A Guide to Killing your TV and doing something productive
It is one thing to know that you need to get up off of the couch and do more than sit there, like a lump, staring at old sitcom reruns or playing video games. It is entirely another to know what to do instead. Try these tips to get up, get active and have more fun with your time!
Start Small by Standing Up
Instead of trying to go cold turkey on the video game time, why not transition out of it naturally by switching from video games that keep you sedentary on the couch to games that get you up and moving? There are more movement games than Wii Fit or Just Dance (or its spinoffs). Kinect Adventures is the best if you have the Xbox Kinect system (it even makes you push stuff around the room). Wii Resort and Punch Out are two games that are great on the Wii. There are all sorts of possibilities, whether you have a Wii, Xbox Kinect or Play Station Move.
Learn an Actual Instrument
Sure you could sit there and play Rock Band until your heart’s content but wouldn’t you like to know how to play those songs on the instruments for which they were actually intended? It’s okay if you feel too embarrassed to take a class. You can opt for private, in-home music lessons instead. This will let you learn in the privacy of your own home, at your own pace and decide for yourself when you’re ready to play in front of others. Trust us: being a real guitar player is far superior to being a Rock Band or Guitar Hero guitar player!
The Book is Almost Always Better
Instead of just watching the movies that are based on great books, why not read the books themselves? Instead of turning on the television, turn on some ambient music and read the book based on whatever movie you thought about watching. Then watch the movie another time and compare the two. Kindles, Nooks and other ereaders make getting new books cheap and easy to do from the comfort of home. They even allow you to download library books so you don’t have to worry about the expense if you end up not liking the book very much!
Expand Your Mind
You undoubtedly have a school or community center in your town that offers affordable classes in the evenings and on the weekends. Take a few of those classes! You can learn about whatever you want: history, healthy cooking instruction, dance, math, photography, astrology—anything. Instead of just tossing the course catalog into the recycling bin when it arrives each quarter, choose one or two classes to take. This will get you up and out of the house and learning something you’ve always wanted to learn!
These are just four ways that you can better use your sloth time to your advantage!
About the author: Jennifer Smith is a green living advocate and a lover of healthy activities for all ages.
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About the Author
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