Let's do some numbers. Enter the average number of hours per day (not the total
number of hours per week). For example, in No. 1, enter the average number of hours you
watch TV each weekend, and each weekend day.
1. How many hours a day do you watch TV (or have TV on)?
Monday through Friday? ____
Saturday and Sunday? ____
2. How many hours a day do you work at the computer?
M-F? ____ S-S? ____
3. How many hours a day do you spend indoors?
M-F? ____ S-S? ____
4. How many hours a day do you spend driving or in public transportation?
M-F? ____ S-S? ____
5. How many hours a day do you spend reading?
M-F? ____ S-S? ____
6. How many hours a day do you spend talking or listening to others talk?
M-F? ____ S-S? ____
M-F Total ____ S-S Total ____
Results:
Add up your hours. Subtract the total from 24. Then subtract the average number
of hours you sleep. The final number is how many hours you may be
doing something with your mind other than fulfilling your day-to-day role in society.
That "may" is critical. Because, given the large momentum of all
those hours spent in mental routine, there's an excellent chance the few remaining hours
are spend in either similar mental activity or in so-called mindless escapism (drugs, sex,
sports, hobbies). Chances are also that your weekend hours differ only slightly in quality
from your weekday hours.
The point of the test is obvious: While we spend a lot of time and money
watching our body diet, we devote very little time, money, or thought to the mind diet.
And that may be a dangerous miscalculation, a neglect so basic, so
fundamental that it undermines whatever good efforts we put into maintaining the body.
Here's another way to interpret your results;
Think of the best person you have known, or have known about, and imagine
that person taking this little test. Compare his/her score to yours.
What to do?
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