I'm not sure all those people had families to look after (I don't know how some people manage a family and everything else they do) - but I take Mr. Brown's point!
In regards to my own time management, I've decided to make a bit of a pledge regarding the tele.
No more mindless T.V. watching to fill in time (when I really could be doing something else purposeful) or zone out. If there's a program I specifically want to watch I will watch it, and then get away from the T.V.
Perhaps once a week I'll allow myself some mindless channel surfing.... but, I don't know.... I wonder how I'd go without the T.V. at all for a few weeks?
Imagine what I might get done!
Any of you go without the T.V? I have some friends who don't own one... how about that!
I can't imagine that.
But, just because we adjust to things in our lives and view them as a 'given' because they're such a big part of our society... doesn't mean I HAVE to conform.
It's just a habit that's easy to fall into and I suspect may be a tad hard to reform.
Hmmmmmm.
I wrote an article about this very thing a few years back. I'll have to dig it out of my computer archives for you. :)
Linda. xox
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Oooooo, how unbelievably confrontational! Only this afternoon I found myself moaning I don't have enough time to do anything or get anything done!
ReplyDeleteAnd I get the bit about the tele. I've been quite good lately, but I know that once I do switch it on, I'm likely to waste an entire evening in front of it. Not good - because it's mostly not even things I'm particularly interested in!
One of my friends put her tv in the attic - and only takes it out of storage if she has children coming to visit for a longer period of time (in that case the odd Disney DVD or two does wonders to keep them self-entertained for a short while at least!) ;-D
I think it wouldn't hurt though if I looked at some things taking up a lot of time... without being very important.
xx
Awesome post!! I have the same tendencies to watch mindless TV and just leave it on while I'm working...or trying to work.
ReplyDeleteI have been better about leaving it on a music channel so at least I don't have the visual distraction but I definitely record and watch too much TV and have given much thought to how productive I could be if I didn't feel the responsibility to stay on top of my shows!
I went a few months back in the day without TV because of where I was living and after a few days I didn't even care! Makes me realize I could do it again...but I don't know if I have the willpower to go cold turkey :)
Jenn
I don't have enough time - for TV! I do wonder how 'everyone else' gets stuff done while watching TV. I say ''just do it', Linda. You'll love it. You might want to plan your activities for a while to avoid the withdrawal symptoms but you'll be free!! And just in time for summer too.
ReplyDeleteWe never watch scheduled programming despite having the culturally required flat screen TV. One night a week I watch a few shows on iview while I get my ironing done. Occasionally DH and I will watch a DVD.
I never, ever used to watch TV. Ever. It used to be in its own living space and I spent most of the time in my office or another room. Now, our TV is in a living space which is only a small room that also has the kitchen and it feels like the TV is always on. I hate the way I can sit down and watch something I don't even really enjoy but the time just disappears! I actually made a pledge today that there would be no more TV in our place so I'll see how much more productive I can be! Might have to download that quote and put it on my wall :)
ReplyDeleteHa ha Sacha, I love being confrontational (in a nice way of course!). It is a bit blunt, a quote like that one isn't it! Those people mentioned were so singularly minded about what they did and where their passion lay.... I can't imagine being that hyper focused. Maybe some of us just aren't built that way? I don't know. I do definitly rely on the tele too much though, I even have it on the timer when I go to bed so there's noise in the background (helps me sleep). Music would be a better choice I think.
ReplyDeleteCaz, I think you are right... I'm going to have to 'just do it'!. I came home tonight though, and what did I do? I wandered over, turned on the T.V., and then came in here to check my emails. So, the T.V. is on in the other room just for the background noise factor... again I'm not even watching it. But, I'm half tuned in (the news is on) in case something interesting comes up and I can dash into the lounge to catch it. I just need to learn to NOT turn the darn thing on in the first place unless I actually want to sit down and watch a much loved show. I love your term 'culturally required'... perfect description of how their viewed I reckon.
Anna, exactly... the time goes and you've not done or gained anything much. I am a night owl, so I often find myself scanning channels at 12.30 at night when I should be in bed (I resent the need for sleep!). Fortunately I survive on 6 hours sleep most nights (sometimes much less), and I don't need more than 7, but none-the-less, starting to surf the channels when I should be going to bed (I get up at 7.30) is RIDICULOUS.
The other night I watched the last 30 minutes of a movie on SBS, and then the NEXT DAY, I realised I'd seen it before.
It took me that long to remember I'd watched it before... probably in some other late night stupor before going to bed. What is that adding to my life? Nothing! I watch things I don't even remember even when I'm watching them again. Utterly pointless and stupid!
Jenn, the music channel is a far better idea. We have a nice jazz channel... that would provide better background noise than normal channels. It would make the background pretty without me paying that much attention to it.
Unfortunately the way my brain is wired, I prefer noise in the background. During uni when I studied, I used to have both music AND the T.V. on in the background at the same time.. can you believe it! I actually had it explained to me once at a seminar I went to as a teacher... apparently people like me have over active brains and we need one part of our brain distracted by the noise so the other part can get to work. I'm a weirdo! I'm also an excellent multi tasker!. I can concentrate intensely on something for long periods of time as well though, and I certainly think the mindless drone of the T.V. should be replaced with something far more soothing, relaxing or uplifting as the case may be.
I am quite lucky I don't have that kind of relationship with the television. I like to sit and watch when there is something I'm interested in, otherwise I don't even turn it on. Sometimes it's off for days. That is basically why I read so much: when I'm lazy or just hanging around filling up my time I never turn on the tv, I always read. I know people totally addicted to it, people that have it on at any hour of the day, even when that are not watching it. I have the radio on at every hour, it's the first thing i do in the morning, the first thing I do when I get in my shop. But television? Boring to me.
ReplyDeleteXox Bobbi