HOW TO CONQUER THE MANIPULATIVE BOX!!!

Here's one of my resolution beginning this year: NOT TO WATCH TELEVISION!



It might sound extreme, but I'm so tired of being conquered by my 42" TV that seems to be taking over my whole living room space as well as half of my life. So I did some research and some soul-searching into understand why I had been glued to the TV all the time. I listed my reasons and ways to help myself how to get rid of this habit that it might also be helpful for those who have a similar problem as I and wanting to get your way of the "box"...

Here's one of my resolution this year: Not to watch television and how to conquer the manipulative box!

Reasons why I wanted to watch TV:

1. When I come home from school, I am tired. I needed to eat and it's good for me to sit on the couch to watch TV while I eat. It can release my stress.
2. The couch is comfortable. I just lied there and the remotes are handy for me to turn on the TV and change the channel.
3. I want to spend some quality time with my family, usually at night when they are in front of the TV.
4. There are some noises as background to block out the silence.
5. I've always have the habit of watching TV as I grow up.

Tsk, tsk, tsk. Talk about excuses and misconception of needing to watchTV. But it's actually true for me that keeps me continuously forming the habit of TV time.

How many hours do I spend watching TV (Estimate)

During school: 15 hours a week (equal a school week)

Off school: 35 hours a week (equal a work week)

That's about 33 whole days during school days and 76 whole days during off-school days that you've been watching TV in a year! Imagine you can spend all these days doing so many other things besides getting familiar with the names of the titles and synopsis of every movies/sitcoms or knowing the celebrities who were in those shows.

What shows/programs I usually watch:

1. Reruns – Usually sitcoms or Chinese dramas on Chinese channels, and movies
2. Movies (HBO)
3. Sitcoms
4. Chinese dramas or shows

My comments: Reruns are the deadliest. Although you have watched the episode or even the entire movie, but reruns are just another way for you to review the detail-details of the how the story goes. And you wouldn't need that unless you're doing a project on it that involves analyzing a quote or a scene.

What are the bad effects of watching TV:

1. Too much sexual and violent messages
2. Getting lazy and fat from doing chores and other things
3. No benefits but take up my quality time
4. Influence my thoughts to be unrealistic
5. Distracts me to communicate with my friends or families

Although TV seems like a harmless tool that can provides us tons of information. However, the contents from the programs that's been shown to us has manipulates what we are informed with. Most of the shows that are being shown to us either portray the stereotyped stylish, skinny, sexy women or the strong heros with guns or weapons that can always overcome all the obstacles in the end. What about the regular, original, average guy that you know? You can hardly see them on TV.

What thoughts I could think to turn down TV when I'm going to watch it:

1. There are so many other things I can do besides watching TV, like:

a) Draw near to God

b) Help my mom do chores

c) Help my sister with HW

d) Study

e) Practice piano

f) Talk to my friends

g) Planning things ahead

h) Listening to music

i) Cleaning my room

j) Make things for friends and family

i.) The list can be endless...

2. Is this something God wants me to do?
3. STOP! Go to my room now and look at my to-do list
4. Watching TV will waste a lot of my time! (hours)
5. I will regret or feel guilty for using up so much time afterwards when I can do something else better!
6. Time will fly away and will I let it fly away like this?
7. STOP! Take out the trash or do some chores
8. DON’T TOUCH THE REMOTE
9. DON'T CHANGE THE CHANNEL
10. STAY AWAY FROM THE COUCH, go for the chair on the dining table or go to my room
11. Although I want to relax and enjoy, but I know I can find other ways to relax too, such as singing hymns, practice piano, talk to friends, listening to music, lie on the bed etc.

Think outside the "box". If you choose a whole week without watching TV, what are other things can actually do to fill your precious time? Make a list. Remember, time is more precious than money. Once it's past, you cannot reverse it back.

If I want to spend my time with family and most of the time is when they watch TV, what can I do?

1. Turn off the TV when eating dinner. Then there will be more talking than staring at the box.
2. Spend only 5-10 minutes glance at what they are watching. NEVER touch the remote except to turn down the volume or turn off the TV.
3. When watching, do not sit or get comfortable on the couch. Your butt will get stuck there for a long time without realizing it. You can either stand or watching from far way, like on the dining chair.
4. Practice or play the piano. It might seem distracting to people, but it helps to break the focus from your family members. Sometimes when the TV is not on, they prefer the sound of the piano better than the sound of the TV. Take note of that.
5. Keep time of how long you've been watching TV, and remind yourself to STOP. You have something else better to do.
6. If you really want to spend time with my family, besides watching TV with them in the living room, consider sitting on the dining table to read, do homework, or even do crafts. They'll know your presence while you don't have to surrender your quality time to watch TV with them. They might even be interested in what you're doing in return.

I know family is one of the important people in my life. Although they might not realize, but there's nothing more to spend time with them, even just to be in their presence. However, if there's something that holds you back to keep you glue in front of the TV, try to come up with ways around it from being manipulated by the TV instead. You might find your life even more enjoying and satisfying.

Peace and cheers. : )