I used to be a big television watcher. Especially, when I lived alone. The television was always on when I was home. I’d surf channels grumbling about there being nothing on instead of turning off the TV and doing something else.

I told time by TV shows and at any given time of day could rattle off what was on the various channels. I grew up with television. My sister and I turned it on as soon as we got home from school and left it on all the time most weekends. The television was a big part of my life.

When I got married, we didn’t have cable and I started only watching specific programs a few night a week. I noticed the difference right away. At first, I didn’t know what to do. It seemed strange not having the television on all the time, but I also noticed how much more I was getting done.

Now that we live in England, we don’t have a television. At first, we didn’t get a television because we were destitute. Now, not having a television has become a way of life that we’d rather not change. Many people are shocked by this information, but I’ve been surprised by how much I don’t miss it. It’s been nearly a year with no television.

Why am I telling you this? So often I hear people complain about how they don’t have enough time in their day. Many people use this lack of time as an excuse to stop them from realizing their dreams.

“I’d like to write a novel, but I have no time.”

“I’ve always wanted to start my own business, but I have too much going on right now.”

How many hours of television do you watch a day? What if you spent that time doing something you always wanted to do?

Watching television is a pleasurable experience, but it’s passive. You’re not doing anything to better yourself. Yes, you need the time to relax but you can relax in other ways.

• read a book
• have a conversation with a friend or family member
• play with your kids
• take a walk
• play a game
• write
• play a musical instrument
• paint

A recent study done by the University of Maryland connects television viewing with unhappiness. In the study, they give reasons for that but I have my own opinions.

During my vacation, I stayed with my parents and there was a whole lot of TV watching going on. Watching television was shocking to me. I couldn’t believe that people watched stuff like that for entertainment. It was crazy violent and not good.

I think that watching too much television gives you a distorted view of reality. It makes you think the world is more dangerous than it really is. I think it can also make you dissatisfied with what you have. Not in a good way that makes you go out and pursue something better, but in a way that makes you feel bitter or not quite good enough. Maybe that’s just me.

I’m not saying that all television is bad. There are good TV shows. I’m just saying that most of them are a big waste of time. Why watch someone else live a pretend live when you can go out and live your life right now?

So my challenge to you is to watch less television or cut out television all together and see how much more you can get done.

Photo by dailyinvention

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