In a previous article, I talked about the benefits of cutting television from your life. While deciding to reduce the amount of time you spend in front of the tube is a good start, sometimes it’s hard to stick with your plans. In my case, I was forcefully separated from television due to my living circumstances, but you may find yourself in a situation where willpower is the determining factor. Get your mind prepared to quit TV for good with the following tips.

1) Set your timer.

Ever find yourself watching show after show when only planning to watch one? Most televisions come equipped with a sleep timer that will cause your TV to automatically turn off after a pre-determined amount of time. Originally intended for people who like to fall asleep while watching TV, the sleep timer can also be used as a rude reminder that your time is running out. What’s to stop you from simply turning the TV back on? Read on.

2) Lose the remote.

I remember a period a few years back when I had lost the remote control in the jungle of my room. One of the things I noticed was my newfound resistance in getting up every single time I wanted to change channels or simply turn the TV on. I found myself watching the shows I really enjoyed, rather than watching TV as a filler activity.

What should you do? Put your remote control in an inconvenient location, and take the batteries out. Or better yet, give it to a friend, as having it in your house will tempt you to pick it up later on. Simply put, laziness is a powerful and selective force.

3) Get a DVR.

While this may seem like strange advice, it is actually extremely useful in becoming more selective of what you watch. Set a goal of how much (or how little, rather) television you want to watch during a week, and selectively record your shows based on the limit. Make it a point to watch only the shows you have recorded. This will help you easily monitor how much TV you watch, allowing you to budget your time. And while you’re at it, be sure to purchase a DVR with a smaller hard drive, limiting your watching time and the hit to your wallet.

More importantly, getting a DVR will allow you to skip commercials quickly. Commercials account for about 1/3rd of the allotted time slots. About 8 minutes in a 30 minute broadcast and 18 minutes in a 1 hour broadcast is purely commercial time. Not only will you get to watch your favorite shows almost uninterrupted, you’ll save a lot of time doing it.

4) Kill the cable.

No longer will you be tempted by a plethora of channels to watch. Cutting your cable or satellite line not only means you’ll have less variety, but will also save you money at the same time. With average monthly bills at around $40-45, you stand to save about $500 every year. If you’re reluctant to make such a big move, consider switching to a more limited package.

Finally,

Quitting television is like quitting a bad habit. It becomes easier to break the habit when you make your TV more inconvenient to use. After all, the convenience of mindless entertainment is what attracted you in the first place. You may initially be resistant to giving it up, but when you finally get a taste of life that doesn’t revolve around the tube; it becomes that much easier to stay away for good.

Any tips or advice you would like to share about reducing the time people spend in front of a TV are greatly appreciated in the forum.