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3. Media Consumption
Television
– I hardly ever watch Pinoy telenovelas
to avoid getting bombarded with ridiculous programs that only exist to fill the
space between commercials. Oh, and one more thing: I hate drama. I wasn’t
raised in a household where confrontation or sampalan/sabunutan (catfight) was a part of daily family life, so I
couldn’t particularly relate with the kind of drama that soap operas promote. I
believe any kind of disputes among people who live under the same roof can be
resolved calmly and civilly. These shows are way too predictable. Some of the
curses of our generation are fame-obsession, consumerism and a display of intelligence
devoid of wisdom. Television is one of the main sustainers of our addiction to
narcissism and superficiality. Sometimes, it does depend on what we are
watching. Granted, if we could watch quality news and educational TV programs,
it would not always be such a waste of time.
Social
Media – Seven days ago, I resolved to take a break from social media and didn’t
even suffer from withdrawal symptoms. I know how Facebook can easily get
addictive to the point where people seem to live in a parallel universe. Nobody
told me to quit Facebook or Twitter; I just wanted to redeem the time. (Actually,
I have been forming habits that would someday make me a better person). “See then that
ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the
days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16)
In 15 Reasons Why You Are The Most Annoying Person On Facebook, the way some people responded and reacted negatively in the comments section reminds me of drug addicts who do not believe they have a problem. While the article speaks of a bitter truth, I certainly think it is offensive and unkind. The author doesn’t have to behave like he or she is better than everyone else, using foul language with an air of superiority. Social media can be fun, but we do need to stop making it a mindless platform for trying to outthink or outdo each other.
4. Speaking
Our
words can build up, strengthen and encourage others – they can impart life. Or
our words can destroy, discourage, or bring others down – they can cause a form
of death. The words of the sage apply: “Death and life are in the power of the
tongue.” (Proverbs 18:21)
I used to be tactless and
sarcastic and opinionated. I would never care about how the person would feel
as long as I could say what was on my mind, simply because I thought it was
necessary. I felt like I was doing him or her a favor and that my opinions
mattered whatsoever. Only when I became a born-again Christian did I realize
how ignorant I was. Now, I just know when and where to keep my mouth shut. "Out
of respect for other people’s ears they more often keep silent than talk,"
wrote Russian author Anton Chekhov to his brother Nikolai in 1886.
5. Doing Nothing
The age-old
adage, “An idle mind is the devils’ workshop” truly does not bother me at all because
I still struggle to fight distractions often. So whenever I have free time, I
read anything that piques my interest or I write in my journals. Every morning,
I wake up at exactly 5:00, read a passage in the Bible, meditate on the word of
God and pray within one hour. I have been doing it for seven days now and I
have never been more productive and energetic.
Nevertheless,
I need to learn crucial skills to end my couch potato lifestyle, i.e. my former
sedentary call center lifestyle. I have begun evaluating my eating habits,
eating slowly, chewing every bite, savoring the taste of the food, exercising
at least three times per week, making better choices.
Better
late than never!
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| Now examining: The Mindmap of 35 Habits of the Uber-Productive by Anna Vital |
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