Do you do anything while you watch movies/tv shows?

Playing videogames, working, solving a puzzle?

49 points · 48 comments · view on lemmy.world

48 Comments

WhyAUsername_1@lemmy.world · 31 pts · 346d (2 replies)

Nope. I watch movies /TV Shows with focus. If I need to do something (example attend a phone call), I will pause the movie.

I can't do parallel work while watching.

200ok@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 345d

Same. I was gifted a book called the "myth of multitasking"... I feel like I don't need to read it to get the gist.

Madzielle@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 2 pts · 343d

I read everything I watch with subtitles. If it's on in the background, I am not paying attention at all. Music is background sound, not tv. The only time I let something roll while I'm not paying attention, is when it's something I've already seen multiple times and am just comfort seeking.

Nemo@slrpnk.net · 19 pts · 346d

I usually sit.

If a show isn't worth paying my full (visusl) attention to, it's not worth watching at all.

Usernameblankface@lemmy.world · 11 pts · 345d

If I want to watch something, I'm going to sit down and only watch the thing.

remon@ani.social · 10 pts · 345d (1 reply)

Smoke weed and drink beer.

imaqtpie@lemmy.myserv.one · 5 pts · 344d

SnokenKeekaGuard@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 9 pts · 346d

Most TV and cinema I try to appreciate and analyse as a medium. Its a visual medium and constantly changing.

Needs attention for analysis.

Now i do sometimes watch some braindead TV or movies too although you can always take away something from them too, they require a lil less attention.

  • So 90% of the time no distractions.
  • 10% of the time I might use my phone, or if I'm watching smth on my phone walk to my kitchen or talk to someone I'm with etc.
agamemnonymous@sh.itjust.works · 9 pts · 346d

I'm not interested in movies/tv shows that you can follow without paying attention, so no.

viking@infosec.pub · 6 pts · 345d

No. If I lose focus or get distracted, it means whatever I'm watching isn't worth it, and I'll switch to something else.

Toes@ani.social · 6 pts · 345d

I try not to do that.

But sometimes the scene is really dry or too cringe for me.

I'll catch myself texting people or browsing image galleries.

otacon239@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 346d

Heavily depends on what I’m watching. Some shows, I need full attention, others, I’ll do programming and have it on in the background and still be able to follow.

Depends on how the show was written and who the original audience was. I enjoy a lot of sitcom writing, but often find the pacing to be a bit slow, so those are perfect for putting on in the background.

Perspectivist@feddit.uk · 5 pts · 346d

Other than eat, no. I never got into short form media so I still have a relatively normal attention span. There's nothing interesting on my phone anyway.

toomanypancakes@piefed.world · 5 pts · 346d

Depends how much I care about what I'm watching. If I'm invested it has all my interest, otherwise it's probably background noise for whatever else I'm doing. Usually browsing the fediverse, chatting with friends, or shopping for shit I don't need

quediuspayu@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 5 pts · 344d (1 reply)

No.

But if you ask instead, Do you watch movies/tv shows while doing something else? Then answer is yes, all the time. Mostly during chores like cleaning dishes or ironing but sometimes also doing puzzles, origami or whatever.

Professorozone@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 344d

Exactly this. If I'm watching something good,I don't want distractions. But if I'm doing something that doesn't require a lot of attention, especially if it's tedious, I welcome a distraction.

dream_weasel@sh.itjust.works · 4 pts · 344d

There are some shows my wife picks that don't require full attention to get something from. Sometimes I do chess puzzles or play a 5 min game while they get to the point.

The more predictable of those kinds of shows you can literally just skip like 3/4 of the episode cough Dr pimple Popper cough.

ickplant@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 345d

I knit, especially easier designs that don’t require much attention.

Acamon@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 346d

All the time. I sometimes read my phone, sometimes play games, often I'm doing chores (cooking, cleaning etc). Pretty much the only time I watch something 100% is if I go to the cinema, but if I'm at home I can't resist the distractions.

It also influences what I watch. I definitely prefer shows and films that don't require constant attention, so subtitles or minimal dialogue are not ideal. If it's a film that I really want to try and engage with as much as possible, I watch it first thing in the morning, as I'm still waking up. When my brain is still sluggish, just drinking a pot of coffee is enough to keep me busy while I watch. (and yeah, I've got adhd...)

Vanth@reddthat.com · 3 pts · 346d

Yep. I have Bluetooth headphones so I can wander the house freely. Tidying up, cooking, hobby projects here and there, picking out the dead leaves and buds on houseplants.

Some TV shows warrant full attention, but some I just listen to half of it. Some I rewatch as a comfort.

AmidFuror@fedia.io · 3 pts · 346d

Go away. Batin'.

CharlesReed@fedia.io · 2 pts · 346d

If I'm by myself, I'm either eating or knitting. But if I'm with someone or in a theater, then nothing.

njm1314@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 346d

Sometimes something mindless like folding laundry.

Sparkles@fedia.io · 2 pts · 345d

I play sudoku, get distracted, rewind. Keeps me busy.

Naz@sh.itjust.works · 2 pts · 346d (1 reply)

You probably have ADHD, OP

Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 346d

I don't know. Everyone I know with ADHD gets too sucked into the TV too do anything else.

HubertManne@piefed.social · 2 pts · 345d (1 reply)

Almost always. As others have said its sorta the opposite. I throw things on in the background while doing other stuff. When I have the rare thing of something I really want to watch which like most of the time involves me and my wife watching together. Then its just the show. Most of the time the show or movie we really want to see ends in disappointment (the dog in superman to us was the only good thing and fantastic four was rather disappointing outside of some special effects)

breb@piefed.social · 1 pts · 345d

yeah really wanted fantastic four cgi

sheridan@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 346d (1 reply)

If it's a fictional show, not usually. But I'll often play reality shows like Shark Tank or Naked & Afraid or a crime documentary while I do chores.

calliope@retrolemmy.com · 1 pts · 346d

I love a good crime documentary for chores!

Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 346d

If I want to watch something, I'll watch it.

That being said, there's always something playing on the TV, so I'm often playing on my phone while listening to whatever it is.

BOFH666@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 346d

Compiling..

neidu3@sh.itjust.works · 2 pts · 346d

When watching something on my TV I usually have an rtsp stream of my 3d printer on my PC, just so I can catch any spaghetti being printed before I waste too much time and plastic.

AceFuzzLord@lemmy.zip · 1 pts · 344d

Usually I try to just watch without being distracted by something else. Otherwise, if I'm working on something like an essay for college or sometimes other work that isn't college related, I will sometimes have a show onnmy external hard drive playing to keep me going.

DudenessBoy@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 343d

I play 2048

DeathByBigSad@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 345d

Reflect on childhood PTSD, sometimes the parallels are too similar and I cry.

If it gets too boring, change VLC setting to 1.25 or 1.5

vortexal@sopuli.xyz · 1 pts · 345d

I usually just eat when I watch tv shows and movies. I don't see a reason to anything else, outside of "those" types, and I can't just sit and watch things because, especially with movies, I tend to fall asleep while trying to watch them.

snailboy@leminal.space · 1 pts · 345d
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amelia@feddit.org · 1 pts · 343d

I think the only time I ever properly watched something while doing something else was when I had to do incredibly monotonous measurements in the lab, holding a little sensor to random positions on an object, for hours, so I watched LOL while doing that. Since both activities required less than half of my brain, it was fine.

Sometimes I watch YouTube videos while doing something else like playing a game that doesn't always require full attention, or editing photos. But only if there isn't much going on visually anyway and I'm mostly listening.

I would never watch a movie and do something else simultaneously. Movies are a main focus thing.

pineapplelover@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 1 pts · 345d

Sometimes I play Clash Royale. It's a slow enough game that I can place down my troops without using too much of my brain

DirigibleProtein@aussie.zone · 1 pts · 346d (4 replies)

Sometimes I build chain mail while watching.

mnemonicmonkeys@sh.itjust.works · 2 pts · 346d (3 replies)

I assume butted chain, not riveted?

DirigibleProtein@aussie.zone · 2 pts · 346d (2 replies)

That is correct

mnemonicmonkeys@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 345d (1 reply)

Hopefully cosmetic or for boffers?

DirigibleProtein@aussie.zone · 2 pts · 345d

Cosplay or jewellery usually. This is what I’m working on at the moment:

Kolanaki@pawb.social · 1 pts · 345d (1 reply)

Jork it.

urheber@discuss.tchncs.de · 1 pts · 345d

the only right answer.

@twakyr@feddit.org

nimble@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 1 pts · 345d
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RodgeGrabTheCat@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 346d

I play a game on an old android tablet. Usually Sudoku or Fruitty Game.

TootSweet@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 345d

Write code. Whatever side-project happens to be capturing my attention at the moment.

Occasionally play video games. Or Lemmy.