Television.

Last week a thought popped into my head...

"What if I stopped watching television?"

It didn't seem like a crazy idea to me, because to be honest I really don't like television. Besides the Gilmore Girls series that I own and watch on a regular basis because I LOVE it, and the Friends reruns and current season of Survivor, I really didn't think I would miss television if it wasn't a part of my life.

I decided to make a conscious effort to limit the amount of television I watch at that point. All week at times when I would normally flick on the television (while eating lunch, after a nap, arriving home from a walk and sitting down for a rest) I decided to occupy my time with other things. I also have a bad habit of watching television before bed, and at night when I can't get back to sleep (due to 4am bathroom breaks that are a seriously irritating pregnancy ritual) that I want to break.

These are a few things I noticed...

1- I slept better. By making the choice to read before bed I found my brain calming down faster, and by the time I was ready to sleep, I had no problem putting down my book, shutting of my light, and closing my eyes. With television, my bedtime would be decided by whatever program I was watching. When it was done, I would shut off the TV, ready for bed. Except that my brain wasn't so quick to calm down, leaving me laying in bed with a constant barrage of thoughts arguing for dominance in my head. This has habitually resulted in me turning the TV back on because clearly, I wasn't ready for bed yet...yeeash.

2- I had more time. I know this sounds weird, because technically I had no more time when I watched TV then I had when I didn't, but it felt like I did. How often do you find yourself looking at the clock and wondering where the past hour and a half went? (Let me give you a hint: It starts with turning on the TV, seeing your favourite show on and watching it, then noticing a rerun of a program you enjoy coming on next, then watching another re-run, because conveniently enough, they're airing back-to-back Seinfeld episodes today!) I know it's happened to everyone, some of us more than others. So ask yourself - what would you be doing with that hour and a half if not watching TV? I went outside, did research, cooked for my family, organized things, crossed things off my to-do list that had been left way too long, volunteered at my local soup kitchen and enjoyed relaxing in it's most basic form - sitting down, listening to some good music and drifting off into my head for awhile. At the end of the day, I felt I had gotten so much more accomplished. And who doesn't love that feeling?

3- More energy. Because I was sleeping more fitfully, getting outside more, taking more time to cook nutritious meals and getting the most out of relaxation time, I had more energy. I got through the day without feeling sluggish (as I often do when I realize it's time to roll off the couch and get moving) or lazy. I would move easily from one task to the next, and truly enjoyed relaxation time because I felt I had earned it.

4- I'm learning more. Because I spent time I would usually spend watching TV reading and doing research online, I have learned more in the past week about topics that really interest me than I have in months! I have a habit of writing down things I'd like to learn more about, and leaving these pieces of paper beside the computer for when I have time for them. Well guess what? I now had time for them. I bulldozed through all those pieces of paper and found myself making more lists because the topics I had researched had left me curious about other things. Who doesn't want to know more about the world around them?

Because of the incredible benefits I've already experienced from avoiding television, I decided to remove the television from my room. Now, in it's place sits a beautiful vase of flowers and a few candles. I have to say, not having a big black box in my room makes it feel so much more welcoming, relaxing and simple in here. I doubt I'm going to miss it.

My boyfriend has pointed out in the past that although I'm not a huge television fan, I do watch a lot of movies. I can't deny that. I could watch movies all day long (and have on occasion) and be perfectly content. I can watch a movie I like over and over and not get tired of it. I have a huge collection of them. The revelations of this past week have me wondering what would happen if I really stopped watching television in the sense that I would stop turning on the TV for the purose of watching anything - even movies. I'll bet I won't miss the movies I've already seen dozens of times. I'll bet going to the theatre and renting the occasional movie will feel like a real treat. I'll also bet that allowing myself to indulge in some movie-watching next time I'm sick will feel wonderful. I won't miss movies on TV, because I won't know they're on.

The prospect of life without television seems like a beautiful one to me. I also find it appealing that if I'm not a TV buff, my child won't grow up glued to the television either, but rather will see it as something we do as a family on occasion as a special treat. I really believe that is how TV should be enjoyed, and that very few people would be worse off without it.

I encourage anyone and everyone to try this out...even if just for a few days. If you try it and love it like I did, then good for you. If you were miserable, maybe you should ask yourself why. And if you aren't someone who watches it often and are good at controlling your television consumption, then props to you!