Thechangeblog.com
Last night my wife and I enjoyed the company of some friends for dinner. It was great catching up, bouncing ideas off one another, and just engaging in plain good conversation. As parents of a toddler we rarely get such a thing these days. During dinner, my friend who is a very smart and articulate individual said something that really made me question my priorities. He told me that he doesn’t own a television.
Now I can guarantee you one thing, all the tvs we have are staying right where they are, that is a fact! But I will admit over the last few months I have regressed when it comes to reading books, reading articles, and watching educational youtube videos.
Who is to blame?!
First and foremost myself! But here is a list of my co-conspirators!
- Sons of Anarchy: My wife and I just started watching this on Amazon and are already on the 5th season!
- American Horror Story
- Scandal
- Dexter
- Homeland
- The Walking Dead
As you can probably assess I am a tv show buff, have been and always will be.
But from now on instead of following shows throughout the season we plan on DVR’ing them and catching up on days where my brain is literally fried and I need a break.
So what is the point of all of this????
Value your time! There is absolutely no reason on earth for me to be so sucked into these tv shows hanging onto every thread of suspense. NONE! Those actors, directors, and producers could care less who I am so why am I so quick to give them one of my most precious assets…. TIME!
Now granted I always have a laptop with me while I’m watching tv, I never just sit down and watch tv, but I imagine what I could accomplish during a week without tv.
With that said for the next week I’m giving up TV. This will allow me to see how much more productive I can be throught the week. I’ll have the results for you guys next Sunday.
Do you feel you spend too much time watching television? If so, what are some things you have done to limit the amount of time you spend watching tv?
January 6, 2013 at 10:32 pm
I don’t really sit down to “watch” TV anymore. But it’s on in the background while I use the computer and blog. My sister and BIL don’t have a TV. If I really wanted my time back I’d get rid of the computer
January 7, 2013 at 8:48 am
I know what you mean. It has taken my wife YEARS to understand that I cannot put my computer down while watching tv. Very rarely does she put her foot down and demand that I sit down without my computer
January 7, 2013 at 12:23 am
This is nice. I am glad you wrote this. We do not watch TV at home at all during the week, and sometimes we rent a movie and watch one movie on Saturday night or Sunday evening such as today. That’s all. Most of my free time I spend reading either books or websites where I can find something educational. And I agree with KK above. Currently it is the computer consuming my time he he…
January 7, 2013 at 8:59 am
I like that as a compromise. Only watch tv or movies during my days off from work. I’m good with the computer although I will admit I get sidetracked on Facebook or Youtube from time to time.
January 7, 2013 at 10:56 am
You hit the nail on the head Marvin! I am too guilty of this. We generally watch an hour or so at night after corralling the kids to bed. I rarely just sit down anymore to just watch tv unless it’s a football game. I am usually doing some sort of work. But, in the end, I know there are ways to be more effective while also growing myself mentally.
January 10, 2013 at 11:57 am
I’m the same way, constantly have the laptop in my lap while I’m watching the game.
January 7, 2013 at 3:02 pm
I used to watch T.V. whenever I could, because it was the only thing I felt like doing. Growing up and going back to school has made me watch less T.V. Mainly because I really don’t like most of the T.V. shows out there, and I never have had cable either. I do, however, schedule in football on Sundays and I don’t feel bad about it at all. It’s the only time I watch, so I really get to enjoy myself and not feel bad at all. Do what you love, if it’s T.V. then so be it. I love video games and I don’t feel bad for unwinding one night a week just playing a game until I go to bed. Who cares what you do, just commit to your reasons of why and stop feeling bad. At least that is what I do
January 10, 2013 at 11:58 am
Great point! TV does allow to me to unwind after being glued to a computer screen all day at work.
January 7, 2013 at 8:13 pm
I own a TV but actually cancelled my cable a few months ago because I simply don’t watch it anymore. I do have a Netflix subscription and watch a few series on demand, but honestly I don’t miss regularly scheduled programming. There’s just too much else to do!
January 10, 2013 at 12:00 pm
Dustin I hear you! I wish we could cancel our entire cable but it’s provided through our HOA. We did cancel our premium channels though. We like Netflix as well.
January 8, 2013 at 12:35 am
The DVR is a great idea. Watching TV is probably one of the best/easiest ways to reduce stress and unwind, so I’m also guilty of indulging quite a bit here. However, if you can DVR the shows, like you said, then you can skip the useless commercials, which are really to blame for stealing away all the precious time!
I’m a big sports fan, and signed up for NFL rewind this season. It’s been great! I’m able to watch an entire game in less than 2 hours (usually takes 3). I can even fast forward and skip the boring parts, which I wouldn’t be able to do during a live broadcast.
So, by making some slight changes, you can have your cake and eat it too!
January 10, 2013 at 12:01 pm
Have my cake and eat it too?! I like that! DVR is one of the best inventions ever, like you said we get to skip all the useless commercials. Now that I think about it, I believe that will become an obsolete marketing technique over the years as people use their DVRs more and more.
January 8, 2013 at 2:23 pm
I don’t spend a ton of time watching television (though I will go in flurries where I get a whole series on Netflix and watch it….Game of Thrones is next).
In 8th grade we didn’t have a television for a year. I don’t think it’ll come as a surprise that my grades skyrocketed, I read several books, I wrote a book (it was crap, but it was 120 pages!), my interest in board games with friends and family was born and we started hiking as a family. No downsides to no television.
January 10, 2013 at 12:02 pm
I know what you mean. When I was deployed, even though I was working 12-14 hour days I read a relentless amount of books and made friendships beyond measure.
January 9, 2013 at 10:08 am
Television is opiate for the masses, muahaha! Seriously though, I will watch a few shows through Netflix (Falling Skies, The Walking Dead for now. Oh, and the boy is cycling through old Star Trek Voyagers…) and we don’t have a television in our apartment either. And while I enjoy relaxing with a few shows now and then, I don’t miss having easy access to tv one bit. Between a toddler, brushing up on my piano skills, cooking at home, reading and writing, I have no spare time to even miss it!
January 10, 2013 at 12:04 pm
Ha! That’s a great point, our daughter runs us ragged. We don’t allow her to watch tv until the night time show is on. If only there were 30 hours in a day!
January 14, 2013 at 11:34 am
I have been preaching this concept to my friends and in my own head for a while. I constantly ask what is my own time worth to me? Is it worth spending so and so hours on a project that may have zero to no return value? I utilize Google Calendar as my main time management tool. I have found that although it might be OCD-esq to document all to do’s and have a detailed schedule even for social/night out plans but it keeps me in order and always prepared for the coming days, weeks.
January 14, 2013 at 1:03 pm
I’m a big advocate of doing whatever works for you. I also use Google Calendar and love it!