I'm Giving Up TV (For One Week)

Hey y'all long time no talk...or blog...or whatever.

I know I've been MIA since January (honestly how are we just about to hit the 6th month of the year!?).

Things have been super busy for me so far this year. I started me new job as a Youth Support Worker in December and have been spending my weekends and evenings working there, becoming more and more in love with social work, and working hard to learn all I can. I'm currently in the process of working to sign up for a couple of necessary courses I need to apply for my Masters of Social Work. I need two classes which I intend to take during the Fall 2017 and Spring 2018 terms and then I can apply for January 2019.

I also went to BC and Alaska last month (another blog post on that) and have just been busy spending time with friends and family.

In all honesty though, I could have been busier. I could have accomplished more. I could have been more productive. With summer coming around and school on the horizon I've noticed how much could be getting done and how unmotivated I can be to actually do it.

So I'm giving up tv for the next 7 days. I know it doesn't sound like a lot but I'm used to carrying my tv (in the form of an iPad or laptop) basically any time I'm at home. I watch tv while I'm getting ready, while I'm eating, and as a way to spend time with Jordan. And it's all mindless stuff, we don't even have any particular show we're interested in right now.

There are two main reasons why I am giving up tv this week though:

1. I honestly think tv makes me dumber (it's either that or the toxins everyone talks about that come out of cat litter. It's a thing, guys). I use tv as a way to turn my brain off, which is okay if you do it to unwind for a bit at the end of the day but if you're always turning your brain off from the moment you wake up, or the moment you get home from work, it really becomes problematic. With tv to distract me at all times I never need to do any critical thinking, or introspection. I can basically turn my mind to other things and forget about thinking any deeper.

2. I was listening to the audio book version of The Magnolia Story (see I'm so stupid now you guys I can't even read!) and after I came down from worshiping on the alter that is Joanna Gaines (shiplap, you guys, shiplap forever) I started to take a few of their pieces of advice to heart. Chip and Joanna have never had a tv in their house since they've been married. Originally it was just a suggestion from a marriage counselor that they do not have a tv in their home for the first 6 weeks of their marriage and it just stuck. I find that Jordan and I use tv as a way to distract and entertain ourselves. We watch it together and we watch it separately and not only does it keep us from spending quality time together, but it keeps us from being creative and productive with how we spend our time. I was wondering: how would Jordan and I entertain each other if we didn’t have tv? Would we play boardgames? Would we build something together? Would we bike downtown together and experience our city? So I flew the idea by Jordan and he was super into it.

This morning I listened to podcasts while I got ready for work and Jordan said he slept in just a little longer because he knew he would just spend his time twiddling his thumbs before work. While this doesn’t sound too much better, it is. I laughed along with my podcast, free to roam with my earbuds in, without being distracted by the screen, and Jordan got more much needed rest, which is something he has a serious problem with.

Tonight I’m looking forward to going home to work on a cookoo clock that I’ve been repainting and getting ready for my meeting with an academic advisor tomorrow. Jordan is going out for the night so I’m left to my own devices, I guess I’ll see how creative they can get. 

From the desk of:

Taylor Brown

TV Free .5 Days