Escaping the TV Show Binge

Summer used to mean a television hiatus. In the old days when four networks dominated the airwaves, TV went on vacation when you did and you had to wait until fall to see new content. Now summer is prime time for Netflix premieres; Wi-Fi has replaced airwaves; and it’s easy to stream a show on the Internet whenever you want. All this new media has given rise to a uniquely modern peril: binge-watching.

 Binge-watching or watching multiple episodes of the same show back to back, is an increasingly common behavior, but one with serious health repercussions. Binge-watching has recently been linked to increased rates of depression and insomnia. Additionally, whether it’s in front of a laptop or a TV screen, sitting for long periods of time leads to sedentary behavior.

If you find you have trouble moderating your viewing habits, try a few of these tips to cut down:

Turn off Autoplay

Many video streaming sites like Netflix automatically start the next episode at the end of the one you’re watching, prompting you to binge. However, most of the time you can opt out of this feature. This way you’ll have to choose to watch the next episode, instead of letting it play without your control. Here are step-by-step instructions for turning autoplay off on Netflix.

Watch Strategically

For some people, turning off autoplay isn’t enough. If you have a hard time not clicking the next episode button, try timing your episode so that it finishes right before you have to go somewhere important. If you start watching 43 minutes before you have to go to work or pick a child up from practice, you’ll have to stop watching when the episode is over!

Make Watching Work

Pair watching your favorite TV show with exercising. You might be able to watch TV for four hours straight, but I bet you can’t do it while running on a treadmill. If you only let yourself watch while working out, your physical stamina will limit how long you keep going. As an additional plus, you’ll exercise more frequently—you’ll have to, so you can find out what happens next!

Self Control

When your own self-control fails, use the computer’s. An app appropriately titled “Self Control” allows you to prevent yourself from visiting certain websites for set amounts of time. Although the app was designed to prevent distraction and procrastination, it can also be a great tool for preventing binge-watching if you add video streaming sites like Netflix to your block list. Find it here. 

Do you have other strategies for cutting down on your binge-watching? Tell us in the comment section below!

Written by:
Jessica Bickel-Barlow

Jessica is a recent graduate of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois where she majored in Radio, Television, Film (RTVF) and English Literature. She worked for the Michael and Susan Dell Center during the summer of 2013 as a Communications Intern and she is thrilled to be returning to the Center this summer to further contribute her writing skills. 

[images: flickr/brizzlebornandbred; flickr/dskley]