Week's End

Now for the results of the grand experiment: The results are . . . mixed. Mostly due to the fact that the experiment was not carried out exactly as I outlined a week ago. I did sneak in the occasional streaming episode and YouTube clip over the week, so that does skew my results somewhat. However, I can still say I learned a great deal from the experiment.

• First, it does help to have the television off when during certain activities, particularly writing.
• Second, I don't actively watch that much television. My activities through the week generally did not change. The television largely remains as background noise for me, providing the occasional distraction from what I'm doing on the computer.
• Third, I think the Internet represents a bigger vacuum for my time than the television, though i generally use both together in tandem to negate some of the downsides of both.
• Fourth, performing such an experiment when my sleeping habits are closer to that of vampires than humans is not a good idea. Especially in trying to change that schedule. I've suffered through massive insomnia during the week, and am even surprised at my ability to function at all.
• Fifth, I didn't get any books read, but I attribute that more to number four than television.
  

With these lessons learned, I will make myself more productive during the week, and I plan to re-run the experiment, after dealing with my insomnia, and plan to cut back on the Internet, as well. I think by cutting back on my time in front of the computer and television, I will leave myself with productive reading or other miscellaneous activities.