The 9 Step Television Diet

79 Comments

Over the holiday break, I traveled back to Canada to visit my parents. Since I don’t watch TV at home, I decided I would indulge my senses and watch a little. “Hey, it’s the break. Relax, let it loose and watch all those shows I miss out on.” At the end of two weeks, I was an addict. I sat and watched so many random shows that I’m embarrassed just thinking about it.

Coming from a life where the TV never gets used, I found that the change in me was swift and noticeable. My holiday daily routine went something like this: sleep in, lazily walk into the kitchen looking for food, turn on the TV to see what’s on while I eat, watch TV for several hours, spend some time with my family, eventually return to the TV and watch for several more hours.

At the end, I felt so drained and tired. Even with knowing how it made me feel, I continued to repeat this each day until the day I left. Like I was under a magical spell. What’s worst, after coming home, I downloaded all the missed episodes of Tila Tequila’s ‘Shot at Love’ and watched them. Even knowing that it was trash for my mind, I did it anyway.

Yikes! Now, I needed to do something about it.

Perhaps you can relate. I don’t mean with trashy reality shows, but how TV has the ability to grab a hold of us.

I wanted to understand: why do we keep turning the TV on?

Before we’re about to turn on the TV, it feels as if it is the best thing to do at this moment. It’s easy; just one flick of a button. When we’re watching it, we don’t have to think, we just sit back passively while absorbing the bright lights and sounds, characters and plot lines. We seemingly forget everything else while we are entirely focussed. Television becomes a nice excuse to delay our responsibilities.

We watch TV, even if there isn’t anything good on. We find ourselves surfing through all the channels, hoping to find anything to keep us there. I feels so much easier than any alternate, which would mean leaving our comfortable position. Before we know it, we’ve been staring at the TV for longer than we planned and delayed what really needed to get done.

Let me ask you, how do you feel after getting up from watching TV? Do you feel good about yourself? Personally, I feel terrible; guilty of procrastinating and frustrated with my lack of willpower.

Here are some effects of TV watching based on my experience:

Mental Clutter - Most things on TV are useless and uninspiring. We are drawn to them to satisfy our curiosity and fear of being alone without things to do. It almost gives us a sense of temporary purpose and a great way to kill time. Most simply becomes unnecessary noise that clutters my mind and inner space.
Mentally Draining - I feel tired and drained. Literally, after staring at the screen passively, my head is numb and I feel sleepy. This is because our brains are actively working to process the highly visual and auditory information, even though we are sitting there passively receiving the information.
Highly Addictive - I want to watch more. After watching the show we’ve planned to watch, what do we do afterwards? The natural tendency is to click around and see what else is on. It’s not unusual to set out wanting to watch one show and ending up watching several more hours of unplanned TV ‘action’.
Time Consuming - Due to its addictive qualities, it has the tendency to suck your time. You are not able to do other things more empowering or beneficial.
Feeling Crappy - I never feel good about myself after I finally pry my eyes from the TV set. With the exception of some documentaries and shows, most shows don’t leave you empowered or inspired.
Procrastination - You get drawn in. You get distracted and delay your tasks. You encourage yourself to procrastinate. I noticed this tendency in myself, as I am procrastinating to complete this blog post.
Kills Imagination - I remember reading a study several years ago on child development and imagination. They concluded that reading tends to stimulate imagination, and extensive TV watching suppresses imagination. When we are watching TV, we are passively receiving and processing visual information, and little imagination is required. Whereas when reading, you are actively reading words and then converting them into visual information or meaning.
Bad Posture - It’s easy to slide down into couch when we relax. When we are absorbed by a riveting show, we tend to disregard any physical sensation and rest in the same position. This can’t possibly be conducive for our physical health. On my flight home from my holiday, I could barely sit up because of pain in my lower back.
Guilt - Naturally, we feel guilty when we haven’t accomplished what we’ve set out to do. Once you realize that you are no further ahead than you were when you started, your conscience jumps on you.

Solution? How to Overcome TV Addiction?

Well, pleading with myself to stop watching these silly shows didn’t work. I needed more motivation.

Here are some strategies and tips that helped me in conquering my recent TV addiction.

I hope they can be of help in your life.

1. Focus on Your Food When Eating

It’s so tempting to turn on the TV while we eat. We tell ourselves, “I’m gonna be eating and doing nothing else. Might as well be entertained as I eat.” But before we know it, we’ll end up spending more time than necessary in front of the television, and not really tasting or enjoying our food. Also, I tend to overeat when I’m distracted, which leaves me feeling bloated and lazy.

Next time you eat, try fully focusing on the wonderful aromas and flavors in your food when and on nothing else. Concentrate on the taste and texture of your food. Feel it giving you energy as you eat. This is actually a form of meditation that can center you. Try it!

2. Break Old Routines

If your habit is to turn on the TV immediately after you come home, then try changing your routine to break the habit. What can you do for 10 minutes after coming home instead of flicking on the TV? Connect with a friend? Read an inspirational story? Have a snack? Get exercise? Do some Yoga or Meditation?

3. Plan Your Escape Route

Before turning on the TV for a specific show, know exactly what you’re going to do after the show. It helps to write the task out on paper along with reasons why you should do this task. For example, “After watching the Amazing Race at 9pm, I will go out for a run because it makes me feel healthy and gives me energy.”

4. Get Used To Using the OFF Button

Once you know exactly what you’re going to do immediately following a show, practice turning off the TV once the show is done.

5. Use Television As A Reward

Instead of saying, “I’ll go do my task when I’m done watching my show.” Develop the discipline to reward yourself with the show when you are done with the task.

6. Ask Yourself Why?

Find a quiet place without interruption. Close your eyes for several minutes and focus on your breath. Then ask yourself: Why do I want to watch this TV show? What do I have to gain? We are all intelligent beings and we all know the answers deep within us. When I asked myself this, I realized that it was because these shows provided a convenient excuse for me to avoid my responsibilities. It was easier and more comfortable than ‘work’ that has long term benefits.

7. Simple Reduction

List out all the shows you watch and see which ones you can cut out. Start with eliminating one show and gradually release the unnecessary shows one by one. Remember to ask yourself when evaluating each show, “What am I gaining from watching this? Is it going to bring me lasting happiness and fulfillment?”

8. Television Allowance

Give yourself a self-imposed limit to TV watching in a day or week. This will force you to put your television appetite on a diet. Try starting with half the hours you currently watch. I have reduced myself to watching one hour of TV a week: “The Amazing Race” every Sunday.

9. Visualized Pain

Did you know that we are willing to go to more extremes to avoid pain than we are to gain pleasure? We tend to choose TV over a responsibility because in that moment, we fail to see the pain of not following through on our responsibilities.

Try this: Close your eyes. Visualize the pain you would feel by not doing a task. Make it as real as possible, feel it with all senses. Intensify the feeling. Double the intensity several times if you can. After a few minutes, imagine the pleasure and freedom after you’ve completed the task (and are rewarded with the show). Again visualize and feel it with absolute intensity.

Hypothetical Situation: You have a report to complete before tomorrow morning at 9am. To visualize the pain, you could imagine the stress created from procrastination later on that night and the agitated feeling you’ll experience the next day from lack of sleep. For pleasure, you could imagine the wonderful feelings of self-empowerment and freedom now that you have your report completed. See yourself sleeping at a reasonable hour and feeling refreshed and energetic the next day.

What are your thoughts on TV watching? How does extended TV viewing make you feel? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

If you enjoyed this article, please vote for it on Digg, share it on StumbleUpon or bookmark it on del.icio.us. I appreciate your support. :)

Other Articles You May Like:

External Resources on Reducing TV & Info Consumption:

Steve Pavlina: Giving Up TV
Steve Pavlina: 8 Changes I Experienced After Giving Up TV
Ririan Project: Getting Unplugged: How to Break the TV Habit
Scott H Young: How to Give Up Television

79 Responses (59 Comments, 20 Trackbacks ):

Comments

Wyatt S.

Jan 07 08, 5:44 am PST

1
Very interesting reflection, I think not only TV can be addictive, various web-based media such as Youtube videos, podcast from different site can be as addictive.

I notice that i could easily spend heavy chunk of my time on surfing the web from one clip to another, very much similar to TV channel surfing. I definitely feel that despite its entertaining value and sometimes the propagation of information, TV or web-surfing can easily turn into a time-waster.

Good list of solutions, esp. with focus when you eating, i remember when i was a kid, my grandma would always turn off the TV during dinner, telling me - focus on your food! :-)
SJ | RichGrad.com

Jan 07 08, 6:26 am PST

2
I have already given up TV… but if I haven’t, your advice would most definitely work… Especially the PAIN part.

http://RichGrad.com
Personal Development For The Book Smart
Robert @ reason4smile

Jan 07 08, 7:03 am PST

3
Hi Tina!
I like the first step you’re sharing, enjoying the food instead of eating with watching!

I’m not so much watching TV recently, no time to be wasted on TV, I watched only when I really want to look for a show that I like, and not browsing other channels after that.

Now, my temptation comes from the TV series DVD, it’s always tempting to see the subsequent episodes and we ended up wasting so much time. So what I do know limiting what TV series I’m going to watch… better not starting than I can’t stop

Great article as always!!
Welcome back Tina, happy new year to you!
Robert
Luis

Jan 07 08, 7:21 am PST

4
Totally agree. In addition, why do we need TV when we have the internet. Hopefully it’s pretty new, and there are more lights than darks so far. Open source seems to grow, monopolies on the tinterweb are not like in the RealWorld(tm) and we all choose what to read/see/interact with and what to share, that’s fantastic no?

My personal experience with no having TV at home was more than graceful. I’m early going to live alone and I’ll be sure not to carry a TV with me on the new flat, for sure.
Andrea Hess | Empowered Soul

Jan 07 08, 7:31 am PST

5
Hi Tina,

So true … TV can truly be addictive. Because I work from home, I’ve had to become very self-disciplined where the TV is concerned. I only watch shows I really want to watch (love my DVR!) rather than allowing any old junk into my brain. And I don’t watch the news or anything violent, because it feels toxic to me.

Having said that, I do feel like the “zoning out” quality of TV watching sometimes seems to recharge my batteries. I watch a little bit just to step away from whatever I’m working on, and when my mind is ready to get back to work, I get bored with the TV and go back to being productive.

All things in moderation, right?
Blessings,
Andrea
Sterling O.
Jan 07 08, 9:34 am PST

6
I don’t watch much tv, other than MMA (cage fighting) events. But I had a similar experience over the holidays. I got into a chilled out, non-productive, lethargic zone and had a difficult time getting back into work mode in the New Year. For me it was playing video games, going to movies & listening to fiction audiobooks.

Maybe with the stress and frenetic pace of holiday shopping, parties, etc., we just need to slow down and like Andrea suggested “recharge our batteries”? The schedule change of having days off during the week also can throw things off.

Whether addicted to TV, movies, shopping, partying, or video games, these are all activities that all us to temporarily avoid the rest of our lives. One of the wonderful things about your article is that most of these steps apply for whatever your current “escape” is. Especially Step 5, using your escape as a reward.

Thank you for the great article Tina.
Jean Browman - Cheerful Monk

Jan 07 08, 10:01 am PST

7
I don’t watch TV directly, I tape some shows and watch them later in front of my NordicTrack treadmill or jogging trampoline in my study. I never sit to watch, I exercise. I did take a exercise vacation this holiday season after buying the series The Gilmore Girls. I find it addictive, but it has witty dialogue and lovable characters so it’s stimulating rather than mind-deadening. And the extra exercise gave my body a boost, too.
RJC

Jan 07 08, 10:39 am PST

8
Nice blog. I gave up TV for the longest time and found other hobbies such as reading, working on photoshop, learning programming or web design, music, etc.

Now that I got subscription TV service again, I am always on the tube again. Which is bad as I take things forgranted and get lazy at the same time.

I preferred it when the only source of television was normal air TV and I only watched shows like Heroes or 24 and whenever there was a sports game, I would watch it. I valued my television time with quality programming that I am very interested in.

Good and bad, just need to manage it. Thanks for the read.
K. Stone

Jan 07 08, 11:22 am PST

9
Good one, Tina.
Here are my tactics:
1- dont turn it on to begin with.
2- wait for a commercial to turn it off
3 - ask someone else to turn it off for you.
4- start with muting the tv and then turn it off.
:)
ZHereford

Jan 07 08, 11:26 am PST

10
Tina, a very helpful article for those who now, after the holidays, have to ween themselves off TV. :)
JEMi

Jan 07 08, 11:36 am PST

11
Excellent post T.

who told you what was going on in my house as of late?!

I discovered SoapNet and this “One Tree Hill” and it was all downhill from there. It doesn’t help that they offer these marathons especially on days where I just want to hide from the world and numb my senses..

I have begun to recover from that addiction myself. I left from never watching TV to living in front of it and frankly it’s not the best thing in the world - despite the cheap thrills you get when you start doing it.

I started working out again recently to get myself out of the house and it didn’t take long at all to begin feeling better and in control again

I can attest to the usefulness of your tips because I have already began making those changes.

now about that StumbleUpon … *shakes her head*
Kirsten

Jan 07 08, 11:43 am PST

12
Hi Tina,

Your experience reminds me why I cut the umbilical cord of cable. Too much television leaves me exhausted and frustrated with my procrastination. Since realizing that, I became more conscious of how I used my time. John Lennon once said that tv numbed him out more than pot which pretty much sums up its addictive/narcotic effect.

I’ve found that small doses of quality shows are ok but I’m vigilant against falling back into the careless channel surfing habit.
gale

Jan 07 08, 12:07 pm PST

13
yes, that feeling of being totally zapped and drained after a long TV marathon is one of the worst ever. i always feel the most unproductive after TV/internet sessions, and i always feel the best when i’m at my desk (w/o the cpu) and just writing. great extensive post on curing this horrible habit tina!
Bamboo Forest

Jan 07 08, 3:01 pm PST

14
I love the advice on engaging visualizations. And focusing on the pain is certainly a new twist. I find that some of these strategies of gaining self mastery could be applied to other areas of life - which is great.
Matin

Jan 07 08, 3:13 pm PST

15
Hi I Had a similar experience when we visited my parents this Christmas so the article is very relevant and useful to me. I also blogged about it and added your site on my blog.

Thanks for the great advise and Happy new year. :-)
X Matin
Carol

Jan 07 08, 6:43 pm PST

16
Thanks for sharing your TV thoughts. You inspired me to mix it up. Tonight instead of sitting in front of the tube, I chowed in my kitchen listening to WORT in Madison, WI (awesome community radio) and took in some tunes played by some middle school guys during the open access hour.
Terri Holley, The Health and Life Mixing Bowl

Jan 07 08, 6:45 pm PST

17
I fight about the television all the time with my husband and 9-year old daughter, who are both big tv watchers. Their argument is that they watch highly educational shows that increase their knowledge. I say, read a book. Interestingly, my daughter, who I think watches way too much tv, is a voracious above-grade reader, avid knitter, consummate scrapbooker and a straight A student. She is also a beginning violinist, a pretty decent basketball player and fluent in two languages. Got to wonder…

Here is a great reference

www.screenawareness.org
T

Jan 07 08, 7:01 pm PST

18
I can sympathize with this. I just watched the 90 mi nute “I Love New York 2″ reunion show and feel dirty now.
Life Reflection

Jan 07 08, 7:50 pm PST

19
Hi Tina,
I have already cut down my time spend on TV sometimes back. It can really be time consuming and unproductive. Great advice!
Steven
Jan 07 08, 7:58 pm PST

20
Great post. I bought my television at a garage sale in 1975. I think I paid $100.00 for it. Sometime in 1999 it just stopped working. I haven’t had any desire to replace the TV and I don’t miss it.

Saw a wonderful tee shirt in San Francisco that really expresses my thoughts on television.

Theatre is culture
Film is art
Televison is furniture

Happy New Year
Raymond Chua

Jan 07 08, 8:43 pm PST

21
Wow! That’s the power of habit.

Seems like you have developed the habit unconsciously. Habit can be easily formed when we do something continuously.

I am so happy and grateful now that I do not have any television set at home too and I already give up watching TV for more than a decade. :-)
dozens

Jan 07 08, 8:46 pm PST

22
Well my thoughts on TV viewing is that I find it relaxing. Its very relaxing to be able to come home from the gym or work, make something to eat and unwind in front of the TV. It can get you the same effect as reading a book, playing a game, or really doing anything that is not work. At least it does for me.

“1. Focus on Your Food When Eating”

It can actually be a very good thing to watch TV while you eat. it takes time for your mind to register you are full so its very easy for someone to finish off their plate, still feel hungry and take seconds. By sitting in front of the TV for 30 minutes you’ll probably eat slower (so as not to miss as much of the show) and become full before you even finish your plate (or shortly after finishing it and not want seconds). I’m not saying people cannot eat slower without a TV, or that people can’t consiencously keep from taking seconds when they shouldn’t, but this is an easy way to avoid that. I found that I became full with less food when I went to eating in front of the TV.
andy c

Jan 07 08, 9:32 pm PST

23
Thanks for posting this! Years ago I quit the easy way: I gave my TV away. It might sound extreme, but at the end of your life, you will not be saying “I just wish I’d spent more time sitting on my butt watching TV”. There’s *always* something better on in the real world.

Quitting TV was like quitting a part-time job. And I truly would not have made so much progress in my life since then if I’d been watching TV. I was addicted pretty badly too.

And then your evenings are free to meet all the other people who don’t watch TV. There are a lot out there. And they like to do stuff.
Jon
Jan 07 08, 9:58 pm PST

24
Great timing on this article. I recently canceled cable which automatically reduced my tv watching since there were far less choices. I gave away two of my three tvs and only have a tv in the den, which is far away from the kitchen and living room, where i spend most of my time. Now if I could just get rid of my computer…
Benjamin

Jan 07 08, 11:08 pm PST

25
Overweight for the most simple of reasons, eating the wrong foods, the wrong types of calories per meal, and also eating meals in the wrong patterns each day. Diet4idiots help in planning your healthy diet.
madman
Jan 07 08, 11:33 pm PST

26
But It’s not only TV. I find myself download whole seasons of favorite TV shows (like Man vs. Wild) off the Internet.
Then, having a little while, I start watching one of the episodes. It often ends in the middle of the night, when I finish watching all the episodes in the downloaded season.
The cure I found so far is setting a timer in a mobile phone to ring in, say, an hour after You start watching.

For me, same thing applies to unconsiously browsing across dozens of useless web pages concerning a topic I wanted to find out a little bit about.

Gotta watch out for addictions, not only TV!
Megan

Jan 08 08, 5:25 am PST

27
Interesting! (Jean : Cheerful Monk, I, too, am a GG’s adict! That’s too funny!) I started watching TV a LOT when I was 10 and my parents divorced. I’d come home from my new school in a new city (where I had few friends), and the television kept me company while my mom worked. It filled an emotional void. Honestly, it still does. I’ve lived alone for the past six years, and it’s as if the TV is my roommate.

However, I don’t have cable (which helps). Like many others, though, I could use an hour or two less in front of the thing a week. I’ll have to try some of your tips, Tina, so thanks for this post!
barbara
Jan 08 08, 12:51 pm PST

28
Interesting that most of the comments are from TV non-watchers. Maybe everyone else is too busy…watching TV.
Heather
Jan 08 08, 2:24 pm PST

29
I also loathe the hold that TV has over me. But there are some programs I enjoy and don’t want to miss and so don’t want to get rid of it completely. (And on sick days when reading is too much, TV is great for whiling away the miserable hours before I’m tired enough to go back to sleep).

Solution (and tip for cutting down): record everything you want to watch (TiVo is great for this). I don’t watch any television at all during the week, and on the weekend I’m seldom interested in
a) watching everything I _thought_ I wanted to watch
b) watching more than a few hours worth.

But I have the comfort of knowing I could, if I wanted to.

H.
Mandy M, a Smexy Housewife

Jan 08 08, 11:14 pm PST

30
I think Netflix is a pretty good alternative if there are shows you just NEED to watch and you can be patient enough for them to come out on DVD. Limit yourself to one of the 1 or 2 DVD at a time plans so you don’t have a huge amount of content at once. (DVDs normally run 2-3 hours a piece, I think. So that *helps* to cut down on the channel surfing, but does take some willpower to not watch the whole DVD.

When my husband (then boyfriend) got our first apartment with just the two of us, we dropped cable and it hasn’t been in my homes since. I much prefer to pay around $20 a month for DVDs I want then $65 or more for cable that has a lot of stuff I don’t want yet still have to pay for.

Another way I combat media noise is a no internet, TV, or shopping on Sunday rule, unless there is an emergency. It encourages us to do interactive things together, which I often find more fulfilling than vegging out together.

As for your list, I might have to apply it to my internet usage if I’m not careful. As some of your other readers have said, it is super easy to go off on tangents on the internet. Especially with Firefox’s tabs!
Lucid

Jan 09 08, 4:20 am PST

31
I like movies more then regular TV shows/programs, but I do love Discovery, Discovery Health, and the History channels. For me, I find them educational, while being entertaining. However, every word you wrote can be applied to almost any addiction or avoidance we have. Hmmm it was an eye opener, I will pay attention to my behavior in general to see where I can improve myself! :)

Have a nice day Tina!
Megan Jenifer

Jan 09 08, 6:26 am PST

32
Every time I watch TV, I fall asleep!!!!!!!!!!! I can count on that to make me sleepy if I’m too wired and need to get some rest.

One person I used to date used to want me to sit and watch shows with him, or watch him play video games. Instead, I would curl up beside him on the couch with a good book. I thought that was fair. He didn’t!–lol

TV is fun for a little while, but I do experience the symptoms that you outlined above.

I don’t have cable, Direct TV, Tivo and stuff like that. I still have rabbit ears on my TV that only gets turned on to watch DVD’s and old VHS tapes.

I even feel guilty when I’m watching certain movies. If it’s a documentary (in the special interest section), then I feel better. I’m learning.

Thanks for this post Tina.

Hugs,
Megan
http://www.TheLawofAttractionStation.com
James Urquhart

Jan 09 08, 2:35 pm PST

33
Recently i read a similarly themed article, though it went a step further and claimed that television “broke the minds of three generations and turned a Democracy into an empire”. A bit morbid, though it made for an interesting read.

I have to admit, i’ve been on the occasional TV binge from time to time. Looking back, i’m quite certain there were plenty more useful things i could have been doing instead, rather than escaping from reality.

Generally though i find much more value in reading a book or taking a nice long walk outside.
Tabatha
Jan 09 08, 6:17 pm PST

34
i didn’t read the whole thing but i bookmarked it so i am going to come back and read it. i just wanted to say i watched one episode of tila tequila shot at love, just “one” and i was hooked, i sat at my friends house another half hour just to watch the next one and then i was freaking out b/c i didn’t know when it would come on again and telling my boyfriend he had to download it for me. i got over it after i hadn’t watched tv for a while but it just showed me how addicting tv can really be.
Al at 7P

Jan 09 08, 7:45 pm PST

35
Don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater! I’m a huge fan of the History Channel, and I actually get some great vacation ideas watching the Travel Channel. BBC is also the best for world news. However, I do sneak in an episode of “Entourage” whenever I can tho ;)

However, if it means risking getting addicted to A Shot of Tequila, it’s probably better to get rid of the whole thing.
Mike Smith

Jan 09 08, 11:57 pm PST

36
I haven’t completely quit watching TV yet, mainly due to me working downstairs where my girlfriend is watching TV, it’s hard to not hear it and sometimes watch, but for the most part, I don’t care much for the TV. with over 100 DVD’s and 10 seasons of my favorite TV shows, if I was that interested in watching something, I have enough to look through.

Now, if I can only convince her to let me cut off the cable :) *would cut down on monthly bills too.*
George McHugh

Jan 10 08, 11:18 am PST

37
My family loves movies, and my children are very knowledgable about movies. They know more about movies from the 30’s 40’s and 50’s than I know about almost anything! I just can’t sit and watch so much, because I am too hyper.

Has anyone read “Four Arguments For The Elmination of Television”? I read Jerry Mander’s book (I wonder if that name is a joke?) in college. You all might be interested in his documentation of TV induced sicknesses.
Wendy
Jan 11 08, 3:27 am PST

38
We, as a family of 4, noticed the same thing a few years ago, when we had cable TV. When the special sale ended, the bill was too high to keep up with, so diconnection happened. Wow! We found the life we lost! We startd playing games, going to the park, etc. We now use the tv for movie watching. Vast collection of movies, only buy something we know we want to watch over and over i.e. Bringing up Baby, Sahara. Once you’ve seen it 1 or 2 times it is easy to have a movie in for audio enjoyment while working on a project, while cleaning the house, etc. Like listening to a book on tape.
Daniel Sitter, Idea Seller

Jan 13 08, 10:32 am PST

39
Great article Tina. I enjoy television, particularly a couple of sitcoms, educational scientific programs and occasional movies. I use it as “chill time.” The only exception is the most recent political debates to gain an better understanding of each candidate while they are on the “hot seat.”

I just posted an article on my site regarding the power of influencers and how we are a product of our associations. Television is a powerful influencer as many people watch entirely too much and may even confuse fact with fiction at times.

The dangers of TV are brain drain and re-programming. We become easy targets for advertisers and those who wish to exert their influence on us. Unless we are watching instructional programs, we are seldom learning anything while in front of it. In reality, it likely dulls our senses and imagination.
Karthik Bangalore India

Jan 14 08, 2:02 pm PST

40
Excellent and practical article.
It would be great motivator to move away to ask someone to tune to the channel which we hate to watch. That is a good way to get over it.
Of course, the quality of program, content too bad, the better to get away.
Karthik.
Tina from Life-Balanced.net

Jan 15 08, 12:10 pm PST

41
Great tips!

The writer’s strike has helped keep me away from the TV a bit, but when you live by yourself, it’s almost like having company.

I’ve considered Tivo, but think I might end up watching more, not less TV.

I used to work on my blog in front of my TV and then made a vow to set up a great home office. I get so much more done now!
Alice

Jan 17 08, 10:11 pm PST

42
This is great advice. I always feel better when I’m watching little or no TV. If I really care about a programme and get some kind of genuine benefit from it (David Attenborough’s documentaries are usually inspiring and beautiful, whilst Friends always comforts me and makes me laugh), I’ll invest in DVDs, so that I can enjoy the programme without having to sit through any adverts.
Angel
Jan 18 08, 8:48 am PST

43
I think sometimes people hurt themselves more on their diets than help themselves simply because they deprive themselves of healthy nutrition and nutrients. Then they cave in and eat the worst food for your body. The best and most healthy thing one can do is eat right and not eat crap. Nutritional shakes are great because they include so much good stuff. Go to your drug store and see what you can find. I get mine from http://www.herbalbuddy.com made by Herbalife because they taste great and have great ingredients to help keep us healthy.
Ravi

Jan 21 08, 8:38 pm PST

44
I stopped subscribing to any TV service (including use of an antenna) three years ago and I do not miss it one bit. I have a nice plasma TV, but only use it for DVDs. This way, I can control what I watch, and use the TV as an occasional form of entertainment, and not a drug to numb me from actually thinking about things that matter or getting meaningful things done.
Nicole

Jan 23 08, 11:14 am PST

45
I needed to read this! I have been overdosing on TV for many years. My goal is to give up TV for Lent, and your plan will help wean me off before I quit entirely. THANK YOU!!
Liara Covert

Jan 25 08, 7:51 pm PST

46
It can seem startling how draining it can be to “do nothing.” People get exhausted from sitting on buses, trains, airplanes, and in cars when they travel. The midn travels through the t.v. screen and typically leves the soul behind. No wonder so many people doze off!
just a thought
Jan 26 08, 9:07 am PST

47
When my husband and I first started dating, I was surprised to find that he and his roommate muted the commercials while watching TV. It was irritating at first, but it quickly grew into a necessary habit for me.

I discovered that it changed my whole TV-watching philosophy. It essentially eliminated any “mindless” viewing. I began to think the TV should be on when and only when it had my full attention. Which necessarily meant I watched less TV. If the show cannot hold my complete attention, I don’t watch it.

Muting commercials is also a chance to “disengage.” It’s a chance to tear your eyes away from the screen and talk to the living being next to you on the couch. It also provides the perfect opportunity (as someone commented above) to re-evaluate what you’re watching and–if it’s not worth it–to turn off the TV.
Cheerful Monk

Jan 26 08, 11:08 am PST

48
just a thought,
I tape any program I want to watch, then I watch it while using my NordicTrack treadmill. I fast forward through the commercials. But now that I’ve joined netflix, I love being free of that hassle. The writers’ strike has been a blessing, and I’m grateful.
Caseyboot
Jan 28 08, 8:45 am PST

49
I recently made some lifestyle changes to improve my health… I noticed by not watching television I didn’t get hungry at night, arguably because I’m not being accosted by back to back TGI Fridays commercials!
I leave the radio on during the day for my pets (tuned to the local NPR station) so it’s already on when I get home… the background noise is enough to keep me from turning on the tv. I have not watched televsion for a month now, and feel great about it! :-)
WTL

Jan 29 08, 9:03 am PST

50
My wife and cancelled our cable TV back in April of 2006. We don’t easily get any channels “over the air”, so we’re cut off. And it is just fine by us.

Not watching certainly puts you in a bit of a cultural black hole, but that just reinforces just how powerful of a force television is in our society.

I can whole-heartedly recommend dumping TV, you’ll find better ways to spend your time… like participating online. ;-)
JB
Jan 29 08, 11:45 am PST

51
We’ve been on a no-TV kick for about three years now and the best thing has been that we have more time. Isn’t that the first thing people say they want more of? We do watch tons of DVD’s from Netflix, but only in the evening, not every day, and sometimes (if we catch a TV show like “The Office”) for one hour only. The time vacuum aspect of the tube has easy to manage, and that’s so nice. Another positive thing is that our kids aren’t as exposed to commercials as they otherwise would be.

Now, on the downsides, we’ve grown very out-of-touch with popular culture. When you’re in a group of people talking about, say, “Heroes” or “Lost” or some funny commercial, we have nothing to offer. It sounds trivial, but over time, there’s a real separation from the culture in which we live. More significantly is that we miss the immediacy of breaking news events. An event like the recent fires in California, for example, has much more impact if you see the visuals than if you read about it and listen to it on news radio. We can look up video on the web, but we would have to know about it and do that proactively, not just come across it like you do on TV. Also, I don’t have a first-hand sense of how the presidential debates look and sound, other than what I hear in an NPR radio segment.

So far we’re sticking with our no-TV household, but because of the presidential election and upcoming Olympics, we are talking about getting basic cable this summer and seeing how things go! What do you all recommend?
The Nourisher

Feb 05 08, 8:12 pm PST

52
Too true Tina. I’m a hopeless addict, that’s why I can’t have one in the house. Full stop. The guilt is horrendous if I watch even a moment. I do indulge in DVD watching occasionally and spend way too much time online but I find that more interactive. I’m not a sponge for rubbish while reading your blog and writing comments to you. It’s much more Nourishing. I’m putting you in the Carnival of Nourishment this month.
jd

Feb 08 08, 1:22 am PST

53
Tina - I don’t get to watch TV much anymore, but I actually think it was among one of my best sources for imagination. It taught me to be more resourceful. If I’m ever stuck on a deserted island, I know that with a few coconuts, anything is possible (except building a boat to get off the island.)
Iain Hamp

Apr 23 08, 5:06 am PDT

54
Four hours a day - that’s the average TV watching for Americans, anyway. Yikes.
flyer

May 16 08, 5:44 pm PDT

55
Great article to share.
I’ve gained so much of my time back since giving up tv. It’s a very worthwhile goal!
Gloria
Jun 08 08, 9:02 pm PDT

56
You can break the addiction to TV. I did it. For years, I stopped watching. Now I do watch television, but I’ve found a way to make it manageable by watching only via dvds of interesting series I deem worthwhile (plus I get to skip the commercial breaks which are truly draining, taking away both money and control over input). Once I finish the dvd, I’m done for the week or sometimes for months.

If watching tv adds some value to your life, don’t be afraid to enjoy occasionally. But exercising your brain by choosing more active activities will be much more productive than lying back in the recliner allowing someone else to determine what you feed your brain.
Exercise and fitness

Jul 16 08, 3:12 pm PDT

57
found this very inspiring

im a complete telly addict but this has made me want to change

i realize now how much time i spend sitting there

thank you
Nicholas Powiull

Nov 02 08, 5:47 am PST

58
Television and media systems will only lower your consciousness levels extremely. What you put in, is what you will get out. Most people put in a daily dose of TV and radio media. Unaware that these broadcasting systems are used through a very precise frequency, no matter what the channel they both give off an exact frequency of unnatural vibrations that trigger a design to disengage the natural body frequency and stimulate a frequency of fear. This frequency wavelength bypasses the audible range of the consciousness.

When I was doing my experiment with Polyphasic Sleep. I discovered much about TV. I noticed how much I drown out the TV while I sit in front of it. I realized that most of the time. I was not even watching the TV. I found it quite annoying while doing this experiment! I did not even want to be in the same room as a TV when it is on. It just seems to add less meaning to everything being in front of the TV. I noticed too that I literally feel ill by watching it (if you are curious to know more about Polyphasic Sleep and what I experienced, goto my website {by clicking on my name above) and you will see Polyphasic Sleep in the “Categories” section on the left-hand sidebar).

Tina, you are Awesome! :)
tacit digital

Sep 24 09, 6:54 am PDT

59
Hey, I tried to read all these comments but they all sounded the same (& that’s not meant to be offensive at all). I came to this site through a network of Web Designers, Digital marketing professionals and similarly motivated creative peeps on twitter. I cannot help feeling that the total absence of TV would leave anyone who depends on having any understanding of current advertising, media, digital motion techniques, woefully naive and unable to present themselves as competitive in any modern marketing related field… Don’t get me wrong Saturday Evening Prime Time is dire, but it would significantly hamper my understanding of current marketing to throw my TV out of the window! Am I alone?

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Think Simple Now. A Blog on Creativity, Productivity, and Happiness.

The 9 Step Television Diet

79 Comments

Solution? How to Overcome TV Addiction?

1. Focus on Your Food When Eating

2. Break Old Routines

3. Plan Your Escape Route

4. Get Used To Using the OFF Button

5. Use Television As A Reward

6. Ask Yourself Why?

7. Simple Reduction

8. Television Allowance

9. Visualized Pain

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