Buzz
Effective techniques to combat your addiction to TV and streaming services
Studies suggest that the average American spends nearly five hours per day watching TV. This equates to about 35 hours weekly and nearly two months yearly. While some individuals use television and streaming platforms to unwind, it can easily become a time-consuming habit and addiction. To quit watching TV, consider gradually reducing your TV time, eliminating it altogether, or substituting TV hours with other activities.
Key Points to Remember
- Gradually decrease your TV viewing hours to ease the transition.
- Cancel streaming service subscriptions to reduce the temptation of binge-watching.
- Replace TV time with new hobbies and healthy pursuits.
Steps to Take
Gradual Decline
Track the time you spend watching TV. By bringing awareness to your TV-watching habit without immediate pressure to eliminate it, you can recognize the extent of time spent on television. Simply recording your TV viewing duration (and content) can naturally reduce the habit.
- For instance, noting '12:30am - Watching a rerun of Friends for the second time' might prompt you to realize the time wastage and switch off the TV.
Gradually decrease your TV hours. Start by abstaining from TV for one day each week or reduce daily viewing hours. Incremental reduction may facilitate a smoother transition away from TV.
- For instance, gradually cut down TV time from six days a week to five (or from three hours each night to two).
- Continue until TV viewing is completely eliminated.
Limit yourself to specific shows. This prevents aimless channel surfing, which can be a significant time sink.
- Instead, stick to a few ongoing shows. For example, continue watching a series like Game of Thrones until its conclusion.
- Restrict access to these shows by only having their streaming platforms on designated devices, reducing temptation during study or leisure time.
Avoid starting new shows. Refrain from beginning any new series while attempting to reduce TV time. Starting a new show can intensify TV addiction and hinder efforts to cut back.
Utilize a timer to restrict TV time. Many TVs offer a timer function. Set the timer when you begin watching TV to automatically switch off after an hour. This prevents excessive TV viewing and requires active engagement to continue watching.
- Alternatively, obtain a basic egg timer and position it in another room. This necessitates getting up to turn it off, aiding in disengaging from the TV.
Completely cease TV consumption. Gradually decreasing TV time and phasing out shows allows for complete cessation of TV watching. Redirecting time towards more fulfilling activities may lead to a lack of desire for TV. Alternatively, reducing TV time sufficiently can alleviate its dominance in daily life.
Immediate Discontinuation
Terminate TV subscriptions. To abruptly stop TV consumption, eliminate easy access to television content. Cancel subscriptions to cable, satellite, Netflix, Hulu, or other streaming services immediately to prevent access to preferred shows.
Remove TV(s) from your residence. Even after subscription cancellation, access to basic channels may remain. Removing TVs from your home prevents evening or bedtime TV watching.
- If living with others who still watch TV, reduce the number of TVs to one in the family room.
- Consider concealing the TV in a cabinet or rearranging furniture to diminish its prominence, reducing temptation to watch TV.
Engage in social activities with individuals who do not indulge in television entertainment. Garnering support from others can facilitate your endeavor to quit watching TV abruptly. Consider reducing TV time collectively as a family, opting for activities like playing board games instead of spending prolonged hours in front of the screen. Alternatively, seek out a companion willing to embark on the journey of quitting TV alongside you.
Avoid immersion in social media platforms, blogs, and websites dedicated to television programming. Unfollow specific social media accounts and blogs that discuss or feature TV shows. Resist the temptation to peruse TV reviews as they might reignite your interest in television and impede your efforts to quit suddenly.
Exploring Alternate Pursuits
Set new objectives. Compile a list of aspirations you've long harbored. Whether it's launching a blog, participating in a marathon, or venturing into entrepreneurship, striving towards these goals will organically diminish your TV consumption. Often, people resort to TV as a means of escapism; by establishing fresh objectives, you'll experience a heightened sense of productivity and contentment.
Cultivate diverse interests. Ditching TV can be facilitated by adopting a new hobby. Consider activities such as reading, writing, drawing, or painting. Alternatively, delve into sports, language acquisition, musical instruments, or socializing with friends. Draft a roster of hobbies you've been eager to explore and allocate your time accordingly.
Engage in activities to occupy your time until the absence of TV becomes inconsequential. As you delve into new goals and pastimes, you'll discover that the longing for TV dissipates. You might even realize that you've developed new interests, causing TV to appear as a mere squandering of time and resources. Once you reach this realization, you've effectively severed ties with TV.
Pointers
- Avoid leaving the TV on continuously as background noise.
- If you seek background sounds while working, consider utilizing the radio, music, or a tabletop fountain instead.
- Ditch your remote control. By eliminating easy access to channel changes or volume adjustments, you'll be less inclined to spend extensive periods in front of the TV.
Cautions
- Expect potential resistance from others, particularly in cultures where extensive TV consumption is commonplace. Stand firm in your decision and encourage others to join you, which can fortify your commitment as you embark on a TV-free lifestyle.
- Respect the preferences of family members or roommates who still indulge in TV viewing.
