With Netflix hovering around 100 million subscribers and growing at record rates … my hunch is that many of you can relate to this scenario.
My wife Janeen and I have six children. After getting them to bed in the evening, we’re usually emotionally and physically spent. We’d heard of friends “binge watching” shows … and about three years ago decided to give it a try. It didn’t take long till we were hooked! The shows were captivating … and the plots enticed us …
Quite honestly, it was a lot of fun … something we looked forward to … and it became our evening ritual.
Unfortunately, what we didn’t realize, was that our communication with each other was slowly turning into something boring, predictable and dangerous.
Instead of talking about our thoughts, dreams and emotions … we scurried the kids to bed so we could mindlessly sit in front of a screen and be entertained.
The highlights of our conversation were, “Wanna watch another one?” “Pause the show, I need a bathroom break” and “What kind of snacks do we have?”
The results of our new venture? Too many nights of staying up way too late … and a lack of motivation to do anything different.
How did we break out of this trap?
Thankfully, a little over a year ago, Janeen timidly approached me with the desire to start a home based business. It would entail an investment to buy inventory … and would require my help in the evenings to keep things running smoothly.
I knew we needed a change … and after looking over the business plan … agreed this was for us!
Our routine drastically changed … after putting the kids to bed, we’d spend an hour or two working side by side on this business. We started sharing our thoughts, ideas and dreams. We brainstormed together … and the emotional, physical and spiritual connection in our marriage grew much more than we ever anticipated.
Do we still watch shows on Netflix … yes, but we’ve re-aligned our priorities to keep it in its proper place!
How about you? Do you need to reevaluate how much time you’re being “entertained?” Is there something you can do to get you out of the rut you’re in?
I promise you, that time spent with your spouse … will reap far greater rewards … than time spent in front of a screen.
