Watching TV can be an enjoyable pastime and a way to catch up on the daily news and weather. But it also can be a huge time waster. The average American watches over 6 hours on a daily basis. This is time that is spent in passive mode with little or no activity being accomplished.
This is time that could be better spent reading, learning, or creating. Imagine the books that could be written, the paintings painted, and the projects completed if we would just turn the box off. You could finish a degree, train for a new job, or learn a new computer program. Yet the insidious box and assorted media compels us to turn it on and draws us in night after night.
Is there a better way?
If you have Tivo or a DVR, the answer is yes. Most modern DVR’s allow you to record multiple programs and play them back at your convenience. They also allow you to zip through commercials that can take up to 20 minutes in the average hour long program.
A simple solution is to record your 3 or 4 favorite programs and watch them when you are least productive. Imagine taking a class on Thursday nights to learn Excel, Powerpoint, or Microsoft Word, while recording Survivor and CSI to watch on a Saturday morning or other non productive time.
Using Tivo to offset prime time for non productive time can help you get that promotion at work or take on a part time job without having to give up the adventure of watching the show.
The other thing you can do is give up TV altogether. Celestine Chua has a great post on ten reasons you should pull the plug.
Question: What great thing could you accomplish if you turned off your TV?
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While I agree with your assessment that the public watches too many hours of TV, and I also use pre-recorded shows to save time, I wonder whether you haven't taken into account the fact that a lot of this TV time is "down time" used to de-stress and unplug from the demands of work and other jobs. I think we all need this sort of down time, and people have different ways that they categorize "wasting time". Some play computer games, some read fiction, some paint, some surf the net reading blogs and facebook, some kick back on the verandah with a drink, some go to the gym, and some simply gaze into the distance daydreaming. The problem is when the time-waster of choice cuts into your work time. I think it's a bit of wishful thinking to plan a timetable that is chock full of "useful" activities with no downtime "time wasters" – we need that to recharge our batteries. The question is, how to find that happy balance, and to occasionally do time-audits where you assess how much timewasting/relaxation you need to be truly productive in other areas of your life.
And I utterly agree with your point on removing advertisements – an easy and universally loathed time waster! Love your blog!
Thanks for the comment, Jen. I do agree that we all need down time and to find a good balance. I certainly enjoy TV at times. However, which accomplishment would you find more appealing? Having watched every episode of Lost and E.R. or to have taken this time and written a book or started a small business? If the average person would replace just one hour of TV a day with a more productive activity, can you imagine the consequences?