My Never-Ending Battle to Conquer the Biggest Productivity Killer in My Life 

When I began writing about success and productivity 25 years ago, I was quick to criticize television, urging my readers to watch as little of it as possible.

My reasoning was simple: Most of what I saw on TV was bad – mediocre, at best – and I almost always came away feeling disappointed. Worse, every hour in front of the “boob tube” was an hour I could have spent doing something more meaningful.

But television has changed dramatically. Today, there are perhaps a hundred times more movies and episodic series being produced, and with that explosion has come an equally dramatic increase in quality.

I no longer feel confined to mediocrity when I turn on the TV or open my laptop. Quite the opposite: I’m struck by how much truly good content is available at any moment.

That realization cancels my first objection to watching TV. Yet my second objection – that it eats into “productive time” – has only grown stronger, because the temptation to watch is greater than ever.

With so many worthwhile options across cable and streaming platforms, I could easily spend six or eight hours a day absorbed in documentaries, dramas, films, investigative series, and even the occasional sporting event. At the end of such a day, I could honestly say, “That was time well spent. I learned some things. I was entertained.”

But given the limited amount of spare time we have in a day, should I? Of course not.

This is not the first time I’ve pondered the question of how to make the best use of those precious hours. Today’s main essay is my latest attempt to come up with a definitive answer.