Things You'll Need:
- Yourself
-
Step 1
Before you turn the TV on, look at the TV Guide. Nothing on? Do something more productive like build a bookcase or sell on eBay. You can even talk to your spouse or call your mother. Imagine that?
-
Step 2
Pick up to 3 weekly shows to watch each week and only watch those shows. Do not get involved in any other shows and do not turn the TV on when these shows are not on.
-
Step 3
Record your TV time and see how much time you are wasting watching TV. Add up all the time each week and think about what else you could have done with that time. Maybe you could have built an ark, cured cancer, learned a new language, or fixed that leaky faucet.
-
Step 4
Do not channel surf when the TV is on. Instead, go to the beach and learn how to really surf.
-
Step 5
Get rid of those 150 channels you have by switching back to basic cable. It will save you up to a hundred dollars a month, that’s $1,200 a year. Imagine what your 401k would look like with another $1,200 a year in it. Sorry, I know, your 401k is in pretty bad shape. Just put the saved money in your savings account or send it to me. I certainly could use it.
-
Step 6
If your sports team is not on basic cable, they are not worth watching. I haven’t see a New York Yankee game is years. Thanks George Steinbrenner!
-
Step 7
Use the sleep time on your TV to turn off the TV after your show is over. You’ll be asleep any way so why not save a bit of electricity as well.
-
Step 8
Don’t watch the news, read about it in the newspaper. Better yet, just ignore the news. Nothing on it is worth knowing anyway. If that big meteor hits earth would you really want to know about it before it happened?
-
Step 9
Record the shows you watch so you can fast forward through the commercials, unless, of course, you’re watching the Super Bowl. Then, in this case, fast forward through the game and watch the commercials.
-
Step 10
Watch DVDs or videos instead of TV. Although this is the same as watching TV, I feel it’s a more productive use of your TV time. I know this is pretty bad rationalization, but what can I say it’s a lot cheaper than actually going to the movies.
-
Step 11
Schedule your TV time in your calendar. Feels pretty stupid? Imagine sitting at work and saying to your colleagues that from 8 PM through 11 PM tonight I’m booked because I have to randomly switch channels on the TV as I slowly fade into oblivion. Oh, wait, you already do that so you don’t have to imagine it. What? You forgot how to imagine after watching so much TV?
-
Step 12
Only have 1 TV in your house. You heard me, just one single television. So, before you and family figure out what to watch together, you have to battle it out on the living room floor in a fight to the death wrestling match.
-
Step 13
Do not, under any circumstances, put a TV in any of the bedrooms in your house. I am serious here. This will only create alienation between you and your family and will make watching TV easier.
-
Step 14
Do not, under any circumstances, put a TV in your kitchen. That is just plain pathetic. If you have the opportunity to eat dinner with your family, what are you going to do? Turn on the TV? Isn’t that a little ridiculous. Think about it.
-
Step 15
Since you are now going to have more time, sell those extra televisions you have on eBay and send the money to me.
Comments
ginamichellesat said
on 8/12/2009 5 stars and rcmnd on How to Limit the amount of TV or Television time that you, your family, or your children watch!!
langleycornwell said
on 5/15/2009 Very fun and informative article on limiting our television watching time. Good advice and nicely written. 5*s.
4dogday said
on 5/6/2009 Great article, great advice. We spend too much time stuck in front of the tv.
medphysinfo said
on 5/6/2009 Very informative and nicely written. I need to do this in my house before my son figures out what tv is.
MyJB said
on 3/20/2009 Your article is hilarious and informative. The advice that one tv is enough for most any home is good advice to follow, but one is the basement is also nice.