Two years ago I separated from my then-wife, the mother of my two young sons.
Whilst it was, obviously, very sad, suddenly being single again after many years did present me with the opportunity to try a few things I’d been meaning to for a while.
For a start, I wouldn’t have met my beautiful girlfriend Alex and her sweet daughter Isabel:
And RISE would have never been created.
I also took the opportunity to try going without a TV.
I’d been cutting down my viewing a lot that year anyway having read Tim Ferris’s ‘Four Hour Work Week’ – great read by the way, check it out.
And I’d just the week before completed my Bio-Sig course Bath with Charles Poliquin.
One thing Charles had talked about was getting rid of the TV.
So I thought it was the best opportunity I’d get, so didn’t take one with me to my new flat in Buxton.
It was one of the best decision I ever made.
It’s surpsiing how much difference it makes to your ‘free time’.
I didn’t think I watched much before, compared to some people.
A couple of hours a night maybe.
But, when you think about it, that’s a big proportion of your available time.
If you have 3 hours available after work, cooking and eating tea, doing some jobs, sorting the kids, etc – then 2 hours is 67% of your available time.
Dropping the TV will TRIPLE how much spare time you have.
I found it made a huge difference to how much spare time I had available and, consequently, how much stuff I did.
It made me read books, socialise with friends, take the kids out, etc more.
You know – the things we often “don’t have time for”
It really helps with the kids – they can’t nag me until I put the TV as that’s not an option (at least they couldn’t until I moved in with girlfriend, who has a TV).
Often when people ask me why I don’t have a TV, I say “I don’t have time”.
They look at me a bit odd, but I think it helps them question their own use of that excuse.
Because if you ever watch TV, anytime you say you “don’t have time”, you’re actually saying “I’m choosing to watch TV instead of exercising, going on a healthy food shop, reading, socialising, playing with the kids, etc.”
Makes you think, doesn’t it?
I’m not telling you that you have to get rid of your TV (I’ve managed to persuade a few on the idea over the years though) – but, much like the “Can You Afford It?’ article, we always try to challenge people’s limiting thought processes that may be causing them to not be all they could / would like to be.
I’m not preaching either – if people want to watch TV, that’s cool.
But if this article helps you question your use of time and, in some way, make steps to improve your life, then I will consider it “job done”.
Much love,
Jon “My girlfriend makes me watch X-Factor on her TV” Hall
