Seriously.
Here’s the thing, I used to watch TV idly as a way to relax. I’d turn it on and watch whatever was mildly interesting. Since I had a cable TV subscription, something was always on.
Then, I noticed something about myself. I would watch a show I didn’t even like. Even reruns. I called this “mindless entertainment”. After all, I was only unwinding. But the way TV sucks you in to watch one show after another, I found that I watched at least 3 hours each night. This amounted to at least 15 hours of TV per weekday. Even more hours were spent watching TV during weekends.
I realized that I had a problem when I was watching an episode of The OC for the third time. And I actually hated the show!
If I wanted to be more productive and have more free time, clearly I had to cut back on TV and find other ways to relax.
Now, I still have a TV but I rarely use it. When I was cutting back on expenses, I canceled my cable TV subscription. I have cable TV again because of someone who lives with me, but when she leaves I’m going to have it disconnected again.
Because I don’t really watch TV. And you know what, I think I owe at least some part of my financial stability to that. Here’s why:
- If you watch less TV you won’t be as prone to tempting ads. Don’t get me wrong, everyone is prone to being convinced by advertising, but at least by cutting back on TV you have less exposure. Also, ads take up around 1/4 of a show’s air time, and life’s too short to be spent watching random ads.
- You can do something more productive or restful for your downtime. This includes bonding with friends and family, reading, working on a side business, managing your money, or even sleeping.
- Foreign shows, news, and other forms of entertainment can be found for free online. You just need to know where to look. No need to pay a premium for subscriptions, and no need to wait a certain time/day for your favorite show. In other words, you get to choose carefully which shows you’ll invest your time in.
One disadvantage is that my friends give me crap about how I don’t know Kim Chiu, or who the latest matinee idol is, or how I’m a “loser” for not watching Pinoy Big Brother. But come on – as far as disadvantages go, who cares? I’m never the one who complains about not having enough time for sleep/hobbies/family.
Try it. Disconnect your cable TV subscription, if you have it. Turn off the TV set. You’ll be surprised at what you could accomplish. Why not add that to your list of goals for the new year?
It’s amazing how much more you can get done without a TV, but at the same time how different it makes you from most people in society. I remember having a science teacher in middle school and thinking he was the weirdest man ever because he didn’t have a TV…
TV is almost hypnotic in that once you start it’s really hard to pull away. I combat this by not evening having a TV in my apartment. Although you can still watch shows on hulu.com which I do from time to time when I break down!
I think getting rid of the TV habit plays a big role in reaching success. Nice Post.
Thanks for your comment Ryan, I completely agree with you. I don’t think there’s anything inherently wrong in watching shows or films you like, but doing it via TV is too “passive” for my taste. I can’t schedule viewings, avoid advertisements, or pause it whenever I want. This control over it allows me to get more stuff done every day. The stuff that really matters.
This is my first time to post a comment. But before I do, I would like to say congratulations for an excellent blog. I have learned a lot from your site. Back to the topic… I am married with three kids whose ages are 9, 6, and 4. Other families would have TV and watch shows regularly. But for us, sinadya naming “ipasira” ang TV para di maka-receive ng channel. So our TV is used solely for DVD viewing where we can really control what our kids watch and when.
Friends and relatives think we’re crazy but it really offers us a lot of benefits. Best benefit is we really talk… a lot! Just imagine a weekend where all three kids are home and we do nothing but talk, do arts, read, talk… I really agree with your tip to stop watching TV.