I read a Seth Godin interview the other day in which the interviewer asked him how such a prolific maker (marketer, writer, blogger, etc.) could get by without an assistant. He responded with a few productivity tips, but the main idea was that he doesn’t waste time doing anything that doesn’t bring him closer to his goals—specifically, he doesn't watch any TV. Zero.
This got me thinking. I’ve always justified my TV watching by telling myself that it “helps me unwind” at the end of a busy day. That I can have it on in the background while I draw/write/create. That it’s something fun that my wife and I can enjoy together. But… Those are all lies, aren’t they?
TV sucks! Making something new is my favorite way to unwind. I don’t need a TV to do that. Having it on in the background is a distraction—it waters down my (precious little) time for making. And when @hollylesue and I watch TV together, we’re not really “together”—we just happen to be in the same room while we sit and stare.
I’m done. I’m making a resolution. No more. It’s a waste. Worse, it’s a distraction. It’s keeping me from achieving my goals. If success is about focus and if focus is about shedding the nonessential, then it’s time to shed me some TV. So long, (time) sucker.