From Screens to Simplicity: Reclaiming Beauty in the Evening Hours

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Put more thought into your leisure time … when it comes to your relaxation, don’t default to whatever catches your attention at the moment, but instead dedicate some advance thinking to the question of how you want to spend your “day within a day.” 1— Cal Newport

I was recently convicted that I had been spending too much of my limited downtime watching TV. Although my schedule is full—many evenings are taken up with school functions—I had slipped into the habit of defaulting to television when I finally had a moment to rest. My justification was simple: “I deserve this time.”

Rest and relaxation are gifts from God. Jesus Himself said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). The Hebrew word Shabbat means “to cease,” “to end,” or “to rest.” Rest is good and necessary. But like all good gifts, it can be misused. Taken to excess, it becomes harmful. This is why moderation matters. As Proverbs 25:16 warns, “If you have found honey, eat only enough for you, lest you have your fill of it and vomit it.” Even good things, when overindulged, can do more harm than good.

That doesn’t mean every moment should be filled with work. Although Scripture exhorts us to “Walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15–16, MKJV), it does not require nonstop labor. Rest is good. Leisure is necessary. The question is not whether we rest, but how. Are we using our leisure time wisely?

That question led me to take a hard look at how I was spending mine—and to a growing conviction: my wife and I weren’t stewarding our leisure well. We both felt it. We weren’t using the gift of rest in ways that nourished our souls or honored the time God has entrusted to us.

So we made a change.

Good Books, Good Music, Good Tea, and a Good Cookie

We established a new evening routine. Rather than heading straight to the TV after dinner, we now begin our evenings with reading and beautiful music.

Chesterton once said, “Art is the signature of man.”2 He meant that art is one of the defining marks of humanity. Animals don’t make art—only man does. Monkeys don’t draw pictures of men; men draw pictures of monkeys.

Literature and music are forms of art—the fruit and evidence that we are made in God’s image. Just as God created—and continues to create—beauty, we reflect His image when we create. But we are also blessed as recipients of beauty. Good art, whether expressed through literature or music, nourishes the soul, engages the mind, and refreshes the body.

Benefits of Good Music

A summary of peer-reviewed research shows the following benefits of good music:

  • Reduces stress and anxiety; improves mood and helps with depression.

  • Enhances memory and cognitive function in older adults and those with dementia.

  • Assists in pain management and recovery after surgery.

  • Improves sleep quality.

  • Enhances emotional expression and processing.

Our music of choice is usually instrumental smooth jazz or classical chill. If you're like me, you may not have heard of classical chill. I stumbled upon it one evening when, on a whim, I asked my digital assistant, “Play classical chill.” To my surprise, playlists under that label actually exist.

While Classical Chill is not a formally recognized musical genre, the term refers to curated collections that combine classical music with ambient, calming elements. These playlists are designed to foster a peaceful and reflective atmosphere by highlighting classical works known for their soothing qualities.

I especially enjoy listening to classical chill while reading. It’s not distracting; I can stay focused on the book while enjoying beautiful, restful music in the background.

Benefits of Good Literature

Good literature also offers significant benefits:

  • Reduces stress and promotes relaxation.

  • Enhances empathy and emotional intelligence.

  • Helps preserve cognitive function and slows age-related decline.

  • Strengthens memory and mental sharpness.

  • Expands vocabulary and communication skills.

  • Improves focus and concentration.

  • Improves sleep quality when part of a bedtime routine.

Our new evening routine gave me more time to read. I recently completed Co-intelligence: Living and Working with AI by Ethan Mollick, which I highly recommend. And, believe it or not, I just started War and Peace. This will take a little longer! 

Tea and Cookie

To good music and literature, I added a cup of tea, which is also good for you—and a low-sugar, homemade oatmeal cookie. I like to think of “oatmeal” cookies as health food. 🙂

Try It, I Think You’ll Like It

Aristotle is attributed to have said, “Greatness of spirit is accompanied by simplicity and sincerity.”

I encourage you to reconsider how you spend your leisure time. Try embracing a quieter, simpler evening routine by setting aside a small portion of time to read good literature, listen to good music, and perhaps enjoy a good cup of tea with a good cookie. You may find, as I have, that your soul, mind, and body are better for it.

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1 Newport, Cal. 2016. Deep work. Grand Central Publishing. https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=4QTzCAAAQBAJ&source=gbsapi 

2 Chesterton, G. K. The Everlasting Man. Mumbai, Maharashtra: Sanage Publishing House, 2021.