If you’re seeing this on your phone or computer, go ahead and take a moment to appreciate the irony — you’re reading about the governor’s call for “Virginia Screen-Free Week”... on a screen.

The governor’s office sent the announcement by email, naturally. Makes sense — those of us in the media are practically glued to our screens.

If the goal was to really drive the point home, they could’ve gone old-school: print the press release, slap a stamp on it, maybe even dust off the fax machine in the governor’s office. Assuming it’s still there — possibly tucked in a closet, a leftover from the McDonnell administration.

But back to that message on my screen from the governor’s office. Here’s what the week is about, it reads: “This statewide initiative encourages Virginians of all ages to take intentional breaks from phones, tablets and social media — and reconnect with family, community and the world beyond the screen.”

Hard to argue with that. We live in a world where notifications never stop, where doomscrolling is a pastime and where toddlers are being raised on YouTube, touchscreens and AI voices from electronic devices. Taking a break — even for a few hours — sounds like a luxury, but may be a necessity.

According to the release, excessive screen time and social media use have been linked to a range of mental health struggles for young people—everything from sleep problems and anxiety to rising depression rates. In the U.S., teens are spending nearly five hours a day on social media, and up to 41% of those using it for two or more hours daily say their mental health is poor or very poor.

Suicide continues to be the second leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 34.

Of course, stepping away from screens is easier said than done. For many of us, work, school and daily life revolve around them. Still, the idea behind Screen-Free Week isn’t to demonize technology, but to remind us that there’s life happening outside the glow of our devices.

“Virginia Screen-Free Week is a call to action — to hit pause on the noise of digital distractions and say ‘yes’ to deeper connection, stronger mental health and a brighter future for our youth,” Gov. Youngkin stated in the press release.

So maybe this week, we put the phone down at dinner. Take a break from watching television shows that end up watching you. Try having a real conversation, face to face.

The screens will be there when we get back. But the moments we might miss while looking down? They can slip away for good.