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1992

Abstract

<p id="e9e7">No, we did not trash our TVs, but we agreed to only watch the TV intentionally. If we wanted to watch a specific movie or show, then the TV was fine, but it wouldn’t be turned on simply because we were awake or bored.</p><h1 id="f655">What Changed?</h1><p id="b727">Almost 2 months later, a lot has changed in our lives, and now, there is no going back.</p><h2 id="8b37">We became happier</h2><p id="cadd">I had not realized how angry I had become. I knew that I was really irritable all of the time, but I didn’t make the connection that the TV was the source of my anger.</p><p id="130f">I appreciate silence, while my boyfriend does not. I am comfortable just sitting with my thoughts. In fact, it rejuvenates me to sit in silence. Going so long with someone constantly talking and no silence had driven me into a dark place.</p><p id="bec1">At first, my anger was likely directed toward the TV, but it had ended up being directed at my boyfriend. He was the one taking my silence away.</p><p id="e0f8">After a week of turning off the TV, I could notice that I was a calmer person. I actually was excited to watch certain shows and movies with my boyfriend. It became an activity that we do instead of a constant in our lives.</p><h2 id="28e8">We became more productive</h2><p id="478e">One of the biggest differences is that we have started doing other things now that we are not sucked into the TV all the time. I have started playing the piano again, and my partner is learning it. I listen to music again, which hasn’t happened in over a year. I have started writing regularly on Medium now as well.</p><p id="c500">I have become a more productive person overall. Because I had become so accustomed to the TV, when I would do work away from the TV, I was constantly watching YouTube. I have literally watched reruns of Monica Church, Shelby Church, and Cathrin Mannings vlogs way too much.</p><p id="e3f1">Despite what anyone says, watching TV while doing work makes you l # Options ess productive. It is really hard to think or focus when someone is talking to you. It can also be emotionally difficult to constantly watch someone’s life that is doing better than you.</p><p id="9b37">Now instead of opening YouTube when I sit down to work, I open Pandora. I put on my Passenger radio that has always put me in a mood to get work done. As a result, I have been more productive than I have been in years.</p><h2 id="019d">We became closer</h2><p id="e9c3">Unsurprisingly, it is difficult to have deep conversations when someone else is talking. Even something as simple as “how was your day?” had not been said between us in years. With the TV off, we moved our dinners to our table instead of our couch and we started having real conversations.</p><p id="b013">We have debated issues together and enjoyed intellectual conversations to a background of silence. The arguments that started from my boyfriend not listening to me have dissipated because the number of distractions has decreased.</p><p id="0ae7">We also started doing other things together outside of the TV. We have completed puzzles together. I have learned how to play dominoes. We played Yahtzee and card games together. During this time, we will generally play music, but it allows for more open conversations and intellectual stimulation.</p><p id="d1eb">While watching TV can be an enjoyable activity, it was meant to be an actual activity. From looking at those around me, I think many millennials have developed a habit of using the TV simply as background noise.</p><p id="5810">While I was constantly watching TV, I didn’t think it was hurting me. However, now that I have turned it off, I recognize how it had changed my life and plunged me into a dark place.</p><p id="ee65">Now that TV time is limited, my mood has in fact lifted, I have reached peak productivity levels, and I have actually deepened my relationship with my partner. What are you unknowingly trading for TV time?</p></article></body>

It’s Time To Turn The TV Off

How my life changed when I stopped using the TV for background noise

I want to start by saying that the TV is not a bad thing. Staying home occasionally and watching a good movie or binging a TV show is a luxury we have in the 21st century.

However, since I started my relationship with my current partner, the TV has been on almost non-stop. There is a TV in every room of our apartment and from the moment he wakes up the TV is turned on.

When we first started dating, he would watch TV in bed to fall asleep. I quickly put a boundary up that when we were going to sleep the TV was turned off. Yet, from the moment we get up to the time we go to sleep, the TV was blaring into our lives. From the news to movies to TV shows, someone was constantly talking in our house that didn’t belong there.

Turning off The TV

One weekend, we had plans to do certain activities during the day and watch 2 movies that had just come out at night, Wonder Woman and Soul. However, since the TV was turned on before I even got out of bed, my boyfriend had found a Dr. Who marathon. We were sucked in and sat there for days watching Dr. Who. We didn’t even want to change what we were watching to the movies that we had agreed to watch.

After over 4 years of living this way, about two months ago, I lost my composure. I couldn’t stand to look at the TV for another second. After a massive fight and considering leaving, we agreed to turn the TV off. For once there was silence in my house.

No, we did not trash our TVs, but we agreed to only watch the TV intentionally. If we wanted to watch a specific movie or show, then the TV was fine, but it wouldn’t be turned on simply because we were awake or bored.

What Changed?

Almost 2 months later, a lot has changed in our lives, and now, there is no going back.

We became happier

I had not realized how angry I had become. I knew that I was really irritable all of the time, but I didn’t make the connection that the TV was the source of my anger.

I appreciate silence, while my boyfriend does not. I am comfortable just sitting with my thoughts. In fact, it rejuvenates me to sit in silence. Going so long with someone constantly talking and no silence had driven me into a dark place.

At first, my anger was likely directed toward the TV, but it had ended up being directed at my boyfriend. He was the one taking my silence away.

After a week of turning off the TV, I could notice that I was a calmer person. I actually was excited to watch certain shows and movies with my boyfriend. It became an activity that we do instead of a constant in our lives.

We became more productive

One of the biggest differences is that we have started doing other things now that we are not sucked into the TV all the time. I have started playing the piano again, and my partner is learning it. I listen to music again, which hasn’t happened in over a year. I have started writing regularly on Medium now as well.

I have become a more productive person overall. Because I had become so accustomed to the TV, when I would do work away from the TV, I was constantly watching YouTube. I have literally watched reruns of Monica Church, Shelby Church, and Cathrin Mannings vlogs way too much.

Despite what anyone says, watching TV while doing work makes you less productive. It is really hard to think or focus when someone is talking to you. It can also be emotionally difficult to constantly watch someone’s life that is doing better than you.

Now instead of opening YouTube when I sit down to work, I open Pandora. I put on my Passenger radio that has always put me in a mood to get work done. As a result, I have been more productive than I have been in years.

We became closer

Unsurprisingly, it is difficult to have deep conversations when someone else is talking. Even something as simple as “how was your day?” had not been said between us in years. With the TV off, we moved our dinners to our table instead of our couch and we started having real conversations.

We have debated issues together and enjoyed intellectual conversations to a background of silence. The arguments that started from my boyfriend not listening to me have dissipated because the number of distractions has decreased.

We also started doing other things together outside of the TV. We have completed puzzles together. I have learned how to play dominoes. We played Yahtzee and card games together. During this time, we will generally play music, but it allows for more open conversations and intellectual stimulation.

While watching TV can be an enjoyable activity, it was meant to be an actual activity. From looking at those around me, I think many millennials have developed a habit of using the TV simply as background noise.

While I was constantly watching TV, I didn’t think it was hurting me. However, now that I have turned it off, I recognize how it had changed my life and plunged me into a dark place.

Now that TV time is limited, my mood has in fact lifted, I have reached peak productivity levels, and I have actually deepened my relationship with my partner. What are you unknowingly trading for TV time?