Quitting TV was easily one of the best things ever for improving my lifestyle. This has been especially beneficial for me since my baby was born.
Simply quitting TV has given me enough time to be an effective dad.
These days, my TV is in this state for the vast majority of the time:
If you think about it, watching TV does not add to your life very much.
Yes, TV gives you an escape from your everyday life. It provides distraction and a quick hit of brain stimulation without you having to do any mental heavy lifting.
But beyond those things, TV does not really help you out. Watching TV does not build upon your family life, your wealth, your mental health, or your physical fitness.
Only in very specific instances does TV add to your life: you might be a TV ad executive and watching the tube is part of your job, or you might watch some action show to motivate you while pounding away on the elliptical machine. I think that most people will generally agree that in the vast majority of cases, watching TV does not add value.
That’s not to say that occasional TV time is to be avoided at all costs—I watch an hour or two of Netflix on Saturday nights—but excessive TV time should definitely be curtailed.
The average Canadian spends 30 hours a week watching television, according to a recent study by the Bureau of Broadcast Measurement Canada. I think that most developed nations have similar statistics.
Thirty hours of TV is a pretty hefty chunk of time.
Quitting or drastically reducing your TV time helps you in several ways that are synergistically linked to one another. These are five ways that chopping out TV from your schedule will dramatically improve your life and your family’s well-being.
1. Frees up crazy amounts of time.
Thirty hours of TV time a week is the AVERAGE amount of TV time for Canadians (and probably lots of other people from around the world).
This is a crazy amount of time that can be ported to far more productive activities. It frees up your schedule like nothing else will.
If you are reading this blog, you are likely a new dad or are expecting a baby in the near future. Believe me, you NEED the extra time that avoiding TV will generate.
All sorts of positive spin-off effects result from being awash in more time. For example, quitting TV in the evenings…
2. Allows you to wake up way earlier.
Lots of people stay up late watching TV. Unfortunately, watching TV is the worst thing you could do for your sleep hygiene.
The blue wavelengths of light that emanate from your TV screen suppresses melatonin production which causes an imbalance with circadian rhythms.
Watching a TV show also stimulates your brain, keeping you awake until you pass out late at night.
Avoiding your evening TV schedule naturally improves your sleep hygiene allowing you to sleep earlier. Sleeping earlier allows you to wake up earlier in the morning, which is one of the major benefits of giving up TV.
3. Increases your productivity.
Benjamin Franklin was one of the most productive men ever to live on this planet. He was an inventor, politician, writer, and all around influential guy. One of his famous sayings is:
“Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”
One of my favorite quotes ever.
Since I stopped watching TV and committed to going early to bed and early to rise, my productivity has skyrocketed. In addition to being far more productive in my day job, I wrote two eBooks, started a novel, developed a small business with my wife, and we had a baby.
4. Gets you fit.
If you gain a crazy amount of free time from giving up TV, then you definitely have time now to work out.
Getting fit is great for your well-being and success.
Successful people have many habits in common. One of the most prevalent habit is a regular exercise routine.
Exercise can be lots of things:
- Lifting heavy weights.
- Going for a run.
- Going for a walk.
- Doing bicep curls with your baby in the car seat carrier.
- Yard work.
As a new father, you NEED to be nominally fit to handle the increased physical workload of caring for a baby. Giving up TV frees up the time so that you can take care of this part of your life.
Also, just in general men are simply happier being physically fit. It’s the best.
5. It leads to becoming a better father and husband.
I found that giving up TV led to a whole series of improvements that made me a better man, which naturally translated into being a better father and husband.
When I am at home, I am a steady presence in my baby’s life. Whenever I see her she hits me with an awesome smile. My daughter and I love hanging out together. My wife supports me in all my creative and professional endeavors because she knows that I will always put my family life first.
As I mentioned earlier, I still enjoy watching TV on Saturday nights after putting my baby to bed. My wife totally encourages me to watch TV one night of the week because she knows that it is just one of my guilty pleasures that is relatively harmless.
If you are expecting a baby in the near future, try quitting TV before the baby arrives. By getting rid of this habit, you’ll be pleasantly surprised how the extra time, energy, and productivity will help you out with your new baby.
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If you enjoyed this post, check out my book, A Man’s Guide to Newborn Babies. In this book is all the info you need to become an ace new dad. Go beyond merely surviving the newborn baby stage—aim for a thriving new life when baby arrives!