The television myth

Imagine walking into your home after a long day at the office. Soft jazz music is playing in the background and your partner is reading leisurely on the couch while dinner sits on the stove. This is not a romance movie, but my most favorite moment during the time when my fiance and I decided to switch off the television in our home. Today marks four weeks of attempting to be TV-free. I have to be honest, we ended up cheating after the third week, which made us fall off the wagon for the most part for this fourth week.

Although the experiment did not go perfectly, there were several moments of revelation in the weeks we did not turn on the television. I was able to embody what it feels like to be watching television and then switching off. In order to help you understand what kind of television watchers we are, I would like to give you a baseline. Since we lead busy lives and generally work until 8 or 9pm each night, our normal TV watching is 1 hour to an hour and a half during the week each night. Then on weekends, Saturdays will be a few hours in the afternoon and possibly a movie (or my fiance playing video games into the late evening)  if we stay at home and Sundays are non-stop television from when we wake up to when we go to bed. So what was it like to switch off??

1. For the most part, I really enjoyed the change in our atmosphere at home when there was no television. I would spend most evenings reading, listening to soft music, having baths, and doing some gentle yoga. My fiance was reading and researching almost every possible thing on the planet from histories of countries to the inflation in our country. We played board games or went out with friends on weekends. I found our pace of life slowed significantly. I felt much more relaxed by the time I went to bed and realized I was accomplishing so much more around the house. My procrastination seemed to improve during this time. I also noticed a significant reduction in my headaches and more energy during the days. These changes led me to feel what I would like to call the “television myth”. I came to realize, and I believe I would not be alone, that I thought that TV was the best way to unwind at the end of the day. It is very passive and I can just veg out in front of the television watching a mindless episode. However, I recognized the impact of the sounds on my physical being. With television, even if I was watching a low-key show, there are often interruptions with commercials that are very high intensity with louder sounds and quicker images. I noticed this difference in my body most dramatically when I started watching TV again. Also, the act of doing a light yoga routine before bed was so relaxing and releasing that I wondered why I don’t do it more. I did my yoga in the comfort of my own house so I was not having to go out on the cold nights we have been experiencing recently. I have rediscovered the beauty of fiction books that allow me to travel to different places, experience different things, all within my imagination. It is because of all these small moments that I feel enriched by the experience and felt it worthwhile.

2. Although there were several beautiful, relaxing moments, there was also a realization of what makes people turn to television. My brain loves to have a lot of time to spin around and the absence of the noise from the TV, I was more aware of my thoughts. I came up with some brilliant ideas for the business during this time, but I also would watch myself spin into stories that I thought I had resolved; issues of insecurity and anger still residing within. The great part was that I am mindful of my thoughts enough to be able to witness what was coming up and take necessary steps to be able to work through these issues. I know that not everyone has that skill-set built up enough so I wanted to ensure that people know about some of the downsides before preparing to try this journey.

3. I do not think I will ever be an individual who completely avoids television. The day that we broke our month-long process was on a Sunday. Usually Sundays are reserved to staying in and resting. The weekend prior I had spent time with my family and cleaned the house but this particular Sunday I wanted nothing more than to escape into the images of a movie. I had worked extra hours all week long and the thought of reading or doing yoga seemed like a chore I did not want to do. I believe that my body had hit its capacity for focusing inwardly and wanted to disconnect for awhile. My fiance gladly followed my lead. So, I realized that balance is always the key. Because of the stresses in our lives, sometimes we need to disconnect. I think it is about checking with your body and being clear about your intentions. I believe television is not relaxation- it is disconnection. If you are craving relaxation and rejuvenation, activities like walking outdoors, meditating, yoga, or reading will help you achieve this goal. If you are wanting to disconnect, then television, videogames, and the internet can help you achieve this goal.

So, with that being said, I encourage you to experiment and feel for yourself what happens when you unplug. One month felt like a long time so try one week if you would prefer. I would love to hear your experiences so feel free to share.