Action #9: Watch less TV
If you are like most people, TV has had a bit of the upper hand for much of your life. In fact, millions of Americans are so addicted to watching television that they actually meet all of the criteria to be categorized as substance abusers!It is time to renegotiate your relationship with television. For most people the benefits are enormous. Watching less TV will open up time for more constructive activities like: spending quality time with friends and family, catching up on some reading, pursuing hobbies, volunteering, playing music, enjoying nature, exercising, playing with your dog, or just getting outside.
3hrs,46min: the amount of TV the average American watches each day.
Tips for taking back your life from TV:
Turn the TV off for one week: Turning off the TV for an entire week will give you enough time to evaluate the role of television in your life. Try it now. It's just one week. Keep your commitment, and you'll be surprised at what you find. National TV-Turnoff Week happens every year during the last week of April.
Set a daily limit on TV watching: A good way to start taking back your power is to actually log how much time you spend in front of the TV in any given week. Once you've done that, consider cutting your TV watching in half.
Choose what you watch (don't channel surf): Don't let the TV decide what you watch. YOU DECIDE! Consult your TV listings to find programs that you want to watch instead of just flipping through all of the channels. You might even consider taping the shows on your VCR so that you can watch them at your convenience and fast-forward through the commercials. Don't get stuck watching programs that you don't really enjoy because "there's nothing better to do."
Turn off the sound during commercials: Have you ever noticed that the volume increases when the commercials come on? It's just another little trick to get you to buy something. Push the mute button. Then turn and talk to the person sitting next to you (or get up and do something).
Turn off the tube and live a little!