50 Things to Do Instead of Watch TV

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I’m starting to ease my way into cutting out some of my bad habits and replace them with good habits. I am SO guilty of just sitting down for 10 minutes to check social or to watch some TV and then look up and realize that it’s been an hour. It is difficult to accept sometimes, but I have wasted an incredible amount of time/my life either watching tv or being on my phone. There are SO many different things I could be doing instead. There’s a lot of things that are more productive and more fulfilling to spend my time on. 

Here is a list of 50 things I have started doing instead of sitting on the couch watching TV or playing on my phone:

Things to Do Besides Watch TV

Journal

Try writing one journal entry a day. It can be as simple as just listing a few things you are grateful for. You can make it your own and write whatever your heart desires. The beauty of a journal is that it can be anything you want it to be. 

Read

I get free books using the kindle app with my amazon prime account, so I can read new books for free! Reading can be very therapeutic. You can learn a lot or use it to be transported to other worlds and to take a break from today. 

Bake

I’m a sucker for brownies and they are so simple!

Cook

I’m more of a baker and my husband is more of the chef. Regardless, it’s always fun to try something new!

Dance Party

Sometimes it’s just fun to jam out to some music and dance like no one is watching!

Clean

Not the most fun, but definitely necessary. It’s more productive than watching TV and you’ll be happy that you did it. 

Organize

I love organizing so this is fun for me. I literally go through my house and just keep cycling through different areas in my house and reorganize. Drawers, closets, books, clothes, I will organize anything.

Go for a Walk

My husband and I live in a town with extremely nice walking trails and they are right by our house. A walk around your neighborhood is just as good.

Go for a Bike Ride

The trails also double as bike trails, which is nice. I love bike rides in the summer because I can go farther and see different things than walking

Free Activities in Town

We have a very pretty downtown with a lot of things going on each day. There are often free activities, you just need to keep an eye out.e

Clean out Fridge

Not always fun, but needs to be done consistently. Check those expiration dates!

Clean out Pantry

Again, has to be done!

Write

You could write a novel or a play. Maybe a song!

Read

I get free books using the kindle app with my amazon prime account, so I can read new books for free! Reading can be very therapeutic. You can learn a lot or use it to be transported to other worlds and to take a break from today.

Color

My husband bought me an adult coloring book last year. It’s very therapeutic. I like to use colored pencils, but you can use anything you have in house. Even just doodling is fun and gets the creative juices flowing. 

Play a Board Game

I LOVE board games. I could play for hours. Find someone who loves them just as much as you do and have game night, once or twice a month!

Do a Puzzle

Another one of my favorite activities! It’s something you can do over and over again. 

Take a bath

Taking a bath is an awesome way to relax and unwind. 

Paint your nails 

This is something I don’t do often enough because they get destroyed after one day at my job. But it’s fun anyways. 

Go to a Concert

Many towns and bars offer free concerts on the weekends, but you can always pay to go to one if there’s someone you’re dying to see. 

Play with your pet

Sometimes it’s nice to just spend quality time with pets. 

Spend time with Your Spouse

It’s also nice to spend quality time with your spouse or significant other!

Yoga

Not really my thing, but some people swear by it!

Bonfire

I love bonfires in the summer. Bonus if you have smores!

Run

I trained for a 10K a little while ago. Not exactly fun while you are doing it, but it makes you feel better in the long run. (pun intended!)

Go Fishing

My husband loves fishing so we like to walk down to the river every once in awhile to fish. 

Garden

I love the idea of a garden. Hate the idea of weeding. So my garden isn’t overrun by weeds, but I definitely don’t weed as much as I should. 

Maintenance Around the House

My husband takes care of this. It’s a necessary thing if you own a house. 

Start a Blog

I’m glad I took the leap and started a blog. I was terrified at first (sometimes I still am), but I’m thankful. It’s so easy, you can do it too!

Volunteer

Our local humane society is always looking for volunteers, but you could volunteer anywhere!

Call a Family Member

I am guilty of not calling my grandma enough. I’m sure we all have a family member that would appreciate hearing from us more. 

Visit Neighbors

I grew up in this neighborhood so I have a lot of older neighbors that I like to go and visit on occasion. 

Create a Plan for the Week (meal plan, schedules)

I do this every Sunday. It helps me stay organized for the week and feel confident in my plans.

Set Goals for the Upcoming Week, Month and Year

I believe that if you write down your goals and look at them frequently, you will be much more likely to achieve them. 

Paint

I’m not much of a painter, but its fun to try. There are lots of simple tutorials on Youtube if you are looking for something unique to try. 

Create and Update your Budget

I update my budget every single week. I have a lot of anxiety and keeping an eye on my budget, helps me to not worry about money. We know exactly how much we have and what we are spending so I can easily make plans for the future. 

Have a Spa Day

Super relaxing. You can do whatever you want. Facials and massages, maybe? You can also choose to go to a spa or stay at home. 

Go to the Beach

We have a beach on a lake in our town, which is very convenient. If you have a beach nearby it could be fun to check it out. 

Practice Photography

You can practice with a phone or a fancy camera. Use what you got!

Craft

One of my favorite activities! I love to make wooden signs for my family members, but there are so many other crafting projects. The possibilities are endless!

Follow Fitness Video on YouTube

I sometimes get the urge to exercise, but never know what to do. It’s hard to come up with your own routines. That’s the beauty of the internet. Just look up a video to follow on Youtube. 

Farmers Market

I love farmers markets. You can often find many in your vicinity during the summer. 

Go through Old Photos

This is just a nostalgic thing for me. I love going through old photos and reliving memories. I like going through photos from when I was a kid with my husband and sharing stories. 

Go to Trivia Night

We go to trivia night once a week with some friends of ours. It’s an awesome way to stay in touch with friends, while also having fun. We don’t often win but it’s still fun to play!

Geocache

I used to go geocaching with my dad when I was little. Now it’s a fun way for my husband and I to get outside.

Take a Nap

Self explanatory I think!

Plan a Trip

My husband and I love to plan potential trips even if we don’t commit to going right away. Once we do have the time and money for a vacation, it’s already partially planned. We have fun just looking at all the places to go. 

Meditate

I don’t meditate a lot because it’s hard for me to sit still. It is very calming however when I do. 

Create a Bucket List

I think this is a little bit like the goals from earlier in the list. If you physically write something down and review it, I think you are more likely to complete it. 

Chat with Friends You Haven’t Talked to in Awhile

There are a lot of friends I would love to talk to more, but with our busy lives, sometimes that just slips away. Make an effort to reach out to someone you haven’t chatted with in awhile.

Visit and Support a Local Business

I think that everyone should try to support local businesses more often. I live in a small town and the owners of the shops in town are local people. Some are even my neighbors. They are just trying to make a living like the rest of us. My husband and I try to go and support our fellow locals whenever we can. 

Conclusion

These are 50 things that you could try instead of watching TV every night. Tv can be a way to unwind and relax, but it can also be a big time waster. I’ve made it my goal to try and cut down my TV time and replace it with more productive and fulfilling activities.

Do you have any more ideas on things to do besides watch TV?