Comments on: Turn Off the TV Week http://zenhabits.net/2007/04/turn-off-the-tv-week/ Simple Productivity Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:14:22 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: brip blap » Blog Archive » Turn off the TV http://zenhabits.net/2007/04/turn-off-the-tv-week/#comment-14132 brip blap » Blog Archive » Turn off the TV Sat, 22 Sep 2007 12:04:53 +0000 http://zenhabits.net/2007/04/turn-off-the-tv-week/#comment-14132 [...] on track. After spending some time reading Leo’s really excellent blog Zen Habits and his comments on TV and how to spend your time I realized that the time I spent reading news, watching news, following [...] [...] on track. After spending some time reading Leo’s really excellent blog Zen Habits and his comments on TV and how to spend your time I realized that the time I spent reading news, watching news, following [...]

]]> By: Leo http://zenhabits.net/2007/04/turn-off-the-tv-week/#comment-2745 Leo Mon, 30 Apr 2007 22:13:33 +0000 http://zenhabits.net/2007/04/turn-off-the-tv-week/#comment-2745 Hi Bill ... turning off the TV is not just about the advertisements, although that is a part of it. It's also about cutting down on the noise and distractions in your life -- and of course, TV is just one of those distractors. I too used to be a news junkie ... but I've completely cut TV out of my life (except for the occasional DVD) and it's made a huge difference. And I don't even miss the news anymore! :) Hi Bill … turning off the TV is not just about the advertisements, although that is a part of it. It’s also about cutting down on the noise and distractions in your life — and of course, TV is just one of those distractors. I too used to be a news junkie … but I’ve completely cut TV out of my life (except for the occasional DVD) and it’s made a huge difference. And I don’t even miss the news anymore! :)

]]> By: Bill C. http://zenhabits.net/2007/04/turn-off-the-tv-week/#comment-2718 Bill C. Mon, 30 Apr 2007 18:18:07 +0000 http://zenhabits.net/2007/04/turn-off-the-tv-week/#comment-2718 I'm guilty of being one of those people that leaves the TV on in the background. While it may sound like I'm wasting electricity or killing time with the TV on, 90% of the time my TV is on, it's on CNN or a local TV channel for their evening news. I'm a news junkie, I love knowing what's going on in my world. I find that by leaving the TV on while I'm working at home, doing housework, exercising, cooking dinner, etc., I'm able to get the news that I'd otherwise be surfing the CNN site reading while I'm at work... and THAT is what kills productivity. If you're so concerned with the ads on TV enticing you to purchase items you'd otherwise know you don't need, you don't need to turn your TV off...you need to work on your self control. Either that or just buy yourself a DVR and fast forward through the commercials. There's a few programs I watch each week (24, House, Jericho), and I've taken to watching them either the hour after they're on or the day after they're on, solely because I can fast forward through the commercials and save myself 20 minutes of time in watching the show :) I’m guilty of being one of those people that leaves the TV on in the background. While it may sound like I’m wasting electricity or killing time with the TV on, 90% of the time my TV is on, it’s on CNN or a local TV channel for their evening news. I’m a news junkie, I love knowing what’s going on in my world.

I find that by leaving the TV on while I’m working at home, doing housework, exercising, cooking dinner, etc., I’m able to get the news that I’d otherwise be surfing the CNN site reading while I’m at work… and THAT is what kills productivity.

If you’re so concerned with the ads on TV enticing you to purchase items you’d otherwise know you don’t need, you don’t need to turn your TV off…you need to work on your self control. Either that or just buy yourself a DVR and fast forward through the commercials. There’s a few programs I watch each week (24, House, Jericho), and I’ve taken to watching them either the hour after they’re on or the day after they’re on, solely because I can fast forward through the commercials and save myself 20 minutes of time in watching the show :)

]]> By: Steve Schapel http://zenhabits.net/2007/04/turn-off-the-tv-week/#comment-2560 Steve Schapel Sat, 28 Apr 2007 09:49:42 +0000 http://zenhabits.net/2007/04/turn-off-the-tv-week/#comment-2560 I'm with you on the tv turnoff. And I also enjoyed paulkdad's comments. I haven't had a tv in the house since 1971, and it is great. A big topic, that I won't go into here. I enjoy your blog, Leo. It is fine to look at your RSS feeds in my newsreader. But I normally do not come here. Funny, that's for the same reason as one of the reasons I avoid tv. Ads. And because I'm tv-free, I haven't been desensitised as some others might be. Just thought there was some irony there. Sorry, I know it's probably a significant part of your income stream, and all that. But a site with unsolicited advertising is not for me. So I'll keep subscribing via a medium where I don't have that thrust at me. I’m with you on the tv turnoff. And I also enjoyed paulkdad’s comments. I haven’t had a tv in the house since 1971, and it is great. A big topic, that I won’t go into here.

I enjoy your blog, Leo. It is fine to look at your RSS feeds in my newsreader. But I normally do not come here. Funny, that’s for the same reason as one of the reasons I avoid tv. Ads. And because I’m tv-free, I haven’t been desensitised as some others might be. Just thought there was some irony there.

Sorry, I know it’s probably a significant part of your income stream, and all that. But a site with unsolicited advertising is not for me. So I’ll keep subscribing via a medium where I don’t have that thrust at me.

]]> By: Leo http://zenhabits.net/2007/04/turn-off-the-tv-week/#comment-2449 Leo Wed, 25 Apr 2007 22:52:53 +0000 http://zenhabits.net/2007/04/turn-off-the-tv-week/#comment-2449 @Dario: great minds must think alike ... I have a post planned on quitting the internet addiction. Which I need to do myself. @Dario: great minds must think alike … I have a post planned on quitting the internet addiction. Which I need to do myself.

]]> By: paulkdad http://zenhabits.net/2007/04/turn-off-the-tv-week/#comment-2442 paulkdad Wed, 25 Apr 2007 20:51:36 +0000 http://zenhabits.net/2007/04/turn-off-the-tv-week/#comment-2442 We've had our TV turned off (to commercial programming, at least, we still use it as a monitor for our DVD player) since 1998. Occasionally we flirt with the idea of turning it on again, but it usually just takes one sitting to remember why we don't watch the thing. Our daughter actually craves creative activities and doing her homework more than she does watching television. That's a pretty positive side effect. When she does watch one of her DVDs, we're in control. It's a conscious choice, and one that requires our permission. For me, getting rid of televised news was the best. And what I found was that, far from feeling "uninformed," I actually gained a perspective from which all the reactive mediated news tends to look the same. Like "cliffhangers" in TV drama, it's simply designed to keep the viewers coming back for more. We’ve had our TV turned off (to commercial programming, at least, we still use it as a monitor for our DVD player) since 1998. Occasionally we flirt with the idea of turning it on again, but it usually just takes one sitting to remember why we don’t watch the thing.

Our daughter actually craves creative activities and doing her homework more than she does watching television. That’s a pretty positive side effect. When she does watch one of her DVDs, we’re in control. It’s a conscious choice, and one that requires our permission.

For me, getting rid of televised news was the best. And what I found was that, far from feeling “uninformed,” I actually gained a perspective from which all the reactive mediated news tends to look the same. Like “cliffhangers” in TV drama, it’s simply designed to keep the viewers coming back for more.

]]> By: Dario http://zenhabits.net/2007/04/turn-off-the-tv-week/#comment-2399 Dario Wed, 25 Apr 2007 12:25:51 +0000 http://zenhabits.net/2007/04/turn-off-the-tv-week/#comment-2399 Great idea, Leo! I'm dying to hear about the "Turn off your computer " week! It'd be cool to hear suggestions of other things to do when one is a computer addict. Great idea, Leo! I’m dying to hear about the “Turn off your computer ” week! It’d be cool to hear suggestions of other things to do when one is a computer addict.

]]> By: Leo http://zenhabits.net/2007/04/turn-off-the-tv-week/#comment-2379 Leo Wed, 25 Apr 2007 07:28:51 +0000 http://zenhabits.net/2007/04/turn-off-the-tv-week/#comment-2379 Wow, it looks like I've found a lot of kindred souls here! I'm glad that some of you have decided to join the Turn Off the TV Week (or don't need to because you barely watch anyway). @Jess: you're right, I should date these posts. When I said "today" I meant April 23 (Monday). Sorry about the confusion. I stopped dating the posts because I like to think of my posts as timeless, but that's just a self-indulgence, I think. Wow, it looks like I’ve found a lot of kindred souls here! I’m glad that some of you have decided to join the Turn Off the TV Week (or don’t need to because you barely watch anyway).

@Jess: you’re right, I should date these posts. When I said “today” I meant April 23 (Monday). Sorry about the confusion. I stopped dating the posts because I like to think of my posts as timeless, but that’s just a self-indulgence, I think.

]]> By: Ann M. http://zenhabits.net/2007/04/turn-off-the-tv-week/#comment-2359 Ann M. Wed, 25 Apr 2007 00:32:23 +0000 http://zenhabits.net/2007/04/turn-off-the-tv-week/#comment-2359 Oh definitely Red Sox! :) and I agree about what other people wrote about television being annoying. Even just going to someone else's house where they keep the television on the background drives me nuts. I am much more of a music person. Oh definitely Red Sox! :)

and I agree about what other people wrote about television being annoying. Even just going to someone else’s house where they keep the television on the background drives me nuts. I am much more of a music person.

]]> By: Jay Wilson http://zenhabits.net/2007/04/turn-off-the-tv-week/#comment-2346 Jay Wilson Tue, 24 Apr 2007 21:21:15 +0000 http://zenhabits.net/2007/04/turn-off-the-tv-week/#comment-2346 I gave up television completely in the Fall of 2006 - I simply find much of the programming to be of the 4th grade level with very little stimulation. With the extra time I read more, listening to music/podcasts more, work out far more frequently, and work on my own blog. It's been a very freeing experience that I recommend that every one try, even though it initially sounds like poppycock. I gave up television completely in the Fall of 2006 – I simply find much of the programming to be of the 4th grade level with very little stimulation. With the extra time I read more, listening to music/podcasts more, work out far more frequently, and work on my own blog. It’s been a very freeing experience that I recommend that every one try, even though it initially sounds like poppycock.

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