by Marcia Studley

Created on: May 10, 2009

The world today is a TV world. Homes often have multiple televisions. Some have one in each bedroom in addition to the big screen that graces the family or living room. There's another in the kitchen, and one portable for the camper or when you're outside. Television is everywhere, and we have DVRs and TiVO to make sure we don't miss anything. Kids today haven't a clue what it's like to live without the boob tube in their lives. In fact, a lot of young moms and dads don't, either. Let's take a moment to think about what life could be like without a television permeating our lives at every given turn.

-Conversation. In my opinion, conversation at home has nearly become extinct. Families don't eat together like they used to, and when they do, the TV is so often on. Turn off the television and reconnect with your family. Talk about your day and your feelings. There's a good chance that family members would become closer without the interference of TV cutting into valuable talk time. It's not just the immediate family that pays the price for the intrusion of television, but what about family who live out of state? And how about friends? Make a phone call or write a letter. Don't forget your neighbors, either. Go say 'hello' and see what you might have in common with that face you see every morning across the street. Keep in touch with people you value instead of staring at a TV screen.

-Free time. NBC has 'must see' TV that has, for many years, captivated viewers to never miss their favorite shows. TV dramas now are more like soap operas, with continuing story arcs that make it necessary to not just sit down and enjoy a single episode of a show, but to watch two or three, if not more. Reality shows pull us in so we can see who is back-stabbing who as they work their way towards the big prize. Turn the TV off and take back your evenings. Work on those hobbies that you say you never have time for - reading, gardening, sewing, cooking, scrapbooking, photography, woodworking, etc. Walk your dogs. Walk your children. Play games. Without the TV, your evenings are yours again.

-Unclutter your mind. TV brings with it a horde of things, including unpleasant and annoying commercials and opinionated newscasts. We get so caught up in it all. It's like Future Shock sometimes, where there is so much to know and only so many brain cells to absorb it all. Let it all go. Meditate, or just sit outside and enjoy the fresh air, your family, your pets, or just being by yourself. Listen to music, read poetry, or just use the time to count your blessings and plan your future.

I am a TV addict. I grew up with television, and I know the dangers of being hooked on it to the exclusion of life. You decide not to go out because you don't want to miss the final episode of ER, or you microwave a meal instead of making a healthier one because you don't have enough time between commercials to cook. If you can let it go, at least to an extent, life becomes more peaceful. I know, because I've lived it.

So, the benefits of not having TV are many, including becoming closer to your family, freeing up time for other things, and allowing yourself to live a more peaceful existence. It might be hard at first, but over the long haul, curing yourself of the TV addiction just could make your life more pleasurable overall, and that's an amazing benefit.

Learn more about this author, Marcia Studley.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.