#### *There is no greater seductress in the world than convenience.* It's 18:30 on a Friday evening. I've just returned from work after closing out what was arguable one of the most hectic weeks ever. Constant calls, relentless clients asking too many questions, technical challenges that stretched my cognitive capabilities to their extreme. Tired, I drag myself over the stairs and into my cosy-yet-cluttered bedroom housing a large pile of washed laundry on a corner of my bed, miscellaneous sports supplies lying around the room and the empty bowl of breakfast from that morning. I drop onto my bed with every intention of falling asleep to reclaim some **me** time...but I lay my eyes on my laptop. Next thing I know, I am tucked into my bed, with a packet of chips and my laptop perched on my thighs. The all-too-familiar *tudum*. I spend the next 15 minutes surfing through the broad catalog Netflix offers. And then I find the *"perfect"* show I want to watch. Perfect is in quotes because the moment I finish this show, I might never even remember it. So much for *perfection*! Before I realise it, it's early 4:00 the next day. I usually try to get up around 5-6 in the morning. Well, this Saturday that is not happening. I force myself to sleep at 4:00 and wake up at 12:00 when half the day has passed and I have lost the time to *get up and be "productive"*. I sulk, I crib, I grab my coffee and I am back on the bed to continue my Netflix-ing. I rationalise this as "I have already lost half the day no? Might as well indulge today and get back to my routine tomorrow!" I Netflix till 17:00, doze of asleep, and wake up at 22:00. I crib about the lost day, about not eating properly, about not writing that blog post I wanted to, about not meeting that friend I promised to and about not having that nature walk I so desperately needed. And I proceed to Netflix again until the next morning. It's a Sunday right? So, I can *"recalibrate my sleep"* by sleeping the whole day, no? Well, at least that is what I tell myself. Soon enough its Monday morning and it's *back to the grind* for me. A colleague asks me what I did on the weekend. I spit out one of my *rarely-honest-template answers*. 1. Just chilled at home with "friends" 2. Performed a "deep clean" of my room 3. Went out with a friend to "XYZ town" (Well, I might have done this at some point in time ...) 4. Did "some shopping" The weekend has flown by. I didn't do anything useful. I didn't do anything fun. I didn't do anything healthy. **I didn't learn anything**. This was probably the weekend where I could take out - 5 hours to code that project I wanted to - 5 hours to travel to a cute little part of London - 3 hours to prepare my meals for the next week - 2 hours to read that book that has been on my to-do list forever - 2 hours to check my finances and learn about MONEY! - Or in the least, do **at least one** of this ... --- ## We all have a Binge-Watching Problem. Binge-watching has slowly become a core aspect of the modern entertainment culture. As per a Netflix study, [it takes on average only about five days for consumers to finish the first series of a show](https://www.viaccess-orca.com/blog/binge-watching-changed-way-watch-produce-television). It's become cool to say "I binge-watched the whole season of [Mirzapur](https://www.primevideo.com/detail/Mirzapur/0PDOKMV9CRLOMO5EUKNCUJLG4Q) in one night". I still remember my friends holing up near the mechanical laboratory at university, to binge through the final few episodes of [Game Of Thrones](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_of_Thrones). Studies, such as the one conducted by Michigan State University's Health & Risk Communication Center, dive a bit deeper into why [binge-watching is not ideal](https://hrcc.cas.msu.edu/news/archives/2019/201912-the-impact-of-binge-watching-on-your-health.html). While it does offer temporary relief from stress and a sense of companionship, binge-watching is associated with negative health behaviours like sleep deprivation, unhealthy eating habits, and a sedentary lifestyle, potentially leading to long-term issues such as heart disease. Another [bit of research](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32074611/) indicates that binge-watching can exacerbate problems related to impulsivity and depressive symptoms, leading to neglect of duties and social problems. But you know what? **Ignore the research**. I am sure you, the reader has binge-watched in life many, many times. Ask yourself. Have you not almost always felt like crap after a binge-watching session? > Binge-watching is a bit like binge-drinking. You love doing it even though you have no idea why you are doing it. But the next day, when the effects start wearing off, you wish a truck ran over you. Most importantly, binge watching destroys your potential, eats up your time and pushes you into the *ravine of regret*. Every time I have binge-watched, I see myself needing **at least a week of slow progress** to get back to having a decent, healthy routine. --- ## It's Not Just a Question of Discipline Many of us are raised in cultures quick to attribute personal "failures" to a lack of discipline. You didn't score well on that test? Well, you lack discipline in studying. You didn't wake up early? Well, you are indisciplined. You didn't finish that task you were supposed to? Where the hell is your discipline? While I largely agree that discipline is a key requirement in a human life, I also think that we tend to lose nuance of *why people can't all achieve what they want* when we resort to a high level statement like "You didn't achieve X because you lack discipline". Binge-watching is not just a discipline problem. Over-the-top (OTT) platforms are ingeniously designed to *hook viewers*, making binge-watching more of an engineered outcome than a personal failing. Think of it this way if you will - **How does an OTT platform make its money?** The answer is the [subscription-based business model](https://www.uscreen.tv/blog/subscription-business-models/). To make money as a subscription-based business, you need people to stay on your platform, giving you money month after month or year after year. Thus, the addictive content isn't a happy accident—it's a business strategy. It is not just our discipline that is killing our potential; only if it were that straightforward. Instead, we have to battle against technology that is by design trying to push us into the "Netflix and chill" trap. --- ## Towards Intentional Viewing of Online Entertainment This whole article is inspired from [Leopold Aschenbrenner's deep thought process](https://www.forourposterity.com/against-netflix). Having struggled with binge-watching in the past and finding my way out of it more recently, I decided to write down my reflections on the topic. While Leopold tends to think of Netflix as a cultural enemy to American greatness, I am looking at the whole problem at a more individualistic level. Initially, I wondered, *"As an individual, how can I protect my potential by being devoured by Netflix, or any OTT platform for that matter?"*. I realise that's the question most people ask these days. And respectfully, *I think it's the wrong one.* I don't think we need to see Netflix as an enemy. Instead of protecting our potential, I think we can enhance our potential by using Netflix in a calculated manner. While the age old suggestion is to use it in *moderation*, I would argue we need to use it with *intention*. So, what's the more pertinent question? I believe it's, _"How can I transform Netflix into a tool for growth?"_ Netflix, like other OTT platforms, is a reservoir of varied content. OTT platforms in general offer three kinds of content. - Educational documentaries - Like "BBC's Planet Earth" - Biographies that delve into diverse human experiences - Like "The Last Dance" - Entertaining shows, which, when consumed in moderation, can be a source of relaxation - Like "Suits" The key lies in developing a decision framework to discern the value of content, regulate viewing time, and schedule breaks to avoid saturation. This decision framework is something we all need to individually put some thought into for making it relevant to ourselves. For example, when I now sit down to scan Netflix, I have three questions to select content. If any of this is a "yes", I might watch it. - Is it a "based-on-true-story" film or a documentary series? - Is it inspirational i.e does it show a journey of growth and progress? - Is it "Suits"? (No points for guessing my favourite show) What these questions do for me is a very simple task called **Filtering**. Life is too short for watching a crappy show or worse, one that is good but does not align with your personal life goals. This approach isn't about shielding ourselves from Netflix; it's about strategically engaging with it to enrich our lives, not detract from them. --- Before you leave, here is a poem I jotted down. I call it [[The Binge]] There was a mind, brilliant and keen, Strife with potential, waiting to be seen. Yet, it lies tethered to a screen, Oh, what a tragedy it has been. As night descends, it engages in a binge-watching spree, Shutting its judgement, as if it were a decree. Heavy it hangs, suspended in a digital sea, Purpose blinds itself, the madness it cannot see. As it lies glued to the story, expecting a gain, it does not realise its sleeping with its bane. "No more, just one," it gasps in vain, As episode after episode shackles its brain. ---