It’s been exactly 40 days since I started my TV Fast. What an experience it’s been! This fast is part and parcel of my 7 Habits for 2010 that I want to implement. Giving up TV is one of them and what better way to start than by going on a fast. Now that it’s been 40 days, I thought I’d share some of my observations on life without TV.
1. Becoming more aware of the TV’s presence
The rest of my family didn’t join me in this experiment, so there was still some TV viewing in our home. When I stopped watching TV, I became much more aware of the TV’s presence when others were watching it. Sometimes I found the TV a noisy nuisance, especially when the volume was really high.
2. Saving time
Over the past 40 days I was amazed to see just how much time I had on my hands. Normally I would pass time in front of the TV. With no TV in the evenings, I started reading more, going out more, and writing more. I found all of these more enjoyable than watching TV.
3. Seeking better quality entertainment
TV also fills a desire for entertainment. I’ll be the first to admit it. There are some fantastically entertaining shows on television. Unfortunately, I started to notice that the quality of the entertainment was fairly hit or miss. By eliminating television I spent more time in social activities that consistently provided more entertainment.
4. Being a bit out of touch
As a result of not watching TV regularly I noticed that I was getting a bit out of touch with what was happening around me with regards to general news and events. I only noticed this when I would get together with friends and they would talk about something specific which they saw on TV. Other than that I generally got my info from the internet.
5. Feeling more ambitious
Over the past few weeks without TV, I’ve had a lot of time on my hands to really think about what I want to do, especially in regard to my personal projects and goals. I get the feeling that TV really dulls ones senses and depletes ones creative energy. I’ve noticed that I’ve become more ambitious with my goals and reaching out to help people. I’ve also accepted a couple of speaking engagements which has been keeping me busy in preparation.
6. Spending less time on the PC
Giving up TV has made me question how much time I spend on my computer at home. I’ve actually cut back on my computer related activities (gaming, watching series, movies, etc.) and spent more time offline tackling my personal projects. As a result I’m more productive as I’m engaging in things that really matter and the results of my work are positive.
7. Not missing TV
I’m actually surprised that I don’t really miss TV, except for the live sports. It was actually an easy habit to break. I just went cold turkey instead of gradually weaning myself, and I perceived no withdrawal symptoms. You might think “giving up” TV means sacrifice, but in my experience it’s just the opposite. Watching TV means sacrificing social outings, better forms of entertainment, and of course time.
Overall I’m really glad that I went through with this fast and really glad to have made this change. The benefits are great and in terms of results, it’s one of the best changes I’ve made in my life to date.
Related posts:
This website uses IntenseDebate comments, but they are not currently loaded because either your browser doesn't support JavaScript, or they didn't load fast enough.
Comments