Do you watch a lot of TV?  How much is a lot?  It’s probably nobody’s business how much you watch, anyway, right?

I was curiously searching the other day and found that we Americans watch TV on average 5 hours a day. Wow. That’s 35 hours a week in front of the tube (not counting another 10 hours a week on the internet.)

Then I found, from people who like calculating numbers, that it is estimated that by age 65 a person will have spent around 9 years of their life in front of the television.  Even if that figure is high, it is startling to think that you and I could spend even one year of our lives watching TV, isn’t it?

This intrigued me, so I searched some more and found some statistics from 2010.  One said that 66 percent of US households have three or more TV sets. Another said that said that 49 percent of Americans think they watch too much TV.

Don’t worry, I’m not going to go off on a rant similar to Peter Finch in 1976 in his role as Howard Beale, in the movie Network.  Nor am I judging anyone or being critical.  We all make our own decisions on what we do with each twenty four hours we are given every day.

Increased Ratings = Increased Revenues

I’ve heard it said a number of times in a few different ways, but the essence is still the same:  when we watch TV we are watching other people living their dreams, having fun and making money.  That was one of those statements that when I heard it for the first time, I wished that I hadn’t heard it.

But it’s true isn’t it?  The more people that watch a certain show, the better the ratings and income for those involved.  But what does watching a TV show do to improve our lives?  Yes of course we need to relax and “chill out,” but we still all only receive 24 hours every day.

Now again, I’m not judging or telling anyone what to do.  I don’t watch very much, but I do like the History Channel and sports once in awhile. My wife Kathy likes Dancing with the Stars.  But what if someone decided to cut out just one hour a day of TV watching and instead did something to improve their life?

Imagine what you could learn or develop in just one year after putting 365 hours into it.  Even one hour a week would yield you 52 hours of learning and growing.  What could you learn?

What’s Your Suitcase Look Like?

Once, many years ago when I felt I too overloaded with not enough time, someone said something to me that I have never forgotten.  They said that each day we all get a 24 hour suitcase; some people have just learned how to pack better than others. Too often you hear people say, “If I just had more time…”  The truth is we never get any more time than the 24 hours we are given every day.

It is always a good exercise to stop and take a look at how we are using our 24 hours.  Evaluate your time and then make some decisions.  Make the time to do something that will improve and enhance your life, spiritually, mentally, and physically.

Mike Verdicchio
2012

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