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No television

Cutting TV out of solo hours, keeping it as something done with other people

Television comes out of the hours you spend alone. Two or three hours an evening is most of a working day, which is the whole arithmetic behind it. Some people cut it completely. Others keep it for watching with family, so the screen turns social instead of being the default setting of an evening. The freed time only counts if something goes into it.

People on record

Sorted by strength of stance

Does it: documented as part of their own routine. Recommends: explicitly advises other people to do it. Discusses: covered it substantively without clear personal adoption; this can include criticism or disagreement.

  • Seth GodinDoes it

    Author · Seth's Blog, published daily

    Watches no television on his own, one of four things he named as keeping his working life simple. He is careful about the trade in the same breath: give those hours up and the stakes rise, because you are then on the hook for something specific instead.

    Source: The Tim Ferriss Show #837 transcript

Other entries filed under focus or productivity.

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    Daily reading

    A fixed daily reading block, usually books rather than feeds

    On record from 25 of 62 tracked people: 23 do it, 2 recommend it
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    Early rising

    A fixed, early wake time, often before anyone else is awake

    On record from 11 of 62 tracked people: 10 do it, 1 has discussed it
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    Daily writing

    Write something every day, published or not

    On record from 10 of 62 tracked people: 8 do it, 2 recommend it
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    Phone-free first hour

    No email, news or social media until you have done something of your own

    On record from 6 of 62 tracked people: 4 do it, 2 recommend it
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    Margin notes

    Writing in the margins while reading, especially where you disagree with the author

    On record from 4 of 62 tracked people: 3 do it, 1 recommends it
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    Thinking retreats

    Blocks of time cleared of the schedule to sit with one hard problem

    On record from 4 of 62 tracked people: 3 do it, 1 has discussed it

Habit entry · notes paraphrased from cited sources, quoted excerpts copied from the transcript they link to. Not medical advice. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or reviewed by anyone listed. How this works.