Have you ever sat in front of the TV all day? Have you ever played video games until the wee hours? Do you waste time on social media? Too much screen time is a waste of time. If you want to get more accomplished in life, turn off your screen.
I used to watch too much TV. I’d come home after work and watch the evening news. News led to game shows. Game shows led to sitcoms. Sitcoms led to crime dramas. I’d stumble to bed at 1:00am after watching late night.
I’d wake up the next morning drained. The next day I felt like a zombie only to come home and do it again. TV was zapping my energy and sucking my soul. I’m proud to say that I’ve overcome my TV habit. Now I only watch two to ten hours of TV per month. Less TV has helped me get more active and more productive.
It’s not just TV. Video games and the Internet can be a timesuck, too. Think about your screen time. Are you overdoing it? If you are, read this:
Five Reasons To Turn Off Your TV Screen Today
- You are not meant to be a consumer: Think about the word: consume. It means to eat, buy or use up. When we spend passive hours in front of screens we are consumers. We are being consumed. Marshall McLuhan said, “We become what we behold. We shape our tools and then our tools shape us.” When we spend time consuming hours of media we are consumed. We get used up. We were not created to consume. For generations, humans have been producers, not consumers.
- You are meant to be a producer: We’re losing our ability to produce. Our modern era with all its mindless entertainment has made us lazy. In the past, humans have made things. The farmer, the carpenter, the quilt maker and the musician all create. When you turn off your screen, you reset your creativity. I’ve become ten times as productive since learning to limit my TV time.
- Sitting is bad of you: Screen time is usually sitting time. Sitting for extended periods of time has serious health effects. Check out these articles at The Huffington Post. Study this infographic at Michael Hyatt’s blog. The bottom line is simple. Sitting makes you fat. Sitting is bad for your posture. Sitting is keeping you from feeling good.
- Being active is better: Screen time is often passive. Being active is better for you. Being active is fun. Replace your screen time with active time. Get up. Stretch. Do some work around the house. Do some sit-ups. Get active. Turn off your TV.
- Outdoors rules: I live in the Northwest. It’s beautiful. If I spend too many hours in front of a screen, I miss the outdoors. The great outdoors is where we’re meant to be. When you spend time outside you get active. Walk. Bike. Run. Hike. Just turn off your screen and get outside. Mow the lawn. Work in the yard. Take a walk. You’ll be glad you did. Outdoor time can be great family bonding time, too.
If these five reasons to turn off your TV screen are not enough, consider these:
Less TV Time Equals More Productive Time
- Time for family get togethers
- Time for good food
- Time for picnics
- Time for the beach
- Time for love
- Time for intimacy
- Time for education
- Time for exploration
- Time to make the world a better place
Don’t Waste Your Life In Front Of The TV
Limit your screen time to a few hours a day. If your work is dependent on computer screens, make sure to take breaks, stretch, use a stand-up desk. I do. I promise you’ll feel better if you turn off your screen.
Five Reasons To Turn Off Your Screen is part of the Hip Diggs 10 Step Challenge To Simple Living. Less screen time will give you more time to simplify your life.
