TV Alternatives

Why Calculate TV Alternatives?

Watching television, streaming movies, and binge-watching series is one of the most common ways to relax. However, when done in excess, it can consume a massive portion of our lives. The TV Alternatives Calculator is designed to help you quantify your viewing habits. By inputting your daily watch time and subscription fees, this tool reveals the annual impact on your time, pocket, and potential achievements.

Replacing even a fraction of sedentary screen time with active, educational, or creative habits can lead to life-changing results. Whether you want to read more books, learn a language, get in shape, or save money, this calculator illustrates exactly what is possible.

How the Calculations Work

Our calculator translates your daily screen time into annual totals and converts that time into various alternatives using standard metrics:

• Yearly Time Spent: Calculated as: Daily Hours * 365 days.
• Yearly Subscription Cost: Calculated as: Monthly Cost * 12 months.
• Books Read: Based on an average adult reading speed of 200 words per minute (WPM) and an average book length of 64,000 words. This means a standard book takes about 5.33 hours to complete.
• Bicycling & Jogging Distance: Assumes a moderate bicycling speed of 15 km/h (9.3 mph) and a jogging speed of 8 km/h (5 mph).
• Calorie Burn & Weight Loss: Uses the Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET) formula. Bicycling is assigned a MET value of 7.5, and jogging is assigned a MET value of 8.0. The calories burned are calculated as: MET * weight (kg) * hours. To calculate weight lost, we use the standard benchmark of 7,700 calories per kilogram of body fat (or 3,500 calories per pound).
• Learning Languages & Skills: Assumes it takes roughly 600 hours to reach conversational fluency in a language, and 20 hours to acquire basic proficiency in a new skill.

Tips for Reducing Sedentary Screen Time

If you find that your yearly screen time is higher than you would like, here are a few simple ways to reclaim your time:

1. Set a Screen Time Limit: Use app blockers or TV timers to automatically limit your daily streaming hours.
2. Create a "No Screen" Zone: Keep televisions and tablets out of the bedroom to encourage reading and better sleep hygiene.
3. Pair Entertainment with Exercise: If you must watch TV, try doing it while walking on a treadmill or riding a stationary bike.
4. Start a Binge-Watching Audit: Check out our Binge Watching Calculator to plan out your series runtimes before committing to them.