Saint Anthony of Egypt did not have a smartphone. An ascetic of early Christianity, Saint Anthony endured intense spiritual challenges during his life. A painting by a young Michelangelo depicts one of them: an assault by what I described for RealClearReligion as “a kaleidoscopic demonic legion.” A comparable work today, I mused, might “show someone being constantly pinged by notifications from apps.”

The approach of Lent in our digital, overstimulated age often inspires those who hope to abide by the season’s strictures to look with renewed skepticism at their relationship with technology. The Catholic Weekly recently surveyed some Catholics interested in restricting their use of smartphones or social media apps. These Catholics object to their own commodification, their manipulation by technology, and their replacing real world social interaction with digital. Technology may be morally neutral, but it remains a pathway to sin. Envy attaches itself naturally to Instagram. Wrath is the currency of Twitter/X. And all are conducive to sloth.

Those who worry that they have succumbed to technological temptations have an opportunity to do something about it. And despite the omnipresence of digital life, there are methods one can take to guard against its seductions. Grayscaling your phone is one method I’ve found effective. Removing the offending apps from it helps, too. You can even use your phone to set timers on app usage, though relying on the same device you’re trying to use less as a means to reduce usage brings its own risks. A small step: Get a watch or an alarm clock and use that for an alarm instead. An article in the National Catholic Register recommends setting specific temporal boundaries about when to use your phone.

All of these steps depend on some degree of self-discipline. As does replacing time previously spent scrolling or browsing with other activities, as productive a step as that may be. Replacing some of these recaptured moments with prayer, for those so inclined, would be good in itself. It also points to the higher spiritual reality behind all Lenten disciplines. Which is why Lent can be far more powerful than a New Year’s resolution.

You don’t need to be a Desert Father to find something deeply rewarding about a Lenten discipline. Thinking about it as an opportunity for spiritual growth is a strong motivator that can steel you for the challenges that await. And you can start by logging off.