As part of my endless and possibly futile quest to be a less pathetic version of myself, I’ve embarked on a campaign to stop watching TV and movies. For me it’s low hanging fruit - some people really love movies, but I honestly can’t remember the last time I watched something that I truly enjoyed. It’s just something to fill dead time when I’m too tired to think. It BOTHERS me that I’ve spent so many hours mindlessly watching shows that I didn’t even like. I feel like I’m wasting my life every time I watch TV.
I’ve tried reading and podcasts with limited success. They’re good to a point, but the type of content I like is usually either pretty heavy or requires some thought (philosophy, human rights, law, etc. are my areas of interest), and I’m increasingly having trouble with my attention span too.
I already cancelled Netflix a long time ago, but I just never found a good replacement for it. Usually I find myself doomscrolling or watching the same few movies I already own or playing chess on my phone. I decided when I started that I’d let myself finish watching the shows I already followed, but just wouldn’t expose myself to any new ones. Now one of the last two shows that I had been following has been cancelled (which is understandable, the last season was AWFUL) and the other won’t have a new season for a while because of the strike (go strikers), so I’d really like to make TV and movies a non-factor in my life.
So I’m looking for advice here. What other activities are less of a waste of valuable time but not mentally tasking? Has anyone had success improving their attention span? I’d love to become a bookworm but goddamn is it ever hard to keep my ass on a chair long enough to get through more than two chapters. I don’t even know why my attention span is so bad - I actually used to tear through book and had no issue concentrating until about 5-10 years ago.
Any ideas?
Get your eyes checked.
Realized my vision has changed from getting older and that was the reason I no longer can’t sit or read for shit. It’s exhausting instead of relaxing like it use to be because I have to put in effort to adjust my eyes. (Also, the cookie cutter copy-paste plots of modern books makes me want to die because of how predictable they are. But that is a different rant) I can however still listen to an audiobook for hours just fine. It also fees my hands so I can crochet or sew or latch hook while I listen.
You say you have a hard time getting into reading. One thing you can do is just stop reading any book you’re not into. It’s just not worth it when there are so many other books. Your description of what you’re into makes me think you may like Chuck P - Survivor. It’s easy to read but also interesting to think about.
Visit Little Free Libraries and sample the books, or pick up used copies of classics for like $2 and don’t worry if you quit after a few pages.
Play an instrument. Make something with your hands (woodworking, pottery, painting, sketching)
Go hiking. Go geocaching. Take a book or your paints or your sketchbook.
Working out can be a great way to improve yourself and makes it easier to do the podcast thing, which you may like better if it’s paired up with another activity.
You say you have a hard time getting into reading. One thing you can do is just stop reading any book you’re not into. It’s just not worth it when there are so many other books.
I have a 75-page rule. If I’m not into a book by page 75, I turn it back in and check a different one out.
Agreed that it’s not worth it.
