43 Folders

Back to Work

Merlin’s weekly podcast with Dan Benjamin. We talk about creativity, independence, and making things you love.

Join us via RSS, iTunes, or at 5by5.tv.

”What’s 43 Folders?”
43Folders.com is Merlin Mann’s website about finding the time and attention to do your best creative work.

Tips from the Wiki for watching less TV

Watch less TV - 43FoldersWiki

There's a good, evolving page on the Wiki with tips for Watching Less TV. Some of the most immediately useful advice comes in the "Dealing with channel surfing" section:

It can be guaranteed that if you give up channel surfing, you will watch less TV. * Never just turn on the TV and watch whatever is on. * Only ever turn it on if you have first looked at the TV Guide and specifically decided to watch a particular program. * When that program is over, turn the TV off. If your TV has sleep timer, set it for the length of the program. * If you still want to watch TV, consult the Guide again and choose a specific program. * If nothing grabs you, go do something else.

I used to smugly think TiVo was my salvation, but I now realize how often I'm sitting through yet another C.S.I. or King of the Hill--shows I love, but that I have seen a half-dozen times and now just treat like a constantly-replenished bowl of video M&Ms.

Seems like the distinction in quality is subtle when any activity becomes rote; casual media consumption that's becomes automatic or compulsive could probably use a bit of reflection and possibly pruning.

Sean Graham's picture

I find that since buying...

I find that since buying a Tivo 4 or so years ago, I have a much lower tolerance for programming I've already seen... Before the Tivo, I didn't channel surf all that much, but I'd definitely sit through a program I had seen even several times before if it was one of the programs I followed.

Now, since I have a large catalog of programming sitting on my Tivo, I find myself completely ignoring reruns (assuming I haven't seen them), and even have several of my season passes set to "new episodes only". I find myself consiously deciding to watch television and when I do so I am always consuming new information (even if it is, on occasion, complete trash).

I also have found that the Tivo has been pretty liberating... Where as if I had been watching a show like Lost pre-Tivo, I would have scheduled every Wednesday around it, whereas now I sometimes don't watch it until the weekend or the following week. In fact, there are only a handful of shows I actually watch on the day they are broadcast, and I never watch live TV, as I have become completely allergic to commercials.

 
EXPLORE 43Folders THE GOOD STUFF

Popular
Today

Popular
Classics

An Oblique Strategy:
Honor thy error as a hidden intention


STAY IN THE LOOP:

Subscribe with Google Reader

Subscribe on Netvibes

Add to Technorati Favorites

Subscribe on Pageflakes

Add RSS feed

The Podcast Feed

Cranking

Merlin used to crank. He’s not cranking any more.

This is an essay about family, priorities, and Shakey’s Pizza, and it’s probably the best thing he’s written. »

Scared Shitless

Merlin’s scared. You’re scared. Everybody is scared.

This is the video of Merlin’s keynote at Webstock 2011. The one where he cried. You should watch it. »