Emotional Intelligence: Turn Off Your TV!
September 30, 2009 by Dr. Steve Bedwell
Filed under Emotional Intelligence
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Have you ever sat in a doctor’s waiting room that didn’t have a TV? It makes sense to put TVs in waiting rooms, doesn’t it? Surely it’s just a way to kill time, whiling away the (hopefully not too many) hours waiting for your five-minute window with a physician.
I heard an interesting presentation last week given by a smart chap called Neal Peyser; Managing Director of FTI Healthcare (An organization that works with large and small healthcare providers to solve their most complex operational and strategic issues.) During his seminar he referred to research about TVs in waiting rooms. The research findings suggest that watching TV in a doctor’s waiting room increases your stress.
Zooming out and expanding our viewpoint on this issue raises an important question: Does watching TV raise our stress levels at other times? How about when we watch cable news? Let’s face it, TV news is about one thing. It’s specifically (and cynically) structured to hold our attention for the ad breaks. A truckload of contrived hysteria…And a word from our sponsor!
The Ultimate Irony
When pressed, we don’t even believe what they tell us! Time magazine conducted an online poll: “Now that Walter Cronkite has passed on, who is America’s most trusted newscaster?”
Respondents voted overwhelmingly for Jon Stewart from The Daily Show (44%). Brian Williams – a frequent guest on The Daily Show – scored second place (29%). Katie Couric trailed with 7%. We trust a pseudo-news show to give us a better grasp of the facts than the “real” news.
The Problem:
Just like a horror flick, we might know cable news is a hotbed of spewed speculation…but it raises our anxiety anyway. Fear as entertainment, totally valid; hence the popularity of roller-coasters. Perpetually tickling your “worry gland” with stress-provoking news stories, not so smart.
My Solution:
Don’t watch cable-news over breakfast. Watch stand-up comedy, or an episode of your favorite sit-com instead. Or listen to music, or chat with your spouse. Something that will set you up for a great day, not stress you out before you’ve even finished your cornflakes!
And, in the evening, be super-selective. Avoid self-righteous news anchors who yell or whine. I realize these people make a living grandstanding to their fan base. But, let’s face it, you wouldn’t give them the time of day if you were force-fed their chatter at the office.
As You Sit Poised With Your TV Remote…
Here are three sure-fire phrases that mean you should flip the channel immediately…
• “I don’t have the inside scoop, but I’m guessing…”
• “Turns out the financial analysts’ predictions were completely wrong…Let’s check out what they’re predicting today.”
• And finally, the biggest and surest sign you need to flip channels: “Welcome to Fox News…”
Just my opinion, feel free to disagree…
