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TV Rots Your Brain; 10 Things to Do Instead

TV Rots Your Brain; 10 Things to Do Instead

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Our parents have told us for ages that TV rots your brain. Which is true. It allows your synapses to take a break while you tune out the world and watch others act and experience things instead (and don’t even get me started on reality TV). So instead of spending all your money on your cable bill, here’s some hobbies to try that will engage you.

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ThinkStockPhotos

Take a nap

You know you’re sleep deprived, so you really don’t need to stay up until 3 a.m. watching reruns. You know what happens anyway, and you’ll thank yourself the next day at work. Sleeping will give you the added bonus of recharging your body, improving your mental faculties, and ultimately increasing your ability to function.

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ThinkStockPhotos

Clean up your life

There is laundry piled about as high as it realistically can be piled without causing an avalanche, and there is a seriously suspicious substance growing on those dishes in the sink. Instead of zoning out in front of the boob tube, get in a little spring cleaning (or winter, summer, or fall cleaning – adjustments can be made for whatever the season is at hand) and you’ll feel immediately better about your living space.

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ThinkStockPhotos

Exercise

Same as with sleep, exercise will make you more fit, alert and happy while giving you those endorphins everyone’s always raving about. This doesn’t necessarily mean you need to become a gym rat, but why not go for a run or swim some laps? Or pick up a new exercise routine like yoga? There’s got to be a reason everyone is digging that so hard.

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ThinkStockPhotos

Read

*Gasp!* Read, you say? What is this absurdity? But yes, the long-lost art of reading is still around, and whether you want to read the classics or the trashiest, just READ. You’ll remember what it was like to lie in bed while still using your brain, and get to imagine the places you’re reading about instead of having a TV director tell you what they look like.

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ThinkStockPhotos

Be one with nature

There’s a big beautiful world out there, folks. Go see it! Whether it’s hiking, going for a bike ride, or even just sitting in the middle of a park and wondering at your surroundings, do it. The fresh air will do you good, and as long as you don’t sit in bird poop, you’ll feel happier almost instantly.

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ThinkStockPhotos

Reconnect with friends and family

Remember those people you used to hang out with? They’re still around and chances are they want to hang out with you again too. Look them up if it’s been a while, or make a bigger effort to see Mom and Dad (who you only contact when you need something, even if they live less than 20 kilometers away). You’ll realize the extraordinary amount of things you can do with other people, far beyond being a couch potato alone and ordering in.

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ThinkStockPhotos

Knit

It seems lame, but think about it: it’s soothing, fairly cheap, and you end up saving tons of money on winter garments (and other things) by making even cooler pieces yourself. Plus, it’s been said that the process of knitting and crocheting helps ward off arthritis by keeping those fingers nice and nimble.

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ThinkStockPhotos

Get a dog

You clearly have extra time, so why not find a lifetime companion? There are tons of puppies and dogs out there just waiting to find their forever home (shameless plug to encourage you to adopt). You’ll have somebody to come home to every day, somebody to make sure you don’t spend an entire day in bed watching Netflix with no pants on, and somebody to get you out of the house and on your feet for a rousing walk.

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ThinkStockPhotos

Travel

Check out somewhere you’ve never been before, even if it’s just in your own neighborhood. Most of us never want to pop the bubble that we live in, but there’s so much more out there. Try to take the time you normally would spend watching TV to go somewhere new and unexpected, and you’ll undoubtedly learn something you never thought you needed to know.

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ThinkStockPhotos

Cook

Don’t know how to cook? Learn! But stop nuking those microwave dinners (also known as TV dinners…) because not only are they mostly completely devoid of nutrients, but you really need to start developing life skills that go beyond pressing buttons. Plus, you’ll realize how much money you’re saving by cooking for yourself, and you’ll learn the beauty of leftovers the next day.