This next step may seem a bit of a challenge for you. It asks that you ?Cut your TV viewing time in half.? Many people have come to equate watching television with relaxation when, in fact, many of today?s programs can have quite the opposite effect.
A recent study at Stanford University found that there was a direct correlation between how much TV a child watches and how content they are. The children, ages 8 to 18, came from all races and economic groups. Those who were exposed to more media reported being less content (happy) than those whose exposure was limited.
This is particularly frightening given the fact that 99% of the children surveyed have at least one TV in their house. Almost ? lived in a home with three or more TV?s. For 68% of these children one of the TV?s was in their bedroom.
Excessive TV viewing is not only detrimental to children, however. Bruno Frey, from the University of Zurich, found that long hours spent in front of the television are linked to a greater desire for material possessions, anxiety and lower life satisfaction.
Not only that, but a team of Italian psychologists has found that having a television in your bedroom will cut your frequency of lovemaking in half. For those couple who are over 50, having a TV in the boudoir will decrease romance by over 75%!
According to Robert Kubey of Rutgers University, millions of Americans are so hooked on TV that they fit the official psychiatric definition of substance abusers.? The A.C. Nielsen Company reports that the average American watches more than 4 hours of TV each day. This equates to 28 hours a week - that?s two months of nonstop TV-watching per year. In an average 65-year life, that person will have spent 9 of those years in front of the television.
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So it?s no wonder that cutting your viewing time in half made it to the top ten! You may wonder what you will do to fill that time. Here are some suggestions to make the transition easier:
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Get excited planning what you will do. Will you take up a new hobby? Volunteer? Start taking walks in the park? Perhaps you could use the time to implement some of the other steps to happiness.
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Create a TV schedule. Pay attention to what you watch, and then make a list of only those shows which make you feel positively. Try to only watch those programs for a week and see how you feel.
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Turn off the TV while you?re eating. Instead play some great music, light some candles and have a good conversation with friends and loved ones. Really pay attention to the flavors and aromas of your meal.
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Try covering your TV. Get a nice tapestry or an entertainment armoire. Keep the TV out of site except when one of your scheduled shows is coming on.
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Put away all your extra TV?s. This way you will be less tempted to turn on a TV ?just for the noise? or simply out of boredom.
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By simply reducing your watching time in half, you?ll find that you have extra time to do things that truly bring you joy. Try it for a week and see what happens!
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