~ “TV is chewing gum for the eyes.” ~ Frank Lloyd Wright
Watching TV is a double edged sword for me. I love that I can learn so many interesting things and I enjoy unwinding with a good movie. But a few months ago I realised that I had developed the habit of just having the TV on in the background all day long. A constant stream of noise and distraction. The day would go by in a bit of a blur.
Too much TV is like living vicariously: Watching other people living life, instead of living your own.
I’d love to give up the TV completely, at least for a month or so. But I have a family and my desire for simple living has to fit in with their desire for entertainment. Over the years DH and I have learned the power of compromise. He’s an extrovert sporty type, I’m more the introvert, hippy chick. He has no desire to give up TV! So we’ve reached a compromise. The TV is turned now only turned on for about 1/2 an hour in the mornings for the news while DH has breakfast. On my days off I sometimes watch a movie in the afternoon but most days now we just watch a bit of TV in the evenings. I used to watch TV in my bedroom to try and help me sleep, now I read a book. If I woke up at night and couldn’t sleep I’d watch TV, now I read. I’m trying to keep my TV watching to just 2 hours a day maximum. I plan to cut down further.
My mind is not overloaded with information and the daily diet of misery ! I feel calmer and less stressed. I have so much more time to myself and am getting more things done. I have time to enjoy the silence. I can hear the sounds of the birds in my garden during the day. Ocasionally I listen to music or audiobooks. TV is a time waster when it’s just turned on out of habit.
Here’s a few more posts on giving up TV:
Living without television. A great story about living without TV for the last 10 years.
Living without TV. Another great blog post about a year without television
this entire site is dedicated to giving up TV: Kill Your Television! it’s filled with interesting information
101 things to do instead of watching TV
Wondering what to do instead? Here’s some ideas:
1. go for a walk
2. knit, sew, crotchet, cross stitch, embroider
3. read a book
4. work in the garden
5. phone a friend for a chat
6. have a cup of tea outside in the garden and plan the next planting
7. do some decluttering
8. take a long soak in the bath
9. listen to blogtalk radio, audiobooks, good music
10. meditate
11. draw, paint, sketch,
12. do yoga, tai chi,
13. dance, sing!
14. lie in the grass and look at the clouds
15. visit a neighbour
16. go outside and stargaze
17. just sit quietly and listen to the sounds of the world going by
18. paint a room
19. spend time with your partner
20. play board games
21. cook a lovely meal, bake a batch of fresh biscuits
22. pray
23. sort photos and scan them
24. play with a child, whatever they want you to play
25. write that novel!
How much TV do you watch?
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I rarely watch much TV. Both son & hubby watch it a fair bit so its on mostly at night, but truthfully I could take it or leave it. The internet on the other hand ….
I switched off a lot of the yahoo groups that were cluttering up my mind and like you, my mind stopped being as overloaded. I had time to process the information I did read without being bombarded with too much of it.
Hmmm–well, I admit to being a TV addict. I’m tired of apologizing for that particular failing! I’m not sure why it gets such a bad rap and is so much “worse” than, say, reading, which I also do daily and with great pleasure.
hi Kez, if I had to choose between the Tv & the internet I think I’d choose the internet!
hi Grace, don’t apologise! For me it’s just reached a stage of helping me avoid things that need doing, so I needed to make a change.