Prepare yourself with alternative activities before you cut the cable cord. I ordered a few magazine subscriptions for one thing. Let me explain why magazines. As a teacher, I read picture books every day. They are short, to the point, and all too often use uninspired language. (Sound like your favorite television show?)
I should probably not admit this, but I had gotten to the point that it would take me an entire school year, August to May, to read one or two novels. No time to read when the box is glowing all evening. During my summer weeks off, it was hard to get into reading, being so out of practice. I had reader-ADD. So I found a happy medium between television and classic literature—magazines!
Of course, most magazine articles are like picture books (short, to the point, and written in uninspired language), but they have to be better for the brain than watching old episodes of “Coach”. Besides, magazines were my stepping stone on the way to once again being a regular reader. (Teacher Soap-Box 1: If your kids see you read regularly, they will be readers. Reading will improve their vocabulary and help them perform better on standardized tests. If you don’t have kids, your friends will be impressed and come up with new nicknames for your well-read self.)
When you have gotten into the habit of reading the magazines on the porch rather than watching television on the couch on Saturday afternoons, upgrade to books. Try different genres until you find a type or author that you can’t put down, and reading will be as satisfying as watching television most of the time. Honestly, I think reading is more relaxing as well. You really can’t multitask while reading (unless you get books on tape, another stepping stone) so it is personal, quiet time.