I confess. I'm a TV addict. I would say I watch at least three hours of television a night and sadly, I'm probably understating that. Its hard not to want to hit the boob tube after a hard day of work. It helps to turn your mind off and put you into a delicious semi-coma where all the bad things that are going on around you go away. In the summertime, however, watching television is not quite as satisfying as it could be. There are no new shows, so one can easily get roped into watching two hours of The E! True Hollywood Story of the Pussycat Dolls without even knowing who or what the Pussycat Dolls even are (This sadly, has happened to me with more than one E! True Hollywood Story).

So I'm here to help. These are some tips for things to do other than watch television this summer. A TV diet can do you good. It might open your mind, get you back in touch with old friends, and help you gain some new insight into life outside the world of that glowing box.

Ten Things to Do Other than Watch TV this Summer

1. Host a game night. My friends and I do this about once a month. We like to play games like Cranium, Gestures, and Taboo, and we always keep a lot of alcohol on hand to muddy our minds, thus making the challenge of gaming more intense.

2. Redecorate. Ever get stuck on watching HGTV's Design on a Dime or Sell My House!? How about actually trying out some of their techniques? You have the time now, so give it a shot. You might not be able to make a coffee table with just tire scraps and old pennies like they do, but it will at least be an adventure.

3. Learn a musical instrument Its never too late to pick up something new. I might try to learn how to play the harmonica this summer.

4. Crossword/Sudoku Okay, so you might not want to admit to your friends that you're spending your Saturday nights doing either one of these things, but they're actually fantastic ways to make your mind work and pass the time.

5. Read a book. Remember those pretty cardboard bound things with paper in the middle? They're called books. And they're actually pretty interesting.

6. Organize your stuff Ever since I saw the Oprah episode on the Secret Life of Hoarders, I've been obsessing with getting rid of my unecessary things. The guy on that show advises you to separate things into three piles: Donate, Sell, and Keep. I find that since I've started cleaning things out I actually feel lighter. No joke.

7. Volunteer You don't have to be a do-gooder to volunteer, and contrary to popular belief, you don't have to sacrifice tons of time to do it either. Go down to a local soup kitchen and try it for just one day. Then next time the mindless reruns are getting you down, remember that time you helped someone out by giving them a hot meal to eat....

8. Enjoy the great outdoors. Take a walk, a jog, a hike. Breathe in the air. Be happy you're alive.

9. Learn to paint. I grew up wanting to be exactly like Bob Ross, and today, I don't have any pet squirrels, but I do enjoy passing the time painting landscapes (mosty ocean scenes). They're not very good, but I created them, and sometimes I frame them and give them to family members as gifts.

10. Rent a movie If your mind needs numbing, if you can't take any more cultural enrichment, its more than acceptable to rent a movie. At least you're watching something you want to watch, not being sucked into to meaningless filler dribble. Do it on a rainy day, and let yourself really enjoy it.