Better Than Netflix: 3 OTHER Ways To Spend Your Evening

4 min read by Chris Rea

 

Monday

Go to work. Come home. Eat dinner. Clean kitchen. Watch Netflix.

Tuesday

Go to work. Come home. Eat dinner. Clean kitchen. Watch Netflix.

Wednesday

Go to work. Come home. Eat dinner. Clean kitchen. Watch Netflix.

You get the point. Since when did Netflix become part of our daily routine? Maybe for you, if you’re a wee bit older, it isn’t Netflix it’s still TV. Or maybe, if you are a wee bit younger, it’s Youtube. Whatever your guilty pleasure is, entertainment has become a huge part of our daily lives. Staring at laptops, iPads, smartphones, and any other screen you can think of has become part of all of our daily routines.

Many of us stare at screens for our jobs. Then we come home and turn on another screen, and another screen.

I think one of the worst feelings has got to be when you at your settings on your phone and realize how many hours of your day was spent looking at said screen. We are constantly sending images, opinions, and entertainment into our brains.

I am no exception. I do this myself.

The problem with this pattern is our society is becoming more anxious, stressed, and depressed than ever before. And maybe, just maybe, the two are correlated. We were designed to work hard, to have physical labor, to tire our bodies out during the day and rest at night. What we are running into now is mentally exhausting our brains all day, having little to know physical labor/exercise, and then we’re unable to shut our brains off and wonder why we can’t sleep.

Raise your hand if you can relate.

I see you guy in the blue shirt.

I see you.

Hang with me.

The truth is we all love our technology. I absolutely do! I’m a huge advocate of leveraging technology for good as much as you possibly can. So what is the solution?

 

Perhaps it’s as simple as giving your mind a break from time to time and do something instead of staring at a screen.

Don’t worry, your entertainment still has a place. What do you think? Meg & I will give up sports center and HGTV completely? What are you crazy?

However, I want to give you 3 alternatives to Netflix. 3 new rhythms to work into your evenings that will give your mind a break, refresh your spirit, your soul, and your body.

 

So instead of watching Netflix, you can…

1. Spend some intimate moments connecting with God.

There was a season of time when Megan and I decided that at 9:30 PM each night we were going to power down all our screens, put on some worship music, and spend a half hour to 45 minutes praying, reading God’s word, worshipping, and journaling before we went to bed. During this season I felt more connecting to God. I heard his voice more clearly. I felt fresh spiritually. I gave into temptation and the lies of the enemy less and I slept so peacefully. Not to mention I felt more connected to Megan because we would pray over each other at the end of each night. We would share powerful scriptures with each other and worship together. We shared a very deep connection during this season because we were bringing God into our relationship daily. The Bible says two are better than one but three are even better than 2. When you bring God into your marriage look out.  The spiritual intimacy leads to more emotional intimacy, which leads to more physical intimacy. Come on Somebody!!

2. Relax with Christian Meditation and breathing exercises

 

It’s funny how the Bible is filled with scriptures about meditation, peace, being still, casting your burdens on Christ yet, the moment you mention the word “mediation” you get “side eyes” and people are certain you’ve joined a cult. Let me tell you, there is nothing new under the sun. God knew living in this world would be hard, stressful, and even painful at times but He still offers us peace because He’s already overcome all of it. (John 16:33)

He is constantly inviting us to renew and rest our minds.

There is a Christian App called Abide and there is another app called Calm. Both use meditation practices to help release stress, worry, and anxiety in our lives. The Bible says, “Be still and know that I am God.”(Psalm 46:10) If you can quiet your mind and force yourself to breathe and be still for even 10 minutes per day you will see a huge difference in your mental health. You will sleep better, relax more, and be less stressed out! Try it.

 

3. Get physical exercise

We need to stop making excuses, put down the remote/phone/screen, and do something physical. (Here are Meg’s workout ideas)Go to the gym. (Here are mine) Planet Fitness has memberships for $10 bucks per month, leaving us void of any excuses. It’s less than a movie!

Go for a walk with friends, family, or your spouse. Studies have shown that tiring your body physically will help you lose weight, manage stress, feel better overall and even sleep better. Our bodies were built for physical labor, so give your mind a rest and do something physical.

 

Another idea for physical exercise includes playing a family game after dinner instead of watching something. Growing up my Dad created a game called “Family Room Baseball.”

We used one of these Detroit Tiger kiddy bats and a sponge ball and literally played baseball in the family room.

My mom wasn’t always thrilled especially the day we broke her favorite frame of Grandpa, but she learned to jump into the action with us. And also bubble wrap the Living Room.

I have so many memories of playing physical games in the house, in the yard, in the street with my parents. And honestly, I have very few memories of sitting around as a family and watching TV (unless it was sports, of course, because like I said earlier, I’m a realist).

 

Making memories means you’re creating a life together versus just reacting to daily stress and circumstances.

 

If we aren’t intentional life will happen to us instead of us happening to it! So turn Netflix off for just a few hours and do something that feeds your spirit, your soul, and your body.

 

Each of us is Spirit, Soul & Body. Every part connected and feeding off each other.

 

What does a part of your evening routine look like?

 

Alright, guys, I have to go. One of my favorite Netflix shows is calling my name. ;P

 

Until next time,

Chris

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