Decide Against Owning a TV

Do you find yourself Watch Less TV, wondering what you could have accomplished had you not just spent 3 hours in front of the boob tube? Even though today's society seems to be driven by television, you don't have to own one. It can be challenging to explain to friends, but you may find the rewards of not owning a TV outweigh the negatives.

Steps

  1. Don't Buy a TV. If you have one, give it to someone else. Obvious step, but it bears saying. Maybe you don't feel you have to get rid of it altogether if you already own one. Put it in a closet or in a room you seldom use. Don't think about turning it on; put all the Build a Board Game and sports gear in front of it!
    • Try not having a TV during a vacation. Hire a cabin without a TV and simply do without. The lack of a TV will cause you and your friends or family members to resort to finding many other fun activities to fill the TV void and soon, you won't even notice it's missing.
  2. Appreciate silence. Much of modern society seems bent on filling every waking moment with noise of some sort. Sometimes, it's conversation - that's pleasant, because you're really interacting with others. Sometimes, it's music. That can be pleasant, too - if you like the music playing. But most often, it's just background noise - a TV blaring away in the background, not really being watched at all. It's just white noise, but it's distracting enough to keep you from getting things you care about done. Instead, with the TV gone, appreciate the sound of... nothing. Now you're free to play music of your choice, or to listen to nothing at all as you go about your daily life.
  3. Read or Create a Writing Space. Many times, writers seek solitude and silence by going to isolated places, as Thoreau did with Walden Pond. You can now enjoy writing, listening only to your muse. Or you can enjoy a book, allowing your imagination to fill in the sounds from the story, since you'll probably be more completely immersed than ever before.
  4. Get your chores done more quickly. Without the TV pulling you to the couch, you should be able to get your household duties taken care of much faster. Don't procrastinate - it's not like you're missing anything by doing them right away.
    • If you've been used to watching TV while doing such chores as ironing or washing the dishes, find replacement distractions. Listen to music, listen to the radio (try a station that teaches you something new), or play an audio book. Another good way of dealing with larger chores is to break them down into a series of smaller chores, such as doing 15 minutes of ironing here and there instead of doing 1 hour of ironing at once. This makes it less tedious and there's less need for the TV relief.
  5. Realize this is a personal choice. Much like the decision to become a vegan, to pursue yoga, or to quit smoking, this is your decision. After all, it's the way you want to live your life. Don't allow peer pressure to sway you. Don't argue about it, just smile and say, "I find I'm getting more done now. I don't miss those TV shows enough to want to go back to the way I used to live." And let the discussion end there.
  6. Think about the benefits to your child-raising. If you're a parent or guardian, not having a TV can really shake things up at home. Suddenly your children are left to discover a lot of other ways to entertain themselves, including making crafts, getting outdoors, using their imagination, and reading. The increasing concerns about using TV as a babysitter and the erosion of creativity brought on by watching the box too much won't be an issue in your home.
    • Be compassionate if you're at the receiving end of the "Your kids are missing out on what all other kids have" line; it's often fear of having to live TV-less talking. Simply smile and say something like "They're having a lot of fun building Lego towers and tree houses. And their grades are amazing." And if your kids want to watch TV when they visit their friends, let them; it's different strokes when in someone else's house.
  7. Be cool about it. For some reason, just like some ex-smokers, some ex-vidiots tend to want to proselytize others. This can become quite obnoxious at times, admonishing others about their lives, and offering unwanted observations such as, "Well, if you got rid of that TV, you might finish that screenplay." Avoid making smug and superior statements when you're with friends who do enjoy TV and want to talk about things they've seen recently. Instead, listen pleasantly, enjoy their animated conversations, and refrain from attempting to bring them into your world.
    • Show them your world rather than tell them; do this by inviting them over for Host a Mystery Dinner - no TV makes for a nice after-dinner conversation. Remember - it's you who made the decision to be TV-free, and that is your right. But if your friends have not made the same decision, it's not up to you to "improve" them.

Tips

  • Taper off by renting movies instead of watching television as broadcast. Just eliminating all the commercials can do a lot to reduce stress and make movies more of a special treat than an everyday habit. When they cost something individually, they mean more as a family gathering.
  • Get a pet. If you feel lonesome without the TV to keep you company, consider getting a pet of some sort. Be sure to research and understand the attention requirements of the animal you'd like to adopt before committing.
  • Begin by eliminating the cable bill. Spend the money saved on creative hobbies and activities more immerse than television. If what's on is boring and what's around is interesting, it's easier to gradually change habits than do so dramatically.
  • Invite friends often. Allowing your home to become a quiet refuge from a busy world for those you care about can really give them a lift, and it will reinforce your sense of your home as a retreat from the cares of the busy world.
  • Fill your home with books, photographs, writing, board and card games, or craft projects. This way, you can always find something to do, even on a rainy day.

Warnings

  • Be careful not to trade in TV for YouTube or Hulu. It's just as distracting and absorbing as television. Surfing the web offers you plenty of opportunities to keep up with the popular culture, and even allows you to watch episodes of TV if there's a show you really feel you can't live without. But if you allow the computer to become your new TV, you're defeating the purpose of getting rid of your TV.

Things You'll Need

  • Inner strength and determination
  • A liking for quiet spaces
  • Information about where to properly dispose of and recycle electronic devices. Check with your local health department and/or recycling office. Some retailers offer this service as well.

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