Telly Addicts

Written by Jaynie Ralph on 10:23:33 am

in Articles

Bad habits are hard to break: even though we complain that there’s nothing on TV, we still end up watching it. Jaynie Ralph suggests some top ways to spend a truly fulfilling evening – without the goggleboxicts

Even though it’s still winter, let’s not fall into the trap of being stuck in front of the television watching endless re-runs, repeats and reality shows. We spend on average three hours watching TV each day, compared to 11 minutes reading books (according to research by the Orange Prize for Fiction). Being glued to the set can become all - consuming and ultimately detrimental to our relationships with our partners, children and ourselves. So what else is on offer once you’ve managed to switch the box off...?

Home alone

Make a list of your life goals and include things like volunteering for a turtle conservation project, climbing a mountain or studying sacred geometry. Flick through old magazines (before taking them to the recycling bin), tear out pictures that appeal to you and make a collage on a pin board or inside a kitchen cupboard. Look at it regularly. Rediscover your CD collection and play music you love. This is a wonderful mood elevator, and you’ll wonder why you ever stopped listening to your favourite tunes. Pay a visit to your local library on the way home – they are usually open late one night a week – to take out a book, or buy one from a charity shop. If you aren’t a fan of reading, there’s usually a wide range of great stories available on audio books too.

Get creative: there are many ways of letting your imagination go – whether it’s moving the furniture around in the bedroom, customising a pair of old shoes, writing children’s stories or soy candle making. There’s an artistic side to all of us. To help your creative juices flow, you could pamper yourself with some organic beauty products. A wealth of these are available from your local health store and online.

Pour yourself a warm bath, with a few drops of geranium oil, and feel yourself relax. having an early night may sound boring but curling up in your crisp organic cotton duvet with lavender drops on your millet pillow will soon have you drifting off into a deep sleep and waking up feeling fantastic.

Just the two of us

Turning off the TV offers an ideal opportunity to get romantic and spontaneous with your partner as well as exploring new lines of communication. Experimenting in the kitchen can be fun when you cook together. Play some romantic music. Or book yourselves into a local Thai cuisine, wine appreciation or on a raw chocolate course if you share a passion for food.

A date with adventure sports will get your adrenaline pumping – try something different together like wall climbing, trapeze school or Tai Chi. Take a look in your sports centre for evening events. Salsa, baroque and ballroom dancing are fun ways of getting physical with your date. Or, if you have a cultural beau, look into art workshops, historical talks, a night at the theatre or a classical concert.

Surprise your love by taking them away to an organic B&B in a part of the UK you’ve never been to; or plan an environmental retreat together. For home comforts, treat each other to a hot oil massage – fill an old jam jar with hot water and pop in your bottle or tube of oil to warm it up first.

Family matters

For a busy family, the television is an easy solution to entertain everyone. Why not take the lead and get everyone excited about some new family activities...

Story telling is a great way to do this. Get everyone involved by letting each family member take a turn at narrating: use a ball and throw it to select the next person to speak. Give your children some household items like a ball of string, a scrubbing brush, a bag of soap nuts, a saucepan and a woollen hat for example – ask the children to make up a story using their props and put on a play.

Board games are also popular and a great fun way to connect with grandparents, as well as your friends. Ask everyone to choose his or her favourite game, and the winner of each one can nominate the next game to be played. Swimming clubs or ballet classes encourage children to join groups and to exercise as well.
Sitting down to eat together is a great daily bonding event. To include everyone in the family, give each person a task, such as laying the table, getting the drinks or preparing the salad (their way -– let them experiment). Encourage your children to bring their friends for dinner. Welcome them into your family and lead discussions around the dining table.

Chums and soul mates

Invite your friends around for an organic dinner party. Suggest everyone brings something − salad, starter, dessert, drinks...

Have a wardrobe turn out: if you haven’t worn it in three years, it’s time to give it away. Organise a clothes swap or ‘swishing’ party, and ask everyone you know to come and exchange their old treasures.

Start a scrabble group with your friends, or have a playing card evening (it doesn’t have to be for money). If you’re feeling artistic the evening before, you could offer some of your creations as prizes… If you’re looking for new friends or a partner try green Passions or Earth Wise Singles, online dating agencies for environmental singles.

Community chest

Feeling part of your locality provides a sense of belonging, as well as the opportunity to make new like-minded friends. Follow your passion. Think back: what did you enjoy doing when you were younger? If it’s music, find a choir that suits you, or learn a musical instrument. If it’s crafts, find a pottery or knitting group – look up your local Stitch & Bitch meeting! Do you like being on stage? how about amateur dramatics? Or chess, book and poetry clubs? To mix this with exercise, try karate, running and badminton. Visit your local sports centre, join a yoga class, basketball or football team.

Tune into your local radio stations to feel closer to your district; and get to know your neighbours. knock on their doors and tempt them around for a green tea with carrot cake, or plan a street party for when it gets warmer. You can also make friends by learning something new – a language, photography, first aid, or a degree in a fascinating subject.

To avoid slipping back into the habit of switching on the box after an exhausting day, take a few moments each morning before you get up to write down what you might do that night. With so many creative and sociable options, you may need to get yourself a bigger diary; and with all the friends you’ll make you’ll need a new address book too – all made from recycled paper of course.

Telly Addicts front cover