How to Allow Yourself Downtime Without The Soul-Wrenching Guilt of Unproductivity

“You are wasting your life! This is not how you get ahead!”

…is what my brain shouts as I toss the couch blanket over my SO and I as we pick up where we left off on last night’s show. Last week was The Witcher. This week, we’re diving into Samurai Cat — which is exactly as silly as it sounds.

In 2018, the average American watched just under six hours of video per day, according to TechCrunch. In contrast, the average American only spends 45 to 60 minutes on social media per day.

Despite my personal daily video stats clocking in between 1 and 3, I feel soul-crushing guilt for every minute that it isn’t just background noise.

But — and here’s the big catch — it’s a great way to spend time with my SO. Particularly with streaming services that let us pause to dissect the cinematography, the plot, or the writing. It’s our time to be together after we finish the business of daily life.

Idle Hands Do The Devil’s Work

Or so I read somewhere. In my case, I can’t move past idleness leading to guilt that I’m not min-maxing my life.

Television is the quintessential definition of idleness. Idle hands lead to bad mental places.

But I’m not going to give up those few precious hours with my partner.