Most of us spend a considerable chunk of each day watching television — approximately 153 hours per month for the average American, according to a 2009 Nielsen survey. No doubt we should cut back, or even ditch the tube completely — but if we’re fairly sure deep down inside that that isn’t going to happen, all is not lost. Those 153 hours can still be partially redeemed by doing something useful while you watch.
If the thought of ironing while you watch TV makes you shudder, don’t worry — there are plenty of tasks you can do during telly time, ranging from the mildly cerebral (good for ad breaks) to the no-eyes-required monotonous (good for subtitled films or the odd TV program that’s actually riveting). If you have a favourite TV-watching task that didn’t make my list, tell us about it in the comments!
A word of warning: always bear in mind that others may be trying to watch as well. Activities such as flossing or practicing yoga poses, while doubtless efficient, may compromise your family’s viewing pleasure; ditto for anything unduly noisy. (Using a sewing machine is out — my mother used to attempt this and we always ended up shouting “What?” at the screen.) Some of the tasks listed can be adapted for other sitting-down times, such as breastfeeding sessions, bus rides or waiting in doctors’ offices; others require two free hands and a comfy chair at home!
40 More or Less Useful Tasks to Accomplish While Watching TV
- Snip split ends.
- Knit.
- Breastfeed (if nothing else, it keeps the kidling from shouting right when Tara makes that “Be home before dawn” comment to Buffy, and you don’t want to miss that — it becomes significant in season five.)
- Buff your nails
- Kegel. Because you should. It’ll make you a better person.
- Scour a copper saucepan or scrub off that sticky residue which accumulates on the underside of cookware.
- Fold laundry.
- Iron. Yes, some people enjoy this.
- Paint your toenails.
- Detangle the hair of one of your progeny.
- De-louse the hair of one of your progeny. (All of your progeny, preferably, unless you watch a whole lot of television.)
- Practice braiding the hair of one of your progeny.
- Sharpen pencils.
- Polish boots or shoes.
- Polish cutlery.
- Polish or de-scratch your CDs with a soft cloth.
- Write your name inside the front covers of all your books, or attach name and address labels.
- Sew buttons onto clothes.
- Give your partner a scalp massage.
- Sip a few of those 8 daily glasses of water. Also good as a weight-loss displacement activity if you tend to eat while you watch TV.
- Make lists — shopping lists, to-do lists, Christmas present idea lists, prayer lists, you name it.
- Needle felt.
- Rub moisturiser into your hands, elbows, etc.
- Soak your feet in a basin with essential oil.
- Wind skeins of embroidery thread onto cards.
- Buff jewellery.
- Shell nuts.
- Tighten your stomach muscles and lift your legs of the floor for a few seconds at a time.
- Take a whole drawer out of the office desk before you sit down and tidy it while you watch.
- Address envelopes for Christmas cards.
- Clip coupons.
- Clean your glasses.
- Tear up scrap paper or newspaper for papier-mâché or garden mulch (only if you can do it quietly!).
- Untangle the mass of ribbons, bias binding and lace in your sewing box and arrange.
- Put the cards in your recipe box back in order.
- Put old piles of photos in a photo album.
- Braid a rag rug.
- Sort old baby clothes into piles (keep, give away, throw out).
- Oil and polish a leather jacket, bag or hat.
- Apply and peel off a facial masque.
