Do You Need a Television Detox?
Think about what your day would be like without the worrisome news reports, the ongoing ‘updates’ on crime in your neighborhood, the constant stories of the unfortunate ,and even the trivial circumstances of people’s daily lives. How much time and thoughts are you literally giving away, when you are staying informed about the latest celebrity? Flashy advertising, catchy tag lines and songs that ring in your head as you drive to work are taking up mental space, if you recognize it or not. The consistent bombardment of websites to check out from other influences: strategic brand placement, a flyer in your mailbox, the radio, can have you hooked for the week and eat up your time before the day even begins!
Television in particular is a habit; it’s a part of American culture that doesn’t look to dwindle anytime soon, instead creating extensions online, in magazine, advertising, and radio. Television programs and shows that offer back-to-back broadcasts can eat away huge chunks of your free time; try keeping a personal television ‘log’ for just one week, and see how much time you are donating to your entertainment focal point. Chances are, you are one of the millions who have been logged by AC Nielsen studies. The American viewers studied contributed 250 billion TV hours annually. If we’re not watching television, we’re probably dealing with television-related matter: DVDs, movie clips, downloading streaming snippets, catching up on celebrity news, or paging through a newspaper that features almost a replica of today’s broadcast.
To counteract the efforts of advertisers, heavy TV watching ‘dependents’, and to create awareness for the effects of wasted time in front of the passive set, the Center for Screen-Time Awareness supports the efforts of TV Turnoff Week. In 2007, this is scheduled for April 23-29; the website states that it was created to: “Empowering people to take control of technology and not letting technology take control of them so they can live healthier lives.”
Without some self-control and regulation, the effects of television can quickly become, almost subconsciously, out of control. Children and young minds in particular are alarmingly aware of television shows, relating to characters, even reciting scripts and entire dialogs heard on TV. Up to a certain point, this can be a great, low key activity; television to the extreme, however, can misdirect creative energy and encourage passive living and learning. Television can be used for educational purposes, delivering the right types of messages that encourage positive growth, creativity, and powerful learning skills. However, today’s types of educational shows are limited in scope; parents can control ‘TV time’ and encourage educational TV-watching, but often with some resistance and many obstacles along the way.
The first step in detoxing your life to move towards little or no television, is to be aware of how much time it is taking up. A television ‘log’ is ideal for this, and will let you become conscious and consistent with feedback on a daily basis. Simply create a chart or journal and check off the number of thirty-minute blocks that you spend strictly tuning in to shows, news, or programs.
Once you have your week’s worth of time, you can take the next step to create a ‘constructive projects’ list. How long does it take to call a friend? Write a real letter to a loved one? Show you care about your parents and send them an impromptu card? Organize your bills so that you can be more efficient? Arrange a surprise party for an upcoming birthday? Create a redecorating plan for your living room? The possibilities are endless when you create the strategy to handle your free time. Satisfaction from creativity is a key to both short-term and long-term happiness; don’t let television-draining hours get in the way of your own projects!
The third step? Take a walk! Get up off the couch, and take a walk. Whether it’s a tour of your own house, the backyard, the neighborhood block, or a stroll to the local park, get outside and clear your head naturally. Build self-awareness and take control of your outer environment by simply ‘noticing’ the world around you. It’s often an eye-opening experience to realize you’ve overlooked so much during your habitual routines.
The fourth step towards television detox is to reduce your dependency for news and media-related information. This is not easy; most of us gain significant advantage at work, in our personal lives, and in social settings by staying ‘in the know’ and up to date on today’s current happenings. To some extent, this is helpful; when an entire conversation is centered on what’s happening around the world, there may be cause for concern. Excessive news-watching and media dependence can numb and literally kill your natural creativity; set some parameters for quantity and quality of newsbytes you receive and tune into, and you’ll be able to tap into some of your individual creative potential!
Breaking out of any habit takes time; the longer the habit has been ingrained in your daily routine, the more difficult it may be to let go. However, a television detox may be just what you need to re-analyze your habits, and create some constructive and satisfying priorities that make up ‘real life’ time. Balance is essential to a healthy lifestyle; a little television once in a while is not going to ruin your mental clarity. When you can focus on your life, and not somebody’s scripted version, you can experience life at an entirely new level.
