How Does Technology Affect Your Marriage?

However, some spouses allow misuse of technology to . . .

• rob them of valuable time together.

• bring work into the home unnecessarily.

• create distrust and even disloyalty.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

TIME TOGETHER

A husband named Michael says: “Sometimes when my wife and I are together, she isn’t really ‘there.’ She’s busy looking at her phone, and she says, ‘I haven’t been able to check until now.’” A husband named Jonathan says that in such situations “spouses can be physically together and yet seem miles apart.”

TO THINK ABOUT: How often does a phone call, text, or notification interfere with quality time that could be spent with your spouse?​—EPHESIANS 5:33.

WORK

Some people have to be available around the clock because of the nature of their secular work. Others, whose jobs are not so demanding, still find it difficult to leave their job behind them at the end of the day. “It’s hard not to check every phone call or text message that I receive for work during time that I’ve set aside to spend with my wife,” admits a husband named Lee. A wife named Joy says: “I work from home, so work is always present. It takes effort to be balanced.”

TO THINK ABOUT: Do you give undivided attention to your spouse when he or she is speaking to you?​—LUKE 8:18.

LOYALTY

One poll found that suspicious use of social media was a common cause of marital fights. Ten percent of those surveyed admitted posting material online that they keep hidden from their spouse.

For good reason, social media has been called a “marriage minefield” and even “an adultery service.” Not surprisingly, divorce lawyers say that social media plays a significant role in many of today’s marriage breakups.

TO THINK ABOUT: Do you hide from your spouse communications with someone of the opposite sex?​—PROVERBS 4:23.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

SET PRIORITIES

A person who neglects eating will not stay healthy. Similarly, a person who neglects spending time with his or her spouse will find it difficult to maintain a healthy marriage.​—Ephesians 5:28, 29.

Discuss which suggestions below you would like to implement, or write down your own ideas for keeping technology from interfering with your marriage.

• Have at least one meal together each day

• Create periods of time to unplug from our devices

• Schedule a date night or other special time together

• Keep our devices off at night, away from where we sleep

• Set aside 15 minutes daily to talk to each other, without devices nearby

• Turn off Internet access at a specified time