I have not had network television or cable TV in over 4 years. I do not miss it, nor do I feel as though I am MISSING OUT on anything. For 3.5 of those 4 years, I didn’t even have a television on the main floor of my home. I do not have a television in my bedroom. Nope, not missing it AT ALL! This is a topic I feel like preaching on.
If you think of what you are actually doing when you are watching TV, the answer is typically some sort of avoidance. Avoiding housework, avoiding homework, avoiding sleep, avoiding your significant other etc…you are also avoiding more effective behaviors: going for a walk, exercising, painting, reading, talking to a friend…
If you compare any two items from those two collections, I’d venture to bet that as a result of avoidance you feel worse: more depressed, sluggish, unmotivated, lonely, sad etc. As a result of the effective behavior, I’d bet you feel better: accomplished, productive, proud, happy, relieved, connected.
On any given day, on any given moment, which would you choose? To feel unmotivated and depressed or to feel productive and happy?? I do believe that is an easy choice and yet many of us choose to feel more sluggish and dejected by binge watching shows by the season! There are many ways to achieve decreased TV watching (limit yourself, decrease channels paid for, join a gym) but how have those worked for you so far? My ideas of only owning ONE television, not having cable or network TV and not having a TV in your bedroom do put a barrier into place that reduce the likelihood of watching to excess. Do I still binge-watch Netflix sometimes? Yes. Does it make me feel sluggish, unmotivated and depressed? Almost every time! But I watch so much less TV than I ever have in my life…and that makes me HAPPY, PROUD and PRODUCTIVE!
‘cutting the cord’ – not ONLY saves your brain – it saves MONEY TOO. I do not miss having cable!