I have many books I want to read; as each day ends, I wonder how will I ever find the time to read them all? I have a little secret I want to tell you that will instantly give you what you want: MORE TIME… Ready? Stop watching TV!
Or at least watch less. Try it. The truth is, I enjoy watching TV. I normally watch the news while I’m eating lunch, or watch a TV show with my wife while we eat dinner. I’ve stopped watching TV during lunch and started reading instead. Here are some instant benefits I get:
1. Rest my eyes from all screens – TV screen and computer screen. Give your eyes a break!
2. Rest my ears from noise – TV is constant noise. If you haven’t noticed, it gets louder during commercials. No matter how you adjust the volume before, when a commercial break comes on, the volume goes up. Because most people can’t be bother to keep readjusting the volume, they get exposed to excessive and loud noise. (May be a cause of tinnitus for some?)
3. Rest my mind – TV is an escape, but have you found that in excess it is not relaxing? Watching too much TV has the same side effects as taking drugs or alcohol. People consume these things to escape from reality, but somehow in the end, they don’t feel better for it. TV is intended to be entertainment (and it is in moderation), but when over-consumed it wearies the soul.
There may be a scientific reason for this. Studies show that when we watch TV, our brain activity switches from beta waves (alert consciousness) to alpha waves (lower consciousness). In other words, TV numbs the mind. Some people get hooked on this numbing effect, like a drug, and literally “can’t stop watching TV!” TV addiction is real. All addictions take a toll on the body and soul.
4. Read more books. Time passes away quietly while reading. I discover I have more time to read than I thought. I rediscover the pleasure of reading. Did you know that reading is a gift of God no other species gets to enjoy? That’s right. Believe it or not, my dog likes to watch TV, but he does not like to read! To read is a uniquely human pastime. To read is to be human.
When people say they don’t have enough time, what they usually mean is they lack motivation. They don’t really need more time, they need more motivation. Here’s one thing that’s motivated me stay on track with reading more books – I joined a social network for bookworms called Goodreads. I find out what my friends are reading and some of them inspire me with how many books they’ve read! One of my friends has a goal of reading 52 books every year. I have a goal of writing 100 books in my life. Let’s see who reaches their goal first!
You can use your Facebook to sign into Goodreads and friend me (under my photo) at: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2119605.Steve_Cioccolanti
You can also find interesting reading lists called “Listopia”. Some of my books have been voted by readers on Listopia. You can add your vote here: http://www.goodreads.com/list/book/5121697-from-buddha-to-jesus
(Currently my 2 books appear on 9 lists. Right click on each list to open it in a new tab, then vote. Search ‘cioccolanti’ if you see a long list.)
Isn’t it time to catch up on all your reading and turn off the TV? What tips do you have to find more time and/or motivate you to read more?
