I think there’s a little bit of a television snob inside of all of us because there seems to be unwritten societal rules about what kind of shows are very, very important and which ones are complete trash. For example, no one is going to judge you for watching documentaries on SBS but if you utter the words Snog, Marry, Avoid over lunch with your colleagues it’s highly likely you’re going to cop a public dressing down. I have no issues at all with watching shitty TV but that’s because I’ve come up with a system to eradicate the guilt of wasting my precious time on vacuous bullshit. I ALWAYS do other things while watching them. Here’s how to watch TV without feeling guilty…
Exercise
Pop your favourite show on and slam through a few sessions of a short workout on your smartphone. Another great idea is to put your favourite trashy show on your iPad and take it to the gym. A full hour of cardio can feel like 5 minutes if you’re watching your favourite drama.
Give yourself beauty treatments
I often postpone doing things like deep conditioning my hair or epilating my legs because of boredom but if I put on a few episodes of Sex and The City it makes an arduous and boring task a lot more enjoyable.
Iron
This is the best way to get your ironing done, feel super virtuous and not have any guilt at all for watching half a season of Housewives Of Beverly Hills. I actually look forward to ironing when I do this. Tip: Ironing is even better when you add a glass of wine.
Clean
Not many of us can justify dedicating 24 hours of our time to slamming through a full season of some crappy drama show (cough Revenge cough) but if you only ever watching it while you’re cleaning, that’s time very well spent. I have wireless headphones that I sync up to my iPad. My iPad has a case that folds into a stand so I just take my portable TV with me into whatever room I’m cleaning – the kitchen, the bathroom, the bedroom. Changing the sheets on the bed is heaps less boring with Emily VanCamp keeping me company.
Craft
I know a lot of people already feel guilty about spending time crafting (which you bloody well shouldn’t because it’s MARVELLOUS for your soul) but if you’re already feeling guilty you might as well layer it… by crocheting and binge-watching shite loads of The Carrie Diaries.
There are very few shows that I watch with 100% concentration but in case you’re wondering these are my top shows that require total silence, dimming of the lights and damn good cup of tea – Black Mirror, Louis Theroux, Orphan Black, Luther, Sherlock, The West Wing, True Detective and Nathan For You.
What’s your favourite shit TV show? How do you justify watching it?
What little things do you do that save money? Any tips to share?
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P.P.S Don’t forget Crochet Coach has a free trial offer period at the moment so make sure you sign up!
20 Comments
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So many dirty little secrets…all justifiable if watched while cleaning, ironing or cooking!
Still don’t know if I could publicly declare my screen shame…OK I’ll confess to one, ‘Adam Looking for Eve’…so wrong (good old SBS loves a bit of man nude…but what’s with the hairlessness?)-
Author
That sounds amazing. I too enjoy seeing smooth penis on SBS. I may also love Pretty Little Liars… a lot.
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Love a bit of tv – but can only relax and watch guilt free if I’ve done all my chores. A throwback to childhood I suppose. Binge watched a bit of House of Cards on the weekend – what a nasty power couple. I’m a bit over Francis and Claire for a while so watched a couple of episodes of Sirens, which is a totally silly sitcom about a bunch of ambos – does make me laugh, though. xx
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Oh it’s bizarre I’ve got the same thing about watching TV in the morning. It was forbidden in my house and now it’s just not a thing as an adult. I literally cannot watch TV in the morning because Mama Smaggle will yell at me.
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My guilty TV show is defs Geordie Shore but I love it so I don’t care that it’s trashy. Ive just taken up crocheting, so hellllloooo endless hours of guilt free trashy TV marathons!
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Crocheting is the BOMB! I’m so into it. I’m going to get t-shirt yarn and crochet a chunky basket to keep all my make-up in!
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These are great tips, lady love! I looooove Selling Houses Australia and My Kitchen Rules. After work, we take the dog to the dog park, cook dinner, tidy up, make our cups of tea and then settle in to enjoy. Guilt. Free! I figure after a full day’s work and chores, we’ve more than earned it.
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Oh god yes! I do the same thing… I have ambient back ground TV and then when I’m all done with exercise, dinner, clean up etc I can watch an episode of Hart of Dixie. 🙂
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We watch ‘Snog, Avoid, Marry’ – it’s one of those programs, like embarrassing bodies (which we’ve moved on from to watch SAM instead) which is fascinating in its awfulness. The computer ‘POD’ voice and comments are particularly weird. But I always read during it (a book, the paper, the Internet – not good at watching solely, and this is def. not a program that requires much concentration! Oh,and we often seem to watch ‘Escape to the Country’ – partly because it is always on! (We must focus on the box sets we’ve been meaning to watch!)
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A client recommended Black Mirror, gotta start on that and I freaking love Louis Theroux. I think I tweeted him during an ep and told him he was hot (what a weirdo!). So down with the exercising bit! I’ve been Foxtel free for more than a year and I’m cool with that. I binge watch SATC, Girls and a billion movies
My mantra : I heart TV, deal with it! -
Earlier this year, I actually stopped my evening run because of I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here. I’m not proud of it either.
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I recently learnt how to crochet so now I’m all about crocheting whilst binge-watching series! Plus now I’m making affordable but cute gifts for friends!
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Revenge and Wonderland… oh and The Real housewives of frigging everywhere. I do not justify it… I just do it 😉 xx
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I read this post when you originally posted it the other week, but thought of it yesterday as the first episode of the new masterchef season was about to start. I thought if I going to embark on another season of MC, rather than blob on the couch for hours as I have done in previous seasons, I am going to be productive. So my deal for this season every time I watch an episode of masterchef I have to undertake a home workout. I got organised yesterday, I downloaded the Nike Training app (it has some great programs + its free), i purchased some 5kg hand weight and a medicine ball, and rolled out my yoga mats. While the cooking hopefuls dripped sweat into their dishes, I dripped sweat onto my exercise mat! PS this sort of fits in with your post from today too regarding exercise, I try and exercise everyday not for weight management purpose, but just because I am a nicer person if I do – it doesn’t matter how or where you do it – you always feel great afterwards, you’ll never regret having a good sweat, but you may regret not!
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I can’t even say it…. Keeping Up With The Kardashians. My friend came over when I was sick once and convinced me to watch it and now I have little mini binges when I am sick or exhausted (about once a month!) and love it.
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Downton Abbey, Kardashians (why oh why!!), Revenge, Greys Anatomy, The block and anything renovation wise and wait for it ……. Home & Away!!
Love the idea of exercising or maybe something crafty!
Im a little mortified now! -
Always do something else while watching tele, crocheting, sewing, fb. Etc
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I knew I loved you for a reason my all time fav is The West Wing. Though these days I have seen it so many times I actually fall off to sleep listening to episodes and I can almost see the picture in my head. I do love to watch trashy tv when I am ironing! Might have to find a movie or some trashy tv to watch this afternoon when I do hubby’s work clothes (that have to be done in a very specific way works in emergency services lol) plus school uniforms I don’t even wear clothes that need ironing how does that work. xoxo
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I love how you point out that an hour of cardio can feel like it only takes five minutes if you’re watching one of your favourite shows. My husband and I are trying to figure out what we’ll be doing about our television and internet. We’ll have to find a good provider so that we’ll be able to watch without guilt and make exercising feel like a breeze.
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