13 To-Dos To Do While You Watch TV

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By the end of the week, the last thing we want to do is to tackle our to-dos. It’s Friday, and the biggest to-do on our mind is catching up on this week’s 30 Rock. As important as it is to give full attention to big financial decisions and anything that requires real math, we’ll confess that we often try to knock off our more menial tasks in front of the television. Nothing like killing lots of birds with one televised stone.

Here are 13 to-dos to do while you pay a visit to TV Land:

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Tell us in the comments: How do you multitask while watching TV? Or don't you?

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  • Anonymous

    Great piece, Allison! To this I’d suggest inputting tax receipts and categorizing them for the week. Quarterly taxes just passed and it made me realize how much more organized about them I could be! nCheers,nCaroline nLearnVest’s Chief Content & Community Officer

  • Elle

    When I watch TV, I usually organize my desk or just clean in general. I don’t necessarily like to sit still, so getting up and doing some cleaning while I watch the Real Housewives definitely gets one of my checklist items done!

  • Anonymous

    Frankly, I don’t know if I could actually accomplish any of these… when the TV is on, I can’t concentrate on anything else, including other people. I’m like a 4-year-old. A better system would be TV as a reward for doing these things!

    • Sitch907

      I’m totally the opposite — I can’t focus on just the TV, so I usually play a game on my laptop or text or something. Maybe now I can make that time more productive…

  • Spanky Tomato

    I exercise while watching videos on Netflix since I don’t have a tv. I avoid commercials and get my mat Pilates in six days a week!

    • Jane

      such a good idea! if I did a mini workout every time I’m in front of the TV, I would be a much fitter girl!

  • Jane

    don’t think I could focus on finances while I’m watching TV. I can flip through magazines during the commercials, but that’s about it :)

  • Anonymous

    I like the red purse in the “Declutter your purse” slide…nI am in great need of organizing my inbox! I am really good at reading my email and then not responding or filing that email out of my inbox. I just got it down to 107 from 139. My goal is to get it below 100 before bed tonight :)

  • http://www.wearcomfortableshoes.com Julie

    Don’t you think all this multi-tasking is just perpetuating our inability to give 100% of our attention to someone or something? Studies show that heavy multi-tasking may weaken our cognitive abilities… There is an NPR interview that sheds some harsh light on multi-tasking: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112334449

    • http://twitter.com/amkade Allison Kade

      Hi Julie,nnPoint well taken. In this article, what I was going for wasn’t the idea that we’re actually more efficient when multitasking, but just accepting the fact that, for most people, it’s become a simple fact. On this list are only basic activities that don’t require too much attention. Although the ideal would be for us to be able to give our all to going through receipts or boring busywork that has to get done, in reality it’s often hard enough to make ourselves to it at all, forgetting logistics.nnSo, I totally understand where you’re coming from, and I think that the NPR article is definitely food for thought. Nonetheless, for what it’s worth, the goal of this was simply to encourage people to get stuff done during commercial breaks and to use their time to the utmost, and to knock of annoying, tedious chores (rather than thoughtful tasks) like the medicine hidden in the applesauce–couched in something potentially more enjoyable.nnBest,nAllison

  • http://twitter.com/brutalcupcake u10e6 Michelle Smith

    I thought your credit score decreases everytime you check it…? Or am I misinformed?

    • http://twitter.com/amkade Allison Kade

      Hi Michelle,nnGreat question! You can check your own credit SCORE as often as you like without penalty–the decrease comes when someone else checks your credit REPORT in order to see if they want to give you a loan, a new credit card, etc. You can check your own credit report once per year from each of the three credit bureaus, so, essentially, the credit score you can check as many times as you want, and the credit report you can check three times per year (once from each bureau).nnFor info on the difference between the two, check this out: http://www.learnvest.com/mylv/pages/check/Check-My-Credit-Report-ScorennHope that helps!nnAllisonnEditor, LV

  • Libbysmom3

    Great time to IRON!!!!! Fold laundry!!! Sort clothes! Clean out drawers!