With unlimited content available to us on-demand through paid and free streaming services, it can be hard to set limits for yourself. Habits like binge watching can have adverse effects on your health and life, including reducing the amount of sleep you get, encouraging procrastination, and leading to increased isolation and loneliness as viewers choose to hit play on the next episode instead of going out to meet up with friends and family.
But how can you stop binge watching? There are a few components that go into breaking the habit, some of which are behavioral, and some require you to choose your technology wisely. An extended warranty plan is a great place to start when it comes to being responsible about tech and streaming. Install the Mulberry browser extension to see the latest product protection plans available for all your electronics and streaming devices.
Behavior changes you can make to help you break the habit
Researchers have debated the addictive qualities of binge watching TV, and typically it can be considered an addiction when you start to see negative side effects to your mental or physical health. Even if you haven’t reached that point yet, it may be time to stop the habit before things get worse. Here are a few practices you can employ to try and change your behavior.
- Set a designated amount of time per day that you will allow yourself to watch TV and use apps like TV Time to limit your viewing hours.
- Make plans in the evenings to meet up with friends so you don’t have a chance to sit on the couch and watch TV all night long.
- Try finding a new hobby that you can use to relax and calm down instead of turning to TV.
- Use TV as a reward for when you do activities that align with your other goals, like going for a run or cooking a healthy meal.
Streaming services that make it harder to binge watch
Another step you can take outside of a behavior change is to switch which platforms you are using. Apps like Netflix make it easy to binge watch, as they release full seasons at a time and have the auto play feature that forces you to actively opt-out of watching. This can be hard to do, and finding a service that makes you actively choose to continue watching will give you a leg up in saying ‘no’ to the TV. Here are some alternatives to consider:
- Disney+. This streaming service has taken to releasing episodes on a weekly basis, rather than dropping full seasons at a time. The Disney+ release schedule, therefore, may automatically help you avoid binge watching.
- Hulu. Often, Hulu will release episodes in batches of three, or shortly after they air on cable TV, which means you will see shows unfold at a much slower pace than apps that choose to drop entire seasons at a time. Additionally, with platforms like Hulu, you will benefit from streaming service bundles with Disney+ and ESPN+.
- HBO Max. HBO Max also releases some episodes slowly over time, and can be another great alternative to managing your binging habits.
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