In an increasingly automated society, we have so much more free time and the ability to do absolutely whatever we want in this time. You could rock climb, kayak, fish, sky-dive, use virtual reality and even eat squid (gross!).

But more often than not the new favorite American pastime is binge watching. This can be the most dangerous and consuming of all the activities, which is why I have five tips for you. So here it is: A Binge Watcher’s Guide to the Galaxy, if you will.

1. What happens in the TV den stays in the TV den. Binge confidentiality is important for your own sake. You watched 20 hours straight of Stranger Things? Great. But this opens you up to the great danger of binge watching. JUDGMENT. Some people just don’t understand the beautiful, intimate time you spend with Netflix and the emotional rollercoaster it takes you through.

2. When picking a binge-worthy show, know thyself. Are you the type of person who can sit down and get invested for a season or two-a-day and go back to the real world? Or do you have a Smeagol Complex? You know the type of person who sits down for one episode and 20 seasons later is holed up in a cave calling Doctor Who their precious.

3. Always have supplies. All great adventurers are prepared; they have maps, knives, food and a will to complete the task at hand. You’re kind of like these people, except all you need is a will to complete the task and food, lots of food.

4. Know when to have a binge buddy; sometimes it’s necessary to enter the vast unknown with a trusted ally.

5. When binge watching, it’s important not to lose yourself to the game like Kenny Rogers famously said, “Know when to walk away, know when to run.”