Why background TV helps me get things done!

You know when you’re trying to get stuff done and the silence is just too much, I know some people swear by total quiet to concentrate but the silence drives me insane. My brain doesn’t work well in the peace and quite, instead it thinks of a million other things but not the job that I am focusing on. That’s where background TV comes in. I know it might sound like the last thing you’d want on if you’re trying to be productive but for me it works. I’ve realised I’m far better off having something on in the background than sitting in complete quiet.

Being home alone or just pottering about can get a bit lonely. The kids are older now so they’re off doing their own thing most of the time. My fella is at work so it's just me, the house and whatever jobs need doing. Without something in the background it sometimes feels like the walls are closing in. When I stick the TV on it feels like there’s someone else in the room with me. It’s not about watching it properly it’s more like having a bit of background chatter. A friendly voice keeping me company while I crack on.

The trick is it has to be the right kind of TV. I can’t put on a brand new drama that I’ve been dying to watch or I’ll be sat there with my cuppa completely forgetting about whatever job I was supposed to be doing. It has to be something familiar and easy to dip in and out of. Old sitcoms are my go to. Stuff like Friends or The Big Bang Theory. I know them so well that I don’t need to concentrate but every so often a line will make me laugh and it gives me a little boost to keep going. I’ve also got a soft spot for shows I’ve seen again and again even if they’re completely different in tone. The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones are perfect for this. I know every twist and every big moment so I don’t actually need to follow the story to enjoy it. I can just let it play in the background and sometimes I’ll catch a scene I hadn’t noticed before.

We all have those jobs we put off. Things like sorting paperwork, ironing and folding the mountain of laundry that never seems to end and those jobs are a hundred times worse for me in silence but when the TV’s on they don’t feel as dull. It even works with blogging. If I’m writing a post I’ll have something on in the background. It helps me focus, the TV sort of keeps part of my brain busy so the other part can get on with the words. If it’s too quiet I seem to overthink every sentence and end up stuck.

I know there are people who love total silence but I find it makes me restless. I start listening to every little sound the fridge humming, the postman walking past, someone cutting their grass and once I notice those things my brain goes wandering off in all directions. Music sometimes works but depending on the mood it can either pump me up too much or make me want to sing along and as much as I love belting out a good 90s power ballad it doesn’t exactly help me tick things off my to do list. TV is the happy medium.

It’s not for everyone. Some people would find it massively distracting but for me it’s the opposite. It stops me getting bored, it makes me feel less on my own and it somehow helps me get into the flow of whatever I’m doing.

What about you? Do you need some background noise to be productive?