Netflix is a constant stream of revolving content, old and new. Has the platform recently added new seasons of your favorite TV show or miniseries? Or maybe you’ve been told about this new TV series that you just have to binge watch. Your first reaction might be to shut yourself in your room this weekend and compulsively watch every episode, but… that’s probably not the best idea.
Did you know that sitting and watching TV for long periods of time not only leaves you feeling sluggish, but can also have negative effects on your mental and physical well-being? Here are four things to try before you get sucked into another Netflix bender.
Exercise
Not only does exercise increase your overall mood, it helps improve your brain health, quality of sleep and stress levels. If you don’t like running, try an exercise video in the comfort of your own home. If you can’t strength train, try outdoor activities such as hiking and rock-climbing. If you need something lower impact, try some yoga or pilates. The possibilities for a good workout are endless, so get moving!
Catch up with a friend
Call up one of your friends, maybe even make it a group date, and plan a time to grab some brunch or to hit up happy hour. Then, put away your phones and have a genuine conversation with each other. It will be nice to spend time with a few lively, smiling faces instead of that TV or computer screen.
Explore your hometown
Have you actually looked up to see what activities and amenities your town has to offer? There might be more going on than you think! Try out a new restaurant, look up any outdoor activities, such as local history trails in the area, go on a town tour or even join a club. Anything that can get you out into your surroundings for a few hours is a good step.
Learn a new skill
The average show on Netflix is 40 minutes to an hour. The average movie is roughly 2 hours long. That's almost three hours that could be spent on learning a new language, learning how to cook a new recipe or learning how to master a software program like Microsoft Word or Adobe Premier to further your job readiness skills. Just imagine all the new projects you could be working on in that amount of time!
Now, this isn't to say that watching Netflix is all bad. I really enjoy my downtime and, when I get home, I love to just pop on a good show or movie. But maybe instead of watching Netflix all day long, try only watching one or two episodes and spend the rest of the weekend doing other creative things that will not only improve your life and mental well-being but maybe even help you check some things off your forever-long to do list. I promise it’s worth the try.
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