Yesterday, I shared two interesting studies linking TV ownership and “screen time” to heart attacks and premature death. The link isn’t so much with the television itself; instead, it’s the sedentary lifestyle that TV watching helps to support.
When I graduated university and moved to Washington, DC, television wasn’t a priority. Because money was tight, I wasn’t interested in paying a monthly cable bill. Instead of watching TV, I engaged in a number of activities that greatly improved the quality of my life – like reading books, going on adventures and taking yoga classes.
In 2009, I finally cracked and bought a TV. But in placing the screen in my home, I was certain of one thing: I wouldn’t make it a focal point.
In so many homes, clusters of chairs and couches surround television sets in the same way that benches and stools once surrounded campfires. Or, the way that pews might surround an altar. The focus of the room – and in some cases the entire home – is the almighty television set. That’s not for me.
In my home, the television is more of an afterthought than a focal point.
In my home, the television is more of an afterthought. My living room is furnished to support conversation and face time. The seats face each other – not a screen. In fact, there’s really no good seat from which to view the television. And I like it that way.
Let’s be real: Televisions aren’t going anywhere. I don’t think it’s realistic or wise to wage a crusade against something that some few of us are willing to throw away. But, simply by shifting the way we organize and furnish our homes, we’re able to lessen the role that the TV plays in our lives. Instead of building homes that encourage sedentary lifestyles, we can use design to help facilitate the things we really value. Like each other, and our health.
Fantastic article. People need to be aware of the small adjustments that they can make to their lives, and the world around them, to improve their health.
When I was working as personal trainer, I told people they shouldn’t think of exercise just in terms of numbers: “I can sit on my butt for X hours as long as I spent Y minutes exercising.” Fitness isn’t a matter of plugging in a few pluses and minuses and hoping it comes out even.
Fitness is about the details of how you coordinate your WHOLE life, not just the time you “spend exercising.”
Thanks for helping people be aware of that.
I cancelled cable and don’t even have an antenna. That pretty much makes watching TV an activity that has to be planned out if I want to watch something. And I have a room dedicated to just the ‘tv’ which is optimized for it (some of us like to watch hidef movies with great sound). But its the only TV I own and I plan on keeping it that way.
I have a TV, it’s the focal point of the living room. Of course, you have to move the bicycle trainer and weights out of the way if you want to watch! We have the TV to provide changing visuals during inclement weather training, or to play workout DVD’s.
As someone has already commented in response to the previous post, there is no difference between sitting in front of theTV and sitting in front of the computer. I suspect you do plenty of that, so let’s avoid the judgments.
Thats a good idea (and have to say this but if the picture is from your flat, its a very beautiful home, cozy)
Usually, when in my family we want to watch movies, i have to move my tv to the living room (and yes, theres an althar to the box-god [in the living room, not my bedroom]), and since the last movie i decided not to plug the cable and just keep it for the xbox (you may think of me as a videogame junky, but actually only play it 4 hrs a week tops), the rest of time it is covered, insted decided to place a couch bellow the wall light for reading (so small my room is now), and barely miss it, i guess it was a good choice (oh, and with out knowing i placed my bed and my pc chair so they cant get a direct view of the tv) XD
I didn’t really think about this but it is true. My living room is furnised with the tv as the focal point. Now that I think of it that’s pretty much been the case all my life. Is this a conspiracy brought on by hollywood and the FCC?!!!
Chipotle! (: