DEAR HARRIETTE: I can’t believe I’m admitting this, but I have become a serial binge watcher of random TV shows. It seems like all these new networks like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Roku -- you name it -- have different series that come on, and I get caught up in them. I will search around and find a show, and then discover myself asleep at the TV many hours later. I haven't been getting my housework done. Honestly, I haven't talked to my family recently. We all just do our separate things and don’t communicate much. I know this probably sounds stupid, but I can’t seem to stop. I come home, cook dinner, sit down and watch. What can I do to change this bad habit? -- Binge Watcher, Jackson, Mississippi
DEAR BINGE WATCHER: Unfortunately, you are part of a trend. These TV series have become the new video games, in a way. Because you no longer have to wait a week to see the next episode of a show, it is tempting to watch all 6, 9, 12 or more in a season. Add to that the fact that many of these series come to these services after there are multiple seasons, and you have a recipe for disaster if you get hooked.
My solution: Don’t turn on the TV in the first place. Schedule time to spend with your family. Limit your TV hours when you do turn it on. Wean yourself off this time-sucking habit.