One Secret to Having More Time and Money
I think one of the best things I learned when I was getting out of debt was what to do with my free time. I used to crash hard in front of the TV each night. I was too tired to do anything but sit on the couch with a snack and relax.
When we were getting out of debt, we canceled cable. It was a weird thing for me since I worked in the cable industry!
We had to put bunny ears on our 42? plasma TV.
But not watching?TV opened new doors for me. I didn’t realize what watching TV did to me. It made me numb. I could watch someone else live their lives so I didn’t have to live mine.
I no longer had the news on in the background when I was cooking dinner. I no longer looked to it to entertain me. I no longer planned my day over what shows were going to be on that night.
For the first few weeks, I was bored. VERY bored. I had to learn how to entertain myself. I started to look at what interested me.
I looked into personal development?and read nonfiction books. I had never read non-fiction books before! I found hobbies that I hadn’t done since high school. I started to have more ‘me’ time to take care of myself and what was important to me.
I found that doing these things actually gave me energy.
I realized that watching TV wasn’t the answer to the problem, it was the problem!
Now I tell people, “Don’t watch other people on reality shows, LIVE your reality show. Make your life so interesting other people will be inspired by you.”
Be completely honest with yourself. How much TV do you watch?
How could you spend your time that would GIVE you energy?
Tags: Debt Free, debt freedom, finances, Lifestyle
Categories: All, Budgeting, Business, Debt, Debt Freedom, Finance
Hi I’m Jaime. Each and every week I bring you the top business advice from the people who know best.
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14 responses
I stopped watching TV over 3 years ago!
Removing all of that clutter and background noise has helped me sleep better, have more time to be with my children…and be outside doing things instead of watching actors “do” them on tv.
😉
great post btw
sandy
Exactly! I grew up watching WAY too much TV, and I really don’t want my kids to be exposed to it like I was.
Though I do have to admit I am a bit of a computer junkie. We’ve been thinking about implementing No Computer Sundays – We’ll see.. 🙂
TV isn’t a problem for me (we watch 2-4 hours a week on DVD and that’s it) but too much computer screen time certainly is. Although it seems like I’m mostly working while on the computer. Hm, gotta think about this some more…
.-= Jackie´s last blog ..How to Build an Emergency Fund in Six Easy Steps =-.
Jackie, that’s my issue too! I love working, so does spending too much time on my computer count?
My husband says yes, though he has the same problem. We both try to squeeze every minute we can to work. I do think a separate between work and being home is best though. That’s one of the issues of working from home, you can’t leave it be!
As I often say, the problem is I want to be different, I just don’t want to change. I like watching tv! But I don’t disagree. Thanks for the nudge.
It’s amazing how much time we waste in front of the tube! That’s why I love power outages so much. Because my family is forced to reckon with themselves and the talents they were born with! 😉
{Quiet time reading or playing board games with the family} Sweet.
.-= Money Funk´s last blog ..Future Endeavors and a Giveaway =-.
I look forward to power outages too! I think we should implement a pretend power outage each week 🙂
I’ll be flat out honest and tell you we watch a *ton* of television. However, it doesn’t replace things – it’s on right now as I catch up on Twitter, Facebook, email and more. (Catching up on Fringe, Season 2, in case anyone was curious.)
We canceled our cable over a year ago, though. I watch all ours over the airway or online – the hubby has a computer connected to the television. I do agree with you that it can be consuming. I notice it with my girls – it’s the main reason I canceled the cable! Sure, they can watch everything they used to but kids don’t think like that – they want live television and we just don’t have it.
So, they play outside! They read. They play games together. So worth it.
.-= Heather´s last blog ..Couponing for Community =-.
We have a computer hooked to our TV too- and I will completely admit to LOVING Lost.
I tried watching hulu the other day while doing twitter and facebook on my laptop, but it became a jumbled mess. I didn’t really watch the show and I wasn’t as productive as I wanted online. Ah well, no multi tasking for me! 🙂
Up until February, we were easily watching 25-35 hours of tv A WEEK (sometimes 10 and sometimes 45…but 25-35 was the norm).
Then I started a blog…now it’s about 10-15 hours a week. Still a ton of tv, but probably healthier than before. Plus, I love my blog and get to interact with real people, woot!
I think for some people TV is their hobby. That’s not necessarily a bad thing either, but only if it’s a concious choice.
It’s funny because even when I’m over a friends house and they have the TV on, my head just automatically turns to it and I get sucked in. It’s addicting to me! I think that’s why I make it a point to have it off. 🙂
TV is a time suck…..the computer can be too. I know I get lost in my computer time, especially when I am reading something interesting, or I am working on my blog.
For me, I will set a timer (usually the microwave since the tv and computer are near the kitchen). And when it beeps, I get up and do other stuff. Most of the time. 🙂
I do DVR alot of things, and then I have a marathon of tv watching. Otherwise, I am so busy with kids, work, house stuff….I don’t think about it. Except for Lost. I am a total Lostie!
Yakezie……
.-= Mysti´s last blog ..Do you have the bravery to NOT pay a debt? =-.
Lost is amazing! Not sure what I will do when it’s over 🙂
Lately I’ve been using something called the Pomadoro technique. You set a timer and work for 25 minutes, then take a 5 min break. I am trying to do this even if it’s my ‘free’ time to read blogs, since sometimes I can get carried away!
But just like you, it only works if you work it. So when the timer goes off I have to MAKE myself stop! 🙂