God has given to us, to waste time is to waste your life. Apostle Paul cautions us in Ephesians chapter 5, verse 15 that, “Pay careful attention to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil”.
Today, I will share three steps in overcoming digital addiction.
1. Confession
Ask God to forgive you and cleanse you from all your digital unrighteousness. I John 1:9 says, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from our unrighteousness. Sin goes out only one way – by confessing with your mouth.
2. Begin a new life of discipline
Discipline starts in your private life. There are those things you must overcome when nobody is seeing that translate to your public life. Usually it is the small things that no one sees that create the big things everyone wants to see. Discipline means you identify your priorities and make a decision to focus on those priorities. In this season of your life, what are your priorities? It could be academic work, as we grapple with the pandemic and our learners have stayed home for long, it could be using your home study materials, an online class, attending to some chores, whatever it is, focus is important.
3. Bring your addiction under control by putting screen or app timer lock after a set time.
This can be done as a family where the desired time is set, and the app locker is on until the next day. If your goal is 60 minutes, then set it for those minutes and give the password to someone else in the family who will keep you accountable. This has helped many to monitor and break their addictions.
I would love to hear from you as well. Is this a problem for you, your family or your friends? Are there some stories you can share 4 with me? I look forward to continuing this dialogue and exchange on the most important issues facing our youth today.
Blessings to you!
Maama Janet K. Museveni
Minister of Education and Sports and First Lady.
