One of the big complaints of our time is that there aren't enough hours in a day. So here's a good suggestion for recovering a few hours: try unplugging the TV for a week. We all know that active participation in life is healthier than passive observation, and honestly, it's not that important to keep up with who's who on the soap operas and sitcoms. World news will go on with or without us, and we may well go to bed happier, worry less, and sleep better if we don't watch The National every night.
It might feel a bit weird, but if we abandon our usual couch potato time -- for a walk around the neighbourhood (I was surprised last week at the renovations and new homes that have gone up in my neighbourhood during the summer), or a trip to the library, or a game with the kids, or a chance to listen to some new music and flip through some unread magazines -- maybe we'll find that we have more time than we knew!
P.S. Looking for more Simple Suggestions? Try here.
Simple Moodlings \'sim-pѳl 'mϋd-ѳl-ings\ n: 1. modest meanderings of the mind about living simply and with less ecological impact; 2. "long, inefficient, happy idling, dawdling and puttering" (Brenda Ueland) of the written kind; 3. spiritual odds and ends inspired by life, scripture, and the thoughts of others
I've been really craving a tv free week. All the images and messages we're exposed to, I wonder how my life would improve without them.
ReplyDeleteWorking up the gumption!