Congratulations! By reducing or eliminating TV time, you have just given yourself and your family up to four extra hours a day! This will turn out to be the best decision of your and your family's life. Here are a few strategies to get started.

10 Tips to Reduce TV Viewing

1) Fill the time normally spent on TV with more rewarding activities

The most important step will be to decide how you are going to fill this time. Are you going to exercise? Take up camping or hiking? Spend more time with your family? Start a new business? The sky is the limit! The main problem facing families who have tried to turn off the TV is how to fill the time. Well, we've made it easy for you. Create a comprehensive list of TV alternatives to fill the time. Brainstorm 100 activities.

In adition to all the alternatives you can find on this website, Family Safe Media has come out with another book to help called, Alternatives to TV Handbook.

2) Create a TV schedule

Next, it would be very helpful for you and your family to devise a TV schedule and stick to it. How many hours does each person get on the tube? There is a new product on the market now which gives families control over their television time. It is called the TV Allowance. If you would like to control both computer and TV there is also EyeTimer.

3) No TV at dinner and other meal times

Make dinner a time for eating and being with the family. Too many families eat dinner, and other meals, in front of the TV. Simply turning off the TV at this time is a great first step in getting control over your TV in general. Eat. Chat. Talk about everyone's day. Don't waste this precious family time by watching TV.

4) Cover your TV

Once your family decides on a schedule, a good trick is to cover your television set when you are not using it. I discovered this trick when I was trying to limit my kids viewing. It sends the clear message that the TV is OFF. Cover it with a Big Screen TV Cover, a fun blanket, like the New York Yankees throw blanket, or hide it with a beautiful Shaker Solid Wood TV Armoire. Keeping your TV out of sight, will keep it out of mind, and will help everyone stick to the schedule. Otherwise your TV starts calling to you from across the room: "Watch me. You must watch me. C'mon, just one little show!"

5) Get rid of extra TV's

Additionally, if you have more than one TV, it might be helpful to get rid of some of the extra ones, especially any in the bedrooms. Extra TV’s may make it more difficult to keep to a schedule. TV's in the kids' bedrooms are especially harmful, since it is much more difficult to monitor the content they are watching. Plus, it isolates them from the rest of the family.

6) Move TV into a remote location and rearrange your furniture

Move the remaining TV to a remote part of the house, like the basement. Make the bedrooms for sleeping. Make the family room for family time. And, of course, make sure you cover your remaining TV. You will probably find that your house becomes instantly more peaceful and quiet.

Now that the television set is no longer the focal point of your family room (or dining room, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen...), make something else the focal point. For example, make a table where you and your family can play games the focus of attention.

7) Disconnect your TV

Disconnect one or more of the cords in the back of your TV set. Maybe even hide the remote. Make it more difficult for you to turn the TV on. In the time it takes you to plug everything back in, you could consider whether or not you really want to watch. You might very well decide that you have something better to do.

Hint: It also makes it more difficult for younger kids to turn it on, although they eventually figure out how to fix the TV.

8.) Cut the Cable or Satellite Subscription

Disconnect your cable or satellite dish. You will immediately get the benefit of $100 or so per month. There will be fewer temptations to lure you to the set. After a while you will probably start to realize that you aren't missing anything from those 500+ channels.

9) Skip all commercials

There are 15-20 minutes of commercials for every hour of TV. Skip them and you immediately cut your viewing time by 25%. This is especially important for children, because most commercials are designed to teach them to NAG. If you are trying to lose weight, it can also be helpful to avoid all the mouthwatering commercials for junk food.

Until recently, I have been hesitant to recommend using DVR's to control viewing. The problem is, they have so many nifty features that some people end up watching more TV than ever before. However, DVR's also have the capacity to skip commencials and some of them allow you to block channels as well, controlling the content kids watch. ReplayTV RTV5040 DVR allows 30-second fast forwarding, which is perfect for most commercials, the ability to block shows, and has no monthly fee. It has the best features in terms of TV control. If you would be more likely to watch more TV, don't get it. However, if you feel you could use the features limit the amount you do watch, then go ahead and try a DVR. This technology depends on the user.

10) Just watch movies

Technology can be an ally in your attempts to control TV watching. One solution for individuals who are ready to give up all the trash on TV, but still want to watch movies occasionally is to invest in a multimedia projector and DVD Player. Get rid of your TV, but when you want some entertainment, splash movies onto a giant screen or wall.

A projector minimizes some of the hypnotic effects of television. The light from the projectors is indirect, reflected light. This light is much easier on the eyes than the CRT monitors which project light directly into the eye. It makes it much easier to control the amount of time your family watches movies. Simply limit the number of movies to a a couple per week. It also gives parents more control of the content children watch. Plus, it gets rid of that unsightly box.

If You Decide To Get Rid Of Your Television Completely

1) Get rid of your TV set

In order to make this decision stick, it is best to get rid of your television set(s) completely. Don’t leave a set in the closet or with a neighbor or even at the office. It is too tempting to bring it back for that “one game”, that “one news story”, or that “one special movie”. Give it to charity or throw it out in the trash.

2) First week is the hardest--Hang in there!

Remember, the first three to four days are always the hardest. By the second week, you and your family should begin to adjust. Kids, especially older kids, will probably find it the hardest to give up television. Keep everyone's list of alternatives handy. Don't be discouraged if you or your family finds this difficult; the benefits are well worth the struggle. You will be amazed at what you can accomplish with all of the extra time and energy you will have. Read some of our success stories for inspiration and ideas.

Get in Complete Control of Your TV

These tips will get you started, but to really get in control of your viewing (for you and your family) get the The TV-FREE System. Many people have trouble getting in control of the time they watch TV, because of the addictive effects. The TV-FREE Workbook, the heart of the system, empowers even the most hopeless TV addict to conquer their addiction and build a TV-FREE life.

Imagine the life you could build with 4½ hours each and every day.